Magic name replacement player for injured defender

A knee injury to AVIS Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic defender Oceane Maihi has forced a late change to their 2023 playing roster with Tauranga’s Amy Christophers confirmed as her replacement.

Maihi suffered an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) and meniscus tear to her knee in October and despite having already undergone surgery and started her rehabilitation, will miss next year’s ANZ Premiership.

Christophers has been elevated into the 10-strong squad and makes the step up from the Magic’s Legacy roopu having been contracted into the Magic environment as an 18-year-old.

She played for Waikato-BOP in last season’s Synergy Hair Netball League (SHNL) and teamed up with Magic defender Erena Mikaere for Tauranga at September’s NZ Police Netball Open Championships.

Magic coach Mary-Jane Araroa said she was hugely disappointed for Maihi and had been looking forward to working with the defender next season.

“Obviously we are devastated for Oceane who made a successful move to the Magic this season and was ready to play a significant role in our defensive end next year.  She will continue her rehab with us, and we’ll be with her every step of the way,” she said.

“Amy knows our environment well which will make it easier for her transition and has already had time in the circle with Erena, so we know what to expect.  I’m looking forward to seeing Amy in the Magic mix.”

Meanwhile, the Magic have also confirmed two training partners and two apprentice players for the coming season – Australian born netballers Monica Faumui and Reeghan de Bono signing on as training players and Kaiya Kepa and Arikinoa Shortland, both from Hamilton Girls’ High School, named as apprentice players.

Faumui, originally from Brisbane, took up a scholarship with St Peter’s College in Cambridge as a Year 12 student to further her netball.  She was named in the 2021 New Zealand Secondary Schools team and was a member of the St Peter’s College team which won the Upper North Island Secondary Schools tournament and competed at the national schools’ event. Faumui also played for Waikato-BOP in the SHNL.

De Bono’s family has a long history with Netball Bay of Plenty and since returning from Australia to live in Tauranga has featured in the region’s representative teams. The midcourter has been a part of the Aotearoa Maori Netball Squad, the NZSS development camp and was identified as a New Zealand U21 player.  She also played for Waikato-BOP in the SHNL.

Both Kepa and Shortland were members of a successful Hamilton Girls’ High School side – co-captaining the team – which won both UNISS and the FUJIFILM Business Innovation NZ Secondary Schools Netball Champs. Kepa was a member of the NZSS.  Shortland was named in the Aotearoa Māori Secondary Schools team and both players went on to represent Hamilton Netball Centre at the Celebration Box Netball NZ U18 Champs.