Netball: Hot shots to light up Western Bay

Kia Magic's Joanne Harten fires in a shot against West Coast Fever's Eboni Beckford-Chambers at ASB Arena in March. The Magic will play two top teams at the venue next year. Photo / File

Western Bay netball fans are in for a treat with the ASB Arena to host two Kia Magic matches in seven days in next year's ANZ Championship.

But unlike this year's two-game allocation against West Coast Fever and Mainland Tactix - the competition's two worst performers - the ASB Arena has struck gold with third-placed NSW Swifts and reigning champions Melbourne Vixens the visitors.

The Swifts will strut their stuff on March 9, with the Vixens due in town on March 15, after the Magic travel to Adelaide to play 2013 champions Adelaide Thunderbirds in their season opener.

Magic coach Julie Fitzgerald guided her side to the play-offs in her first season in charge in 2014.

She is pleased to have three Australian teams in successive games to kick-start the new campaign.

"Look, I'm not one to ever worry about the draw," she said.

"You've got to play everybody and when you play them I don't think makes much difference.

"But I also think it is a bit of an advantage to have some Australian teams in a row, as you get used to their style of play, so it gives us something to build on I think," Fitzgerald said.

She said she rated the ASB Arena highly as a netball venue.

"I love playing there. I think it is a great stadium and the crowd is really close and they are always very supportive," she said.

In the 2014 campaign, the Magic had better success against the Australian teams than the other New Zealand teams, which may have much to do with Fitzgerald's pragmatic attitude.

"We just approach the Australian games like any other games," she said.

"We always had things we wanted to work on and we never made a big deal about whether or not they were Australian teams or New Zealand teams.

"I was thrilled with the lift in confidence in our team, particularly some of our young ones who really developed throughout the season, so it is exciting to see how we keep building on that this year."

The competition's eighth season begins on February 28 and it will run for 14 weeks.

The start date was brought forward because of the 2015 Netball World Cup in Sydney.

Kia Magic draw for 2015

February 28: Thunderbirds vs Magic, Adelaide
March 9: Magic vs Swifts, Tauranga
March 15: Magic vs Vixens, Tauranga
March 22: Magic vs Tactix, Hamilton
March 30: Pulse vs Magic, Wellington
April 5: Magic vs Mystics, Rotorua
April 11: Steel vs Magic, Invercargill
April 18: Firebirds vs Magic, Brisbane
April 26: Fever vs Magic Perth
May 1-3: Magic - bye
May 10: Magic vs Steel, Hamilton
May 18: Mystics vs Magic, Auckland
May 25: Magic vs Pulse, Hamilton
May 31: Tactix vs Magic, Christchurch