Newcastle have finished second in the opens championship division of the NSW netball titles held at Campbelltown over the June long weekend.
Newcastle were well in the hunt to be crowned state champions heading into the final day of action on Monday after dropping just one game - 18-17 to Maitland in their first outing of the carnival - before a thrilling final-round showdown with unbeaten Liverpool City.
Liverpool City emerged 13-11 winners and NSW title-holders after an arm wrestle with Newcastle, who were led by former national league player and evergreen centre Narelle Eather over the three days and 19 games in all.
Kurri Kurri Blue won all 12 of their games across Saturday and Sunday to be unbeaten on the way to securing the NSW men's division two crown with Hunter third. It was the first time men's competition has been played at the state championships.
In Super Netball, the NSW Swifts will not get the chance to defend their championship crown after missing out on a finals position by the smallest of margins.
The Swifts beat Queensland Firebirds 63-61 in front of a sell-out crowd at Ken Rosewall Arena on Sunday but needed Collingwood to go down to premiers Melbourne Vixens on Monday by a certain margin to secure fourth place.
Vixens beat Magpies 56-54, leaving the latter level with the Swifts on 24 points but in fourth position with a slightly superior goal percentage.
Giants, who lost last year's grand final to the Swifts, host Collingwood in the minor semi-final this weekend. Vixens play West Coast Fever in the major semi-final.
