Pulse standout embraces the unknown on and off the court

Pulse netball standout Fa’amu Ioane says it is perfectly fine not to have life figured out, even at the height of a professional sporting career.

Ioane, the wing defence for Te Wānanga o Raukawa Pulse, is in her third season with the club after moving from Auckland in 2023 to grow her game in the ANZ Premiership. She previously played for the Northern Mystics and Northern Stars, and she was part of the New Zealand Under-21 squad that won the World Youth Cup in 2017.

Speaking to Pacific Huddle host Latonya Lole, Ioane says she has goals beyond the court, as she loves helping out her community. She hopes to get more involved, especially with Pacific and Māori youth.

“In terms of how I get there and what I really wanted to do, that's still unknown. I'm still trying to figure things out. To all the young Pasifika and Māori girls who want to come into netball, it's going to be tough,” Ioane says.

“The reality is when you are in netball, you’ll get opportunities to study and play, which is a great thing that netball provides. But it’s not a bad thing If you go to university, don't know what to do, and you want to explore your options.

“At the end of the day, you're going to be working in that area for the rest of your life. So you want to be in, you want to be doing a job that you enjoy and love.”

ANZ Premiership 2024's interview with Fa’amu Ioane:

Reflecting on her move to Wellington three years ago to play for the Pulse, Ioane says it was difficult. As a self-described homebody, she says leaving Auckland, her family, and especially her mother, was a tough transition.

“Especially since it's just me and my mum. My mum took it hard as well, but she knew that this is what I wanted and is only short term. She also knew that this was to grow my game. She was very reluctant but supported me and always wanted what's best for me.

“Leaving my mum was hard, but it definitely made me a lot more independent. I had to rely on myself, I didn't have my family down here or my partner. That really built my character in terms of just being more independent.

“In terms of netball, I took my experience from the Northern Mystics and Northern Stars, and brought it down here with me. Most athletes know that as the years go by, you tend to learn and grow more as an athlete and as a person. I'm grateful for every season I've been through.”

On the court, she adapted from Auckland’s space-marking systems to the Pulse’s one-on-one defence, improving her man-on-man skills. Ioane sees her role as bringing experience and leadership to the front court, applying pressure with her centre partner, Maddy Gordon, to create ball for their back-line defenders.

While history was made for the Mainland Tactix in the 2025 ANZ Premiership finals, ending a 28-year wait for a national title, the Pulse exited this season in the preliminary final. Ioane says the loss hit the team hard, especially after narrowly losing last year’s finals by a point and seconds on the clock.

“I think most of us haven't watched the game back. Knowing that we could have won last year, and knowing what potential that we had, that's what our aim was for this year. Unfortunately, we didn't quite get there. Our intention was there, but we just weren't able to execute what we wanted.”

The Pulse’s 2025 team. Photo/Facebook

Ioane credits her growth to the collective effort of her team-mates, highlighting the importance of senior players like veteran goal keeper Kelly Jackson and wing attack Whitney Souness, while praising emerging defenders such as Parris Mason and shooters Tiana Metuarau and Amelia Walmsley.

“All around it's a good mix, and we all bring something different. That's what's been great about coming down to the Pulse. It’s bouncing off each other and learning stuff off each other. Kelly’s a person that leads with action.

“So it's always good to see how she is and what she does. It's cool to have someone at the back of me that does that and that whatever I'm running in the front, she will always back me. Having Maddy in the front, who's dynamic and speedy, so it's good to work off her,” Ioane says.

“She brings something different, she’s very competitive and I can always rely on her. If we’re down, I can trust she's going to put everything out there.”