Netball round 13 wrap

THE race for the ANZ Championship finals has not lost any intensity with six teams still in the hunt for a top four spot.

THE race for the ANZ Championship finals has not lost any intensity with six teams still in the hunt for a top four spot.

This is the fifth season of the trans-Tasman league and the competition has risen to another level with each game a fierce contest and unpredictable results being common.

Four sides can still finish on top after this weekend's final minor round and such is the nature of the competition, the Adelaide Thunderbirds can finish anywhere from top to sixth.

The Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic sent out another ominous warning to rivals when it conquered the Thunderbirds by 17 goals in Tauranga on Saturday, climbing them to third on the ladder.

The Melbourne Vixens are favoured to the minor premiership after beating the Central Pulse to be on top of the ladder, percentage above the Northern Mystics.

Magic run

The Magic have now claimed eight successive wins and given themselves a serious chance to be the first Kiwi side to claim the crown.

So what has happened to turn it around for the Hamilton franchise after dropping their first four games? As the season lengthens the Magic will always improve as they spend more time together.

Defensively they have lifted with champion Casey Williams back in peak form. There is no better defender in the game when Williams is in full flight. At the other end of the court Julianna Naoupu is proving a reliable foil for Irene van Dyk in the goal circle.

The Magic had only two games programmed in Australia and they were way back in round three and four. They lost both and have not lost since. Having Kiwi umpires control their games is a big help.

Injury worries for Mystics

Brilliant Mystics defender Anna Harrison lasted just six minutes of the game against the Tactix on Sunday before being forced off the court with a calf issue.

The star act in the chairlift tactic was still limping badly the following day and the Mystics can not afford to lose such a key component in their side with the finals looming.

Pulse loses Cooper

Midcourter Katarina Cooper is likely to need a knee re-construction after being injured in the loss to the Vixens on Monday night.

Cooper left the court 13 minutes into the first quarter with suspected anterior cruciate ligament damage.

The Pulse were overwhelmed by the Vixens early and trailed by 10 goals at quarter-time. But they showed poise under pressure to cut the deficit to four goals at one stage. Errors proved costly, however, and the Pulse were punished for any mistake.

Vixens too good

The Vixens played a quick, free flowing game early to have the Pulse on the back foot from the outset. Defender Geva Mentor did a good job standing in-form Pulse goal shooter Caitlin Thwaites which helped the Vixens' cause.

Vixens coach Julie Hoornweg made just one change, replacing Chelsey Tregear with Sarah Wall at centre at three-quarter time. Tregear returned to the role for the final quarter.

The Vixens took only 11 players to NZ and have remained in the country to prepare for Saturday's battle with the Steel in Invercargill.

Nourse eased back

Firebirds captain Lauren Nourse has not been over used in her return to the court this season after knee surgery last year.

Nourse, who missed the grand final triumph after having a knee re-construction, has shared the workload in the midcourt with Elissa Macleod and Chelsea Pitman.

On Sunday, coach Roselee Jencke opted to start with Macleod at centre  and did not use Nourse until the final quarter when she replaced Pitman at wing attack.

As has become a regular starting seven selection, Jacinta Messer was the preferred option at goal defence with Amy Steel on the bench. Not sure if that will help Steel's chances of national squad selection.

Nat's injury worries

Since having a pin inserted in a finger on her right hand five years ago, Thunderbirds co-captain Nat von Bertouch had escaped any further problems. Until Saturday that is.

In the second half of the contest in Tauranga, the ball deflected off Magic centre Laura Langman and hit von Bertouch on the finger. The pain forced the champion midcourter from the court for the final quarter and she had X-rays on Sunday after arriving back in Adelaide.

There were fears initially von Bertouch could miss the rest of the season but she is confident of being available to face the Tactix in the final minor round at Netball SA Stadium on Sunday.

Swift changes

Swifts coach Lisa Beehag has not been afraid to make changes in her first season at the helm.

With the home side eight goals up at half-time against the Steel in Sydney on Sunday, Beehag moved Susan Pratley from goal attack to goal shooter and replaced Carla Dziwoki in the goal circle with Amy Wild. Samantha May took Jo Sutton's spot at wing defence.

The Steel did not may any changes until the final quarter when Shannon Francois was moved from wing attack to centre, Phillipa Finch from centre to wing defence to take Hayley Saunders' spot, Jodi Brown from goal shooter to wing attack and Te Paea Selby-Rickit was introduced at goal shooter. Louise Thayer was given a run in the final quarter at goal keeper after an injury time was called.

Sutton retires

Swifts defender Jo Sutton has called an end to her career and will return to Adelaide to study nutrition.

She told the players after training on Thursday of her decision and will play her final game against the Mystics in Auckland on Sunday.

Sutton has made 34 ANZ Championship appearances and played 24 games in the defunct national league. A member of the Sydney Swifts premiership sides in 2006-07, Sutton moved to Adelaide in 2009 to play with the Thunderbirds.

After three years in Adelaide, Sutton returned to the Swifts this season. She missed the Thunderbirds' grand final triumph in 2010 after damaging her Achilles in the opening round.
 

Round 13 results


Vixens 49 (K. Howarth 37/42, T. Caldwell 12/14) d Pulse 41 (C. Thwaites 29/35, P. Griffin 12/19). Mystics 64 (C. Latu 45/46, G. Rasmussen 3/5, M. Tutaia 16/25) d Tactix 55 (J. Harten 37/49, E. Halpenny 18/25). Firebirds 63 (R. Aiken 25/31, N. Medhurst 38/45) d Fever 43 (C. Bassett 35/40, N. Smith 1/1, C. Cox 7/15). Swifts 55 (S. Pratley 36/43, A. Wild 7/9, C. Dziwoki 12/13) d Steel 42 (TP Selby-Rickit 5/7, D. Wilkins 22/24, J. Brown 15/19). Magic 59 (I van Dyk 41/42, J. Naoupu 18/23) d Thunderbirds 42 (C. Borrego 27/29, E. Bell 15/20).


Ladder

 

Team                Pld     Won     Lost     For     Agst      %         Pts

Vixens              12         9          3       589      531    110.92   18

Mystics             12         9          3       617      584    105.65   18

Magic               12         8          4       646      551     117.24   16

Thunderbirds   12          8         4        605      545     111.01  16

Swifts              12          8         4        575      588      97.79    16

Firebirds          12          7         5        643      587     109.54   14

Pulse                12          5         7        547      586      93.34    10

Fever                12         2         10      568       635      89.45      4

Steel                 12         2         10       601       672      89.43     4

Tactix               12         2         10       590       702      84.05     4

 

Goals

Caitlin Bassett (Fever)             417 472 88.3%

Romelda Aiken (Firebirds)      401 484 82.9%

Carla Borrego (Thunderbirds) 391 443 88.3%

Irene van Dyk (Magic)              386 406 95.1%

Caitlin Thwaites (Pulse)           375 438 85.6%

Joanne Harten (Tactix)              356 442 80.5%

Susan Pratley (Swifts)               315 371 84.9%

Cathrine Latu (Mystics)            314 322 97.5%

Donna Wilkins (Steel)               300 332 90.4%

Maria Tutaia (Mystics)              281 370 75.9%

Rankings

 
1: Magic (2 last week): Claimed their eighth successive win with a 17-goal thumping of the Thunderbirds. Casey Williams is back to her best.

2: Vixens (3): Blasted out of the blocks to lead the Pulse by 10 goals at quarter-time. Held their composure when challenged in what was a danger game.

3: Mystics (4): Lost Anna Harrison early but still too good for the Tactix in Christchurch.

4: Firebirds (5): Still an outside chance to make the finals after belting the Fever by 20 goals at home.

5: Swifts (10): Bounced back from the poor performance when got the job done against the Steel in Sydney.

6: Thunderbirds (1): Slipped well down the rankings with the loss to the Magic. Did not play bad but were outclassed. It is not an easy trip to Tauranga.

7: Pulse (8): Overpowered by the Vixens early but responded to close the gap to four goals. Coughed up mistakes when challenging the Vixens and made to pay.

8: Steel (9): Battling injury and it was always going to be a tough ask for the Steel in Sydney. Did not give up the fight though.

9: Tactix (6): Never in the contest against the Mystics, who needed the win to push for top spot.

10: Fever (7): Disappointing effort when easily beaten by the Firebirds in Brisbane.