An old-fashioned pasting has triggered the right response to getting Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic's transtasman netball league campaign back on track, according to assistant coach Marg Foster.
The Magic's seven-goal loss to the NSW Swifts has created a bottleneck from second to fifth place on the points table where four teams
are battling for three spots to make the play-offs. The unbeaten Queensland Firebirds are virtually assured of wrapping up the minor premiership.
Currently propping up fifth, place, in the midst of playing three games in seven days, the Magic need to win their remaining four games to cement a top-four spot.
They start with tricky assignments against the Canterbury Tactix, in Rotorua today, and the Southern Steel in Invercargill on Sunday.
"I would say that we must win all our games now, and it may sound strange, but we probably work better like that," Foster said. "I think it's good we have got our backs a little bit up against the wall because that will bring out the Magic spirit and that's what we need. It's not negotiable to be honest.
"I've been getting texts from the girls, saying they want to get out there and redeem themselves. That's the feeling and that's what we need ... fire in the belly."
The talent-laden Swifts came out blazing last Monday against the Magic to turn their form around in a high-quality first half. With a 14-goal lead, the visitors had pretty much done the job before the Magic salvaged some pride with a second half fightback to halve the deficit.
"I just felt they wanted it more than us and they actually needed it more than us," Foster said. "That match was season-defining for the Swifts and if they didn't win, it could have been the end for them of making the top four. So, those players fronted up."NZPA
