Blue Mountain Shallow Tail have been crowned the inaugural Butterfly Netball League (BNL) champions after edging Sepik Green Moon 45–44 in a thrilling grand final on Sunday, May 3rd.

The match lived up to expectations, with neither side leading by more than two points at any stage.

Blue Mountain Shallow Tail held a narrow 12–11 lead at the end of the first quarter, before Sepik Green Moon fought back to take a 24–22 advantage into halftime.

Momentum shifted again in the third quarter, with Blue Mountain reclaiming the lead 33–32, setting up a tense final period. In a neck-and-neck finish, they held their composure to secure a one-point victory.

In the third-place playoff, Alexander Birdwing defeated Island Monarch 47–45 after a strong comeback, overturning a seven-point deficit in the third quarter.

Beyond the results, the competition highlighted emerging talent, with players showing the ability to perform under pressure and deliver at a high level.

Now with the competition concluded, attention turns to national selection, where top performers from the four teams will be considered for the PNG Pepes squad ahead of the Tonga Cup qualifiers in September.

PNG Netball Executive Coordinator, Lynette Maha, said the Butterfly Netball League is Netball PNG's development pathway initiative to identify the best local talents to make the National Selection.

“The best players from each club will now be selected into the PNG Pepes draft squad, alongside our international players based in Australia and New Zealand,” she said.

An estimated 15 to 20 players from the BNL are expected to be selected, with the squad list to be announced in the coming weeks. Further selections will also be made from Papua New Guinean players competing overseas.

The squad will then go through a trimming phase before the final team is confirmed for the Tonga Cup qualifiers in September.