Dawson back in charge with Magic | Bay of Plenty Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Bay of Plenty

Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic have turned back the clock with the appointment of Mt Maunganui's Sheryl Dawson as interim chief executive until the end of the ANZ Championship.

Dawson was the Magic chief before the trans-Tasman competition started, moving sideways to a marketing manager role with the franchise when Netball New Zealand deemed she couldn't fill two roles - chief executive of Magic and Netball Bay of Plenty.

But Dawson has replaced Martin Ellis after 2 1/2 years, taking over the chief executive's job to get the franchise through until the end of this season's transtasman competition.

Ellis last month resigned from his role as business development manager with Waikato Rugby, who were contracted by Magic to fill the part-time chief executive's role, with Dawson handling marketing and event management.

"Because Martin resigned his role with Waikato rugby, the Magic board had to find someone to fill the chief executive's position and board chairman Peter de Luca phoned me," Dawson said.

"The board felt we had to move quickly to prepare for the new season so I have stepped in in an acting capacity.

"I was actually looking to go the other way, into retirement, so we've come full circle."

Dawson hasn't committed beyond August, with the New Zealand franchises' participation agreement in the ANZ Championship expiring. "It has to be reworked for the next three years and, while I don't envisage any major changes, all the New Zealand franchises have to put in their cases to remain."

Dawson will stay as chief executive of Netball Bay of Plenty, with the workload redistributed among current staff during her time with the Magic. She said there had been no resistance from Netball New Zealand to her appointment.

"Time seems to have moved on and things have changed. Netball NZ were delighted with the appointment, as was the transtasman board, so I guess it [dual roles] is no longer an issue."

Dawson agreed there had been a perception several years ago within Waikato circles that Netball Bay of Plenty had too much clout within the Magic and with its board.

But feelings there appear to have become mellowed too, with Lynette Flowers, one of Waikato's representatives on the Magic board, describing Dawson's appointment as "fantastic".

"There's been no grumblings around anything, not to date, and I think the response of the Waikato chairwoman says it all," Dawson said. Ellis is leaving to pursue his own business interests, saying although the Silver Fern-laden Magic side didn't win the competition, he considered his tenure successful both on and off the court.

"When we started it was just embryonic and we achieved well. [Coach] Noeline Taurua is happy with the team she's got for this year and they're in a good place," he said.