Netball: Magic to cap season of drama on a high

Coach Noeline Taurua talks to her players during the match up between the Thunderbirds and the Magic last season. Photo / Getty Images

It is fair to say the Magic's 2010 season has had it all: comedy (remember the busy bee suit?), drama, tragedy and redemption.

Now, history beckons for the Waikato/Bay of Plenty side in tomorrow's transtasman league grand final showdown against the Thunderbirds in Adelaide.

If they can continue their brilliant play-offs run, not only would the Magic become the first New Zealand side to hoist the ANZ Championship trophy aloft, but also the first team to come from third and take out the competition's big prize.

It would be a stunning achievement for a side that, only a month ago, looked in danger of missing the top four altogether after slumping to three straight losses in the lead-in to the finals.

But Magic coach Noeline Taurua said her side were purposely avoiding picturing the headlines before they were written.

"We're not getting ahead of ourselves, we're doing things that we need to do and making sure all our bases are covered with our prep. So we're living the moment," she said. "It seems to be working for us not worrying what the outcome is going to be before it even happens."

Both the Thunderbirds and Magic know the pain of missing out on big prizes. The Thunderbirds finished runners-up to the Melbourne Vixens in last year's grand final, while the Magic fell short against the NSW Swifts in Sydney in the inaugural season.

There can be no perfect ending at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre - only one side can remedy grand final heartache and become the third guardian of the ANZ Championship trophy.

Thunderbirds coach Jane Woodlands-Thompson said there was a very different vibe among her side in the lead-up to tomorrow's match compared to last season.

She said last year the team was tired after trawling their way back and forth across the Tasman during the play-offs and "ran out of legs" in the grand final. But having taken the direct route to the final showdown this year by virtue of their impressive 14-goal win over the Swifts in the major semifinal, the Thunderbirds are refreshed and energised.

"Last year to be honest the Vixens were a better team, both on the night and throughout the season," she said. "This year, I think it's a little bit more even and I think with the two-week preparation and the home-ground advantage with 9000 Adelaide fans screaming, we're in a better position."

But Woodlands-Thompson accepts the Magic are also in a good space heading into the match.

After an alarming drop-off in form late in the season, the Magic have been faced with do-or-die ultimatums for several weeks. The resilient Magic side responded to the pressure they were under by producing what is probably the best - certainly the most consistent - netball they have played in three years of the transtasman competition.

They are now riding a wave of momentum and Woodlands-Thompson said the Thunderbirds would need to be at their absolute best to bring the Magic juggernaut to a crashing halt.

"The Magic showed us last week what they can do on the road and they've played three grand finals, so they're very match-hardened for that sort of pressure," said Woodlands-Thompson.

Taurua said if momentum was to stay with the Magic, it was important that they race out of the blocks tomorrow.

Key to setting the tone for a strong start are the Magic's pre-game preparations, which have taken on a new look in the past few weeks. Taurua said her side now took the approach that they would be high-energy in everything they did - even their entrance on would be at a sprint.

"One of the things that we've talked about is the importance of starting strongly and being up by the first quarter. Psychologically it's a good boost for us because we need to be in there right from the start. We tend to make more mistakes when we're playing catch-up," said Taurua.

"All that work is probably done even before we hit the court. We make sure the energy is really high and our warm-up is spot on."