Mystics tipped to ruffle Firebirds in final

Northern Mystics have every chance of bringing the ANZ Championship trophy home to New Zealand, according to Silver Fern Laura Langman.
She should know, she's played in two grand finals since the competition began, in 2008, although to date the title has eluded her Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic side.
"They can give [Firebirds] a real good run for their money," the Magic midcourter said after her team's one-goal loss in the competition major semifinal on Sunday night. "Mystics have peaked at the right time - all the best to them."
Queensland Firebirds made history at the Gold Coast the previous weekend when they beat Magic in their 14th straight win this season, surpassing NSW Swifts' 13 consecutive wins last year and booking a home grand final next Monday. Neither Mystics or Firebirds have made the semifinals before, let alone a grand final. That could make for a fairly level playing field, putting aside the home advantage the Queensland side will have at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Mystics match-winner Maria Tutaia is hoping for a case of third time lucky.
The 55-cap Silver Fern has already made two play-offs appearances, with the Magic in 2008 and 2009, and come away empty-handed. This year, in her second season with the Mystics, she feels ready to go one step further when the Auckland franchise travel to Brisbane to tackle the as-yet undefeated Queensland Firebirds next Sunday.
"This is my third time, so hopefully we'll come out with the win."
Oddly, the Firebirds' closest win was a two-goal victory over the bottom-ranked Australian franchise, West Coast Fever - but Tutaia is confident the Mystics can turn the tables.
"Of course we can beat them. We've just got to make sure we're all on the same wavelength," she said.
"You're just unbeatable if everybody's there to play. I always believed we could to it, it was just a matter of everybody turning up."
In the past, the Mystics - who have never finished higher than sixth in the 10-team competition - would have folded under the Magic's pressure in Sunday's semifinal.
Not any more, Tutaia said.
"We've definitely learned our lessons in terms of making sure that even if it takes 50 passes to get it to the shooting circle, well, so be it.
"There were times when we went through a few lulls, where they got three or four in a row. But the fact that we came together as a team, we pegged it back and came out with a win was awesome."