Magic: De Bruin is back

OFF THE COURT, Silver Fern Leana de Bruin expects a far easier ride now she's back in familiar territory, but it could be a different story when she gets a netball in her hands.

De Bruin is back with Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic for this year's transtasman ANZ Championship after two years in Invercargill with the Southern Steel, which saw her commuting each week from her Cambridge home.

The 34-year-old has changed teams in four of the five ANZ Championship seasons, playing the inaugural year with the Mystics out of Auckland, previously playing for the Magic in 2008 and 2009, as well as from 2003-04 before the start of the transtasman league.

But home is where the heart is for the South Africa-born player, with the move back home giving her treasured time with 2-year-old son Caleb.

Instead of getting in a plane to criss-cross the length of the country for training and home games, de Bruin jumps in the car for the 15 minute drive to Te Awamutu or Hamilton, or an hour over the hill to Tauranga.

"For sure, it's great not having to travel, not that it bothered me that much, but my boy's at an age where he definitely need his mum around a lot more.

"Caleb understands when I leave but he doesn't know how long each time I'm going away for. I miss out on him a lot when I'm away and I'm finding this year already I'm getting a lot more done around home."

Magic open their season on Monday night against the Southern Steel, with the combined Otago-Southland team emerging from a huge upheaval during the past 12 months. The franchise has a new management team, the coaching staff has changed and, incredibly, there are just three players returning from last season.

The new-look Steel lost all five games during the ANZ Championship pre-season tournament in Tauranga, with Magic finishing third.

Despite many of the players she kitted up with now gone, de Bruin said the southerners would be fired by the low expectations on them.

"There's still a lot of experience there with the likes of Jodi [Brown] and Donna [Wilkins] forming a phenomenal combination and they'll be as excited as we are to get the season started."

As for the reception she's likely to get returning to Invercargill?

"It was a tough decision to leave, but the fans all know I went for the right reasons, family reasons. I'm sure they'll respect that."

Magic were third last season and have made the unusual, but financially prudent, decision to send just 10 players to away games to cut cost. De Bruin said it's a move that's helped bring an extra edge to training since the plan was revealed.

"We've already been working hard since the preseason tournament, but with only 10 players travelling each week that competition to be one of the 10 has been fierce.

It's been good for the girls because every time you hit the court you have to give it your all to get in the team that travels."

De Bruin had a superb 2011 campaign, jointly winning the competition's most valuable player award with Queensland Firebirds shooter Natalie Medhurst.

She has linked again at the defensive end with Silver Ferns captain Casey Williams, who is still working her way back from ankle surgery but has played in all 62 matches the Magic have contested in the ANZ Championship. De Bruin said the fact they're close off the court has helped make her transition back into Magic colours a smooth one.

"Casey and I haven't been afraid to try a few new things in training, and while things often work out without us talking, the fact we're good mates has meant we're not afraid to challenge one another and tell each other what we think. We set high standards and are happy to talk over what works and what doesn't.

"I don't know if I'll have a target on my back [because of the MVP] but I don't really think about that. I've got goals I want to achieve, that's the focus, and whatever happens happens."

De Bruin has played 56 times for the Silver Ferns and, despite uncertainty after last season's campaign at how much longer she'll continue, has been reinvigorated under new coach Wai Taumanu. Still, she's unwilling to commit 100 per cent just yet to carrying on.

"Ask me again in July and I'll see how my body is. A new coach has added a new dimension and I still love it, and if the flame's still burning after this competition I definitely intend to keep going, although I doubt anyone will catch [39-year-old] Irene [Van Dyk]. That girl's a legend."

Queensland set the standard in a remarkable 2011 season, going through unbeaten. They have held on to all their stars and will start favourites for back-to-back titles after their preseason tournament win in Tauranga several weeks ago.

De Bruin said all of the Aussie teams had depth, with bench players inserted into games with seemingly no effect in sides' fluidity, a trait not common among the Kiwi hopefuls. Still, she'd be surprised if the Firebirds remarkable streak, which is now at 20 games, continued.

"They're still a bloody good side but they are beatable. The competition's getting harder but teams like the Firebirds have some weaknesses, it's just that you have to make sure you nail those weaknesses when you play against them if you want to have a chance."