Tuesday 21 February 2017 20:03, UK
Hertfordshire Mavericks face Team Northumbria on Friday night as the curtain raises on the 2017 Vitality Superleague season.
After a dramatic shake-up through the autumn and winter months, three new franchises have been added to the competition and week one will begin with five matches across five days to start the the new campaign.
It is the first of 18 weeks of regular season action that will reach their conclusion on Finals weekend in June with the battle to reach the top four likely to go to the wire with new-look squads and high-quality import signings out to impress.
After pre-season training and friendlies, the opening week reaches it's conclusion with a blockbuster clash live on Sky Sports Mix next Tuesday between Sirens and Wasps, two new franchise powerhouses looking to make an early impression.
However the action begins on Friday where last year's semi-finalists Hertfordshire Mavericks, who have never finished outside the top four, go into the season opener under the guidance of New Zealander Robyn Broughton and host Team Northumbria at the Hatfield Sports Village.
Northumbria make the long trip south looking to improve on last season where they finished sixth and, with Katarina Cooper joining last season's impressive debutant Tuaine Keenan, they have every chance.
Three matches follow on Saturday, starting at 4pm in Wales where Celtic Dragons face last year's third-placed Team Bath.
Dragons have supplemented their usual raft of home-grown talent with high quality imports Stacey Peeters and Kalifa McCollin, while Bath's talented youngsters will again be supplemented by the experienced Eboni Beckford-Chambers and new recruit Layla Guscoth.
Karen Greig's Manchester Thunder look to bounce back from last season's Grand Final defeat to Surrey and a number of departures with a trip to Loughborough Lightning.
The hosts will have former Thunder mid-courter Beth Cobden lining up as they look to improve on last season where they surprisingly missed out on the top-four places.
The champions begin their season at home to the third of the new franchises - Surrey Sports Village the venue for Storm against Severn Stars.
The two-time defending champions have been hit most by the new franchises with several players joining Wasps and a new coach in the shape of Aussie Tania Hoffman but the goal remains a third successive title and shooter Megan Craig will spearhead the challenge.
Stars have former Storm star Pamela Cookey in the director of netball role and former Aussie Diamond Mo'onia Gerrard as head coach and coupled with a raft of big name arrivals, headed by Josie Janz-Dawson and Laura Malcolm will have high hopes of challenging.
You can follow all the Vitality Superleague action on Sky Sports Mixthrough the season and across our Sky Sports platforms. Follow us@SkyNetball
