Silver Ferns shooter Amelia Walmsley haunts her former team as Stars beat Pulse in ANZ Premiership
Sunday, 26 April 2026
This win would have tasted extra sweet for Amelia Walmsley.
The Silver Ferns shooter came back to haunt her former Central Pulse side, shining for her new team, the Stars, in a 59-55 victory in the capital on Saturday.
Walmsley was arguably the most significant signing of the ANZ Premiership off-season and missed just one of her 26 attempts in the Stars’ victory. Attracting Walmsley to the south Auckland side was some off-season get, considering she was the most prolific shooter in the competition last season with 491 goals at 96%.
In Saturday’s later match, the Mainland Tactix remain the lone unbeaten team after three rounds, beating the Magic 53-46 in Hamilton, but lost captain Erikana Pedersen to what looked a serious shoulder injury.
Pedersen, in her 10th season with the Tactix, was in major pain as she fell to the floor while contesting possession with Magic wing defence Georgie Edgecombe late in the first half.
Walmsley was instrumental in the Stars’ win over her former team.
Leaving the Pulse after four seasons and a title in 2022 would have been tough for the 13-test Fern. The opportunity to link up with her former Comets second tier National Netball League coach Temepara Bailey at the Stars was a powerful lure.
The Stars possess one of the most potent shooting circles in the premiership in Walmsley and Martina Salmon. Against the Pulse they showed what damage they can do, missing just four of their 61 attempts.
Salmon contributed 32 from 35, including a perfect two from two from two-point range.
A decisive 18-8 third quarter swung the match the Stars’ way after the Pulse had headed to halftime with a one goal buffer (30-29). The Pulse finished strongly, but left themselves with too much work to do, trailing by nine entering the last term.
Bailey kept the faith in her starting seven for the full 60 minutes with the only positional switch being Walmsley moving to goal attack and Salmon to goal shoot in the second quarter.
Kate Burley, who missed most of last season with a foot injury, impressed again defensively in the win, picking up two intercepts and six deflections.
The winless Magic gave the Tactix a scare before the defending champions powered home with a 15-9 final quarter to win.
Chasing their first premiership win in 321 days and aiming to snap a seven-game losing run, the Magic produced their most consistent performance of the season, but it was not enough.
A potentially serious injury to Pedersen overshadowed the Tactix win and would be a huge blow to their title ambitions.
Entering the final 15 minutes, the Tactix clung to a 38-37 lead, but three straight goals from Saviour Tui put the Magic in front.
The Tactix never panicked and delivered a big finish, including a late two-point goal from Amorangi Malesala to clinch victory. Australian Charlie Bell was impressive again in the Tactix shooting end, missing just one of her 27 attempts, also pulling in two rebounds.
In Sunday’s game, the Southern Steel pulled away from the Northern Mystics in the second half for a memorable 57-46 away win on Auckland’s North Shore.
The Steel outscored the Mystics 31-20 after halftime in an emphatic performance, making it back-to-back triumphs after a poor round one showing.
Aliyah Dunn was a standout again for the southerners, slotting a perfect 47 from 47, continuing her pleasing start to the season.
The Mystics were pre-season title favourites, but it has been a slow start to the competition for the Aucklanders, dropping two of their first three games.