Contributors: Tobey Keddy, Jaimie Keay
Images: Graeme Laughton-Mutu, Adrian Watkins
As the ANZ Premiership passes the mid-way point of the season, our Kiwi based team have your wrap of how each team is faring.
So far the average winning margin across the first five rounds of the season is 13 goals. With this season the first time New Zealand teams have had the two-point shot available, could this be part of the reason behind the large margins?
Northern Mystics
Current ladder position: 2nd
Despite a wrist injury to star Australian shooter Donnell Wallam and early predictions that they would struggle this season, the Northern Mystics have proved all the naysayers wrong.
Never underestimate an attacking side that has Elisapeta Toeava in it.
Toeava has consistently showcased her world-class level this season, as her control with the ball and her ability to give confidence to her players is second to none. She currently sits at the top of the competition for feeds and is in the top five for centre pass receives. The talking point regarding her fitness has been ignored throughout the commentary this year, as she shows that she is fit and is by far the in-form wing attack in New Zealand.
Halfway through the season, Elisapeta Toeava is leading the competition with 116 goal assists. Image – Graeme Laughton-Mutu
The Mystics’ defence has had a few questions after the loss of Carys Stythe and Phoenix Karaka, but 21-year-old Cathrine Hall has had a super start to the season. Hall is currently second for intercepts, third for deflections and in the top ten for defensive rebounds, she has been smothering in defence this season. She uses her height to throw shooters off their shots and has exceptional movement to disrupt the passage of play. Her combination with Holly Rae, Michaela Sokolich-Beatson, and Tayla Earle has been incredible at the start of the season, and they will look to continue putting defensive pressure on their opposition for the rest of the season.
The only inconsistent part of their game would be their shooting end, and with Donnell Wallam now being injured, expect there to be games where they will have to try several partnerships to find a successful formula. This has seen Toeava slot into goal attack for a few quarters, but she is more needed in her traditional wing attack.
In round 5, Sophia Lafaiali’i in her second match showed talent beyond her years and will be someone the Mystics may have to rely on until Wallam is back fit and healthy, if she returns. Not many players get through a 60 minute performance against Silver Ferns goal-keeper Kelly Jackson and finish shooting stats of 45/46, including 1/1 in the tw0-point zone and get deservedly rewarded with the MVP.
Stars
Current ladder position: 6th
Despite being the only team to defeat the top-of-the-table Mainland Tactix in an epic round 2 clash, the Stars are currently on the back foot in their competition.
In their four losses this season, they are averaging a 19.5 goal differential, which is substantial in the grand scheme. However, it isn’t huge issues affecting their results this season, just blips of inconsistency and injuries affecting them.
The loss of Greer Sinclair and Kate Burley for the rest of the season has left them defensively light, so how they can increase their gains will be a big work-on for the Temepara Bailey led side.
A standout combination this season has been Tori Kolose and Mila Reulu-Buchanan. Both are playing incredible netball despite limited time together due to Reulu-Buchanan’s return to play programme and Kolose’s recent promotion to the main squad. Both have been strong at getting to the circle edge and crafty with the ball to create easy feed opportunities for the shooters.
Mid-courter Tori Kolose has been elevated to the contracted squad for the injured Greer Sinclair. Image – Adrian Watkins
For further success this season, the shooters will need to create more space in the circle so they can do better drives towards the goal posts. While the defence needs to have consistent pressure for 60 minutes, a way to do this will be to find their strongest combination so they can build without the game.
Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic
Current ladder position: 4th
What a difference two weeks can make.
Going from blowout loss to blowout loss to giving out two thrashings to the Stars – the Magic have been able to reposition their season from being in dead last to now one win away from being in third place and living up to most pundits pre-season hype.
Silver Ferns captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio is sitting second in the competition for two-point shots made with 11. Image – Adrian Watkins
The Magic’s attack this season has been inconsistent, and has to do with the form of Saviour Tui and Claire O’Brien. Both players struggled to bring their regular speed and athleticism to sidestep their defence and score goals. The Magic were touted as the team that would do best with the Super Shot, and to this point, have struggled to be accurate with it consistently.
However Tui’s performances in particular in Round 4 and 5, both games against the Stars, was sublime. Tui was a presence for her side, showcasing both her athleticism but also her movement in the circle alongside Ekenasio and after both games she shot a combined 102/110.
This season, a standout for the Magic has been their Wing Defence, Georgie Edgecombe.
Her ability to track her player and use her speed to get in front of the attacking lines has seen her be the best in her position in this competition. She is the only midcourter in the defensive statistics, currently sitting 6th in deflections and 8th in intercepts. Expect Georgie Edgecombe to be a potential bolter for the Silver Ferns this year if she can keep her consistent form going.
After two decisive wins against the Stars, defeating them by 21 and 17 points, look for them to be confident, letting the ball go and trusting that their defence is picking up defensive ball cleanly.
Central Pulse
Current ladder position: 3rd
The Central Pulse is currently experiencing their most significant challenge – how do they defeat the Northern Mystics? After four losses in a row to the Northern Mystics, the Pulse need to find a strategy to dismantle the one-on-one defence and the Peta Toeava factors of the Northern Mystics.
Despite the Mystics, the Pulse have demolished the rest of their competition. Defeating the Magic by 13 points, the Stars by 24 points and the Steel by 25 points, Coach Andrews-Tasola and their experienced starting seven have been able to be head and shoulders above their competition.
Amelia Walmsley has been exceptional this season. She averages 43 goals a game at 96% shooting accuracy with seven offensive rebounds. She is improving her strength on the hold, and her movement for the Goal Shooter position is getting stronger weekly. This has been a primary reason for her success this season.
Tiana Metuarau nailing a two-point shot against the Mystics. Image – Adrian Watkins
The defence of the Pulse this season has been the strongest in the competition. The in-circle defenders of Kelly Jackson and Parris Mason are currently 1st= for intercepts this season, and both are in the top 8 for deflections and defensive rebounds, showing their ability to win defensive ball. Pairing this with Fa’amu Ioane, who has been using her strength and physicality to rock her Wing Attack opposition, is complementary to providing these opportunities for the Pulse defence end to gain ball.
Mainland Tactix
Current ladder position: 1st
Tactix have been strong to start the season, winning four out of five games, but you wouldn’t say they have dominated their opposition like some other teams. Their average winning goal differential of 7.5 points reflects that they have had several close contests this season.
Jane Watson once again forming a dynamic combination with Karin Burger. Image – Graeme Laughton-Mutu
The overall defensive pressure of the Tactix has been tremendous this season. The quartet of Jane Watson, Karin Burger, Paris Lokotui and Holly Mather have been incredible as a unit, limiting their opposition’s offensive penetration by smothering the first option to the ball and forcing several 50/50 balls to be thrown.
Both Burger and Watson are in the top 5 for defensive rebounds, Watson is in the top 5 for deflections, and Burger is in the top 5 for interceptions. They can generate a lot more defensive ball, so expect this to be a significant focus point in the second half of the season.
There is potential for a double-edged sword moment to occur with having three strong options in the shooting end if they don’t create a proper strategy of utilising them. New head coach Donna Wilkins has been exploring and alternating between the three options during the first five rounds without trialling a plan for the two-point shot.
The Tactix have only made six two-point shots this season, despite having two long-range specialist shooters, and much of that is Martina Salmon being on the bench for most of those periods. We saw at Fast 5 Salmon’s ability to shoot the long-range shot, so instead of having Te-Paea on, who is going 4/13 this season, could we see the Tactix bring Salmon on to test her ability to shoot alongside Ellie Bird.
Overall, the Tactix have had a strong start to the season, but they need to keep building to become dominant because once teams like the Mystics, Magic or Pulse are fully clicking, the Tactix, with their current form, will struggle to keep up without a proper strategy. They have the team to win this competition and utilise the new two-point shot, but they haven’t tried it at this stage, and it might be too late.
Southern Steel
Current ladder position: 5th
The Steel started the season with a dominant win over the Magic, 69-41. However, since their one-goal loss against the Northern Mystics in round 3, the Steel look to be missing the consistency and connection to be a top-3 team.
Kimiora Poi is already stamping her mark on the midcourt in Steel colours this season. Image – Graeme Laughton-Mutu
A standout this season has been Kimiora Poi, who is in career-best form. The former Mainland Tactix skipper looks to have gone into another gear after last season’s surprise call-up to the Silver Ferns.
She is third in feeds, has 11 pickups and has been an incredible leader for her younger counterparts in the middle third in the absence of Kate Heffernan. Widely regarded as one of the fittest player in New Zealand for several years, but now she has the control and has increased her netball IQ to be one of the best feeders and defensive midcourters New Zealand has.
With Kate Heffernan getting her first minutes in Round 5, head coach Wendy Frew will have options moving forward in her midcourt.
Another standout has been Carys Stythe, who has been one of the premier defenders in the competition. Stythe has been smothering in defence since, which has led to her being first in deflections, first in defensive rebounds and fifth in interceptions.
After inconsistent court time last season, Stythe is flourishing in the deep south and is continuing to be an exciting prospect for the future.
How to watch?
New Zealand fans: Saturday games on TVNZ+/TV2, rest of the round on SkySportNZ.
Overseas: via subscription through NetballPass.com
