Netball: Fresh blood ready to energise Mystics

Grace Rasmussen, Keshia Grant and Rawinia Everitt say the squad have trained hard for the season ahead. Photo / Paul Estcourt

After undergoing a major transformation in the off season, there is a lot of excitement in the Northern Mystics camp on the eve of the start of the ANZ Championship.

But midcourters Keshia Grant, Rawinia Everitt and Grace Rasmussen are more excited than most about the start of the 2009 season.

After spending most of last year watching the ANZ Championship action from the sidelines - or, as one member of the Mystics' management team ever so eloquently put it - "getting splinters in their bum", the young trio are expected to be in the thick of it this season.

While none of the three are considered guaranteed starters at this stage, they are set to figure much more prominently in their coach's plans this season in comparison to last.

With several experienced players leaving the Mystics following a disappointing inaugural campaign, and new coach Te Aroha Keenan not afraid to mix it up with her combinations, the door has opened for Everitt and Rasmussen to have more on-court involvement for the Auckland franchise this season.

In the case of Grant, who was a member of the powerful Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic squad last season, a move north has brought about the opportunity of more court time.

With Silver Fern star Laura Langman and former international Amigene Metcalfe the preferred midcourt combination for Magic last season, Grant played just one quarter of netball in the transtasman league.

So when the Mystics came knocking looking for a wing-attack to replace Angelina Yates, who decided not to return to the franchise this season, Grant jumped at the offer.

The 1.64m midcourter said she is looking forward to getting more court time this season so she can further develop her game.

"I'm definitely excited; last year I spent a lot of time just watching, so to be more involved this year and even be in with a chance of starting is fantastic," the 21-year-old said.

"Last year was really frustrating. I lost a lot of game play and I don't know if my skills went backwards but I basically spent three months sitting on the bench, so by the time NPC came around I felt like I was starting again."

But Grant will have to fight for the starting spot with Rasmussen, who is likely to split her time between wing-attack and goal-attack this season. Rasmussen has had slightly more experience in the league, having featured in a couple of games over the end of the Mystics' opening season.

Although the bulk of her time was spent on the bench last year, Rasmussen said she still learned plenty.

"I think the main thing I learned is whether you get court time or not, you have to train hard and put in the hard yards and you'll reap the rewards," said Rasmussen, who will represent the New Zealand Under-21 side at the World Youth Cup in the Cook Islands later this year.

She is the only member of the Under-21 team still remaining from the side that won the world title back in 2005. That team featured the likes of Laura Langman, Casey Williams and Maria Tutaia among other current members of the senior New Zealand squad.

Rasmussen's career may not have progressed at the same exponential rate as some of her contemporaries, but several Netball New Zealand insiders are tipping the 20-year-old for a big year, particularly given the improvement of her fitness levels.

Rasmussen said she is seeing the benefits of the Mystics' intense pre-season fitness programme and believes the hard work her side have put in over the last four or five months will stand them in good stead for the rest of the season.

"I'm very excited. We've actually been able to have a proper pre-season this year so we're all prepared for what we've got ahead of us."

Also clearly enjoying the benefits of the Mystics' emphasis on fitness in the off-season is effervescent midcourter Rawinia Everitt.

Everitt, 22, further broadens Keenan's options in the midcourt, offering a more defence-oriented game at centre, whilst also providing backup in the wing-defence position.

One of the less obvious combinations that has worked well for the Mystics in their build-up to the season features Everitt at centre, with captain Temepara George at wing-attack.

The pairing allows George to focus more on her feeding role and putting the shooters into space, while Everitt does the business on defence.

With former Silver Fern Debbie White also in the midcourt mix, Everitt admits there is a lot of competition for places.

"I think everyone is fighting for a spot on court but there's a good feeling amongst the team. We push each other around in training, but we're all really good friends," she said.

The result of this competition for midcourt places has only been positive for Keenan, who has been able to develop several strong combinations.

This was evident in the Mystics' pre-season form, with the Auckland side impressing in both the Queenstown and Te Awamutu tournaments.

The Mystics looked very sharp in both outings, winning all four matches in Queenstown, and dropping just one game at the Waipa Festival of Netball, despite missing three key players. Everitt said the team are very happy with where they are at heading into the season.

"We've gained a lot of confidence not only individually but as a team as well; we've formed a really tight unit."

They may be a tight unit, but that doesn't stop Everitt earning the scorn of her team-mates, who claim the 22-year-old is the coach's pet.

"I don't know what I did to get it but I know there's a few after my spot," she joked.