Western have named a team with a mixture of youth and experience for the 2009 Perry Foundation National Netball Championships commencing in September.

Western competes in the 1st Division of the Perry Foundation National Championships where they hope to build on their placing of 5th in 2008. Their campaign will begin with a home match in Palmerston North on September 6th versus 2008 champions Southland and will run through to the finals weekend, in Invercargill, in October.

Six players from the title winning Western U21 team have moved through to the senior squad. They are defenders Jodi Beaumont and Sam Burkhart, shooters Amber Bellringer and Te Paea Selby-Rickit and mid-courters Abby Hull and Sam Durie-Aranga. All but Abby Hull were in the Western Lois Muir Challenge team which will bring consistency and understanding to their game as they have been working together since the beginning of the year.

Other players from Western's Lois Muir Challenge to join the team are mid courters Jodi Hikuroa and Kylee Webb. Both Jodi and Kylee were instrumental in the Western Two team who won the Second Grade Tournament at the 2008 Perry Foundation National Championships.

Other members of the team are former Pulse midcourter Lauren Burgess, experienced shooter Chantelle Ngaia who was selected as Player of the Second Grade Tournament in 2008, and Chrisy Longstaff who comes back to the Western region after a stint in the Waikato.

Western play Southland in their first match on September 6th, 12.00pm at Arena Manawatu. Their second home game is also at Arena Manawatu versus Otago on September 19th, 6.00pm. Tickets are available through Ticket Direct on www.ticketdirect.co.nz or phone 0800 484 2538.

The Western 1st Division Team consists of: