"We're not expecting her to come out and save games in this first season because we're very well aware how hard it is. She's going to be making a huge adjustment this year - it's an opportunity to learn something new, challenge herself and give it a go," said Fuller.
"The movement patterns are very different, there's a lot of short, sharp movements and more power movements, especially at goal shoot, so I anticipate it will take a while for Megan to get the footwork right."
Fuller is clear she is not poaching Craig from basketball, with the Auckland franchise to work closely with Tall Ferns coach Kennedy Kereama to try to align their programmes. The two sports have often found themselves in a tug of war over talent, with another battle looming over Auckland teen Maia Wilson, who at 17 has already represented the Tall Ferns at senior level but is also firmly on the radar of the Netball New Zealand selectors.
"It was made very clear in my initial discussions with Kennedy that this is an opportunity for both sports to work together, respect each other's programmes and objectives and see if it can work," said Fuller.
"It's a really good opportunity to show that it can work and that athletes can move seamlessly between sports without having to cut themselves off."
Craig, who grew up in the Otaika Valley outside Whangarei, said the willingness of the Mystics to work with Basketball New Zealand made her a lot more comfortable about making the leap to netball.
"I'm very happy, and very lucky, that Debbie and Kennedy have worked together to make this happen," she said.
"And while I haven't been in New Zealand a lot for the last few years, mum is a huge Mystics fan and has kept me in the loop with the team."
The addition of Craig brings the number of shooters on the Mystics books to just three alongside veterans Cathrine Latu and Maria Tutaia. That leaves the Auckland side without any specialised back-up to Tutaia in the goal-attack bib, a move Fuller admits is a big risk. But she said with the introduction of a new domestic league next season, there will be a full Mystics development squad training alongside the team and playing in their competition every week, which the team can draw from if required.
"The beauty of the new competition is we know there are going to be readily available players underneath the Mystics who will be prepared and conditioned to step up at any given time," she said.
Rounding out the Mystics squad alongside Craig is midcourter Fa'amu Ioane, a former national schools' representative from Avondale College. To ensure Craig and Ioane put their best foot forward in 2016, they'll be part of a new "Transition to ANZ" programme that Fuller and Noeline Taurua will run from October to December.
There they'll be joined by fellow Mystics newcomers Holly Fowler, 18, and Michaela Sokolich-Beatson, 18, plus players in the Mystics' development squad.
Northern Mystics
2016 squad:
Megan Craig, Kayla Cullen, Temalisi Fakahokotau, Holly Fowler, Serena Guthrie (import player), Anna Harrison, Fa'amu Ioane, Cathrine Latu, Nadia Loveday, Michaela Sokolich-Beatson, Sulu Tone-Fitzpatrick, Maria Tutaia.
Tall timber
Tallest shooters in the ANZ Championship
• 2.04m Megan Craig
• 1.98m Jhaniele Fowler-Reid
• 1.96m Romelda Aiken
• 1.93m Caitlin Bassett
• 1.90m Irene van Dyk.
