Netball: Langman re signs with Mystics

Laura Langman. Photo / Christine Cornege

Laura Langman is sticking with the Northern Mystics netball franchise next season, putting an end to speculation the Silver Ferns linchpin would return to the Magic in 2015.

The Mystics have re-signed Langman for a further year, ensuring the Auckland side will have an all-international attack line after the announcement this week that former Pulse midcourter Camilla Lees would join the Auckland franchise.

Star shooting duo Maria Tutaia and Cathrine Latu recommitted to the Mystics last month.

After struggling to find her rhythm at the Mystics, who finished a disappointing seventh this season after problems on and off the court, there was talk Langman might head back to the Magic.

But the experienced midcourter was keen to return to the Mystics and continue to build on the combinations established this year.

Mystics coach Debbie Fuller said that after six seasons with the Magic a change in club was always going to be difficult for Langman, particularly when she places such huge expectations on herself.

"Laura went through a big adjustment when she joined the side this year but she worked through it," says Fuller, who is looking forward to watching Langman's connections with her team grow even stronger in 2015.

"After a tough start she finished the season one of the top-ranked centres, showing she is an athlete who never stops trying."

Langman concedes that it took a while for the Mystics to hit their straps, but "when you put a new group together, it does takes time". She took a lot of heart from the side's emphatic finish to the season, in which they beat the West Coast Fever and NSW Swifts in successive weeks, playing a creative, fast-paced brand of netball.

During those final two matches Langman's combination with the shooting circle was especially impressive as the understanding the attacking group had worked so hard to build over the first 12 weeks of the competition finally came together.

Mystics chief executive Julie Paterson said although she was aware of speculation around Langman's future at the club, she was confident they would be able to retain her. "I'm never over-confident, but we were never given any indication from Laura that she wished to leave, so it was never a case of trying to talk her around or anything," said Paterson.

"All our conversations were around looking ahead to 2015 and trying to work through a few things."

With their attacking core confirmed, the Mystics are now going through the process of finalising their defensive end for next season.

They have already secured young gun defender Temalisi Fakahokotau, but are still weighing up their options for the remaining spots.

The Mystics are believed to be chasing Jamaican defender Malysha Kelly to fill the import spot vacated by Australian defender Julie Corletto, who has returned home.

Paterson said that after a comprehensive end-of-season review there was a lot of positivity coming from the players and the board over the franchise's direction.