Netball: Grudge match to test Mystics

Jamaican international Althea Byfield (left) has been the pick of the new Mystics recruits in the opening rounds of the transtasman league. Photo / Brett Phibbs

It's been a while since we've seen a good old-fashioned netball grudge match in this country.

Since the advent of the ANZ Championship in 2008, attention has shifted from traditional domestic rivalries and tended to focus more on our new transtasman foes.

But today's round three clash between the Northern Mystics and Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic could be the beginning of a bitter (and beautiful) rivalry.

After an aggressive off-season recruitment campaign, the Mystics have been tipped to overtake the Magic as the top franchise in the country. Today's match will go a long way to revealing whether the Auckland side have any sort of claim to that mantle.

There will be further feeling out on court with two former Magic stars this year lining up for the Auckland side. Since Silver Ferns Maria Tutaia and Joline Henry made the switch in the off-season, anticipation of their first showdown against their former teammates has been huge.

But Mystics midcourter Jenny-May Coffin said it was important her side didn't get caught up in anything else but the game.

"I'm sure the girls have talked about stuff looking ahead to the weekend, and I'm sure there will be some sort of tension there. But it's the same old cliche, the more we focus on ourselves and take away from the fact we're facing up against some former teammates, the better we will be when we front up on Saturday," said Coffin. "Of course we will look at the Magic and what they bring to the court, but it won't be about rivalries or anything like that, it's got to be about tactical aspects of the game."

With a stranglehold on New Zealand's top playing talent over the first two seasons of the competition, the Magic have easily dominated their Kiwi opposition up until now. But after a flood of player movement at the end last season saw the powerbase of New Zealand netball shift. The Mystics franchise is now home to five members of the wider Silver Ferns squad, while the other New Zealand franchises each have three.

The Magic though have been able to offset their loss of three Ferns stars last season, with the acquisition of two former internationals - Australian Peta Scholz and shooter Jodi Brown.

The Magic have had mixed results from their first two league matches, a 40-48 first-up loss to defending champions Melbourne Vixens followed by a 61-50 win over Southern Steel. In contrast, the Mystics won 55-52 against Adelaide Thunderbirds and beat strugglers Central Pulse 61-50.

While the Mystics are tracking well, Tutaia said they had a long way to go before they reached their full potential.

"I don't think we've really hit our straps yet - we've got strength right through the court, but it's all about making sure we link them together," she said.

In the other big match-up of the weekend, the Adelaide Thunderbirds take on the Queensland Firebirds in Brisbane tomorrow. After a winless start to the season, both sides, each of whom were tipped as finals contenders this year, are desperate to get on the board in 2010. By the end of the weekend one team will be zero from three and facing a steep ascent to make the playoffs.

After last weekend's 18-goal drubbing at the hands of the West Coast Fever, the Canterbury Tactix have another tough assignment against the NSW Swifts in Christchurch tomorrow night.

KEY MATCHUPS

Althea Byfield v Irene van Dyk
Jamaican international Althea Byfield has been the pick of the new Mystics recruits in the opening rounds of the transtasman league. The flamboyant defender has wowed the crowds with her incredible elevation and knack for pulling off spectacular intercepts – she is second in the league for intercepts, behind a certain Silver Ferns captain who has dominated the category for the past two seasons. But Byfield will face her biggest test of the season against veteran shooter Irene van Dyk, who will need to draw on all her years of experience to outwit the plucky Jamaican.

Temepara George v Laura Langman
The battle at centre between the country's two best midcourt exponents is another fascinating thread to run through this game. Since George's return to international netball last season the debate has raged: who is New Zealand's best centre – the wily veteran, or the exuberant youngster? Both players' strengths are in the defensive side of their game and with the Silver Ferns pair well-matched in terms of speed, athleticism and flair, it will be an intriguing battle. But with George splitting her time between the centre and wing attack positions this season, the pair, who captain their respective sides, may not go toe-to-toe for the entire match.

Maria Tutaia v Casey Williams
It remains to be seen whether Tutaia and her former Magic teammate will match up directly today, but regardless they pair will be the key figures for their respective sides in the Mystics shooting end. Tutaia's move north has forced her to step up her game, increasing her volume of shots and playing more of a role in steering the Mystics attack. Just how much she has developed in her short time at the Auckland franchise will be tested today, when she takes on the player she regards as the best defender in the business. Despite leading the competition in intercepts, Williams has had by her own standards a quiet start to the ANZ Championship and will be keen to unleash today.

ANZ CHAMPIONSHIP

Today: 2.20pm Northern Mystics v Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic, Auckland.
Tomorrow: 4.50pm Queensland Firebirds v Adelaide Thunderbirds, Brisbane; 6.50pm Canterbury Tactix v NSW Swifts, Christchurch.
Monday: 7.20pm Southern Steel v Central Pulse, Dunedin; 10.05pm West Coast Fever v Melbourne Vixens, Perth.