Netball: Mainland Tactix move into second on ANZ Premiership ladder

Maia Wilson's performance wasn't enough for the Northern Stars to beat the Mainland Tactix. Photo / Photosport

The Mainland Tactix have pushed themselves firmly into the mix to make the ANZ Premiership final.

The Tactix have leapt into second on the ladder following a victory over the Northern Stars, coupled with a surprise defeat for the Northern Mystics, who went down 47-41 to the Southern Steel.

The 10-0 Central Pulse will undoubtedly be top qualifiers – not that it provides any advantage with the final to be held in Invercargill – and can wrap up their berth in the final by the end of the week.

However, the only mystery in the competition at the moment comes from which team the Pulse will meet in the final, with the Tactix increasing their chances after today's results.

With five games to play, the Tactix sit on 24 points, with the Mystics on 21, though they have a game in hand. Perhaps more importantly, the fourth-placed Northern Stars are now lagging behind on 17 points, having missed a crucial opportunity to move within striking distance of a top-two spot.

The Tactix took down the Stars 47-40 thanks to a flawless shooting performance from Ellie Bird, who hit all 37 attempts. The Stars had two more attempts at goal than the Tactix, but the difference was goal percentage, with Bird leading the Tactix to a sublime 96 per cent strike rate, compared to the Stars' 78 per cent.

Maia Wilson was the key shooter for the Stars as usual, playing a full game at goal shoot and netting 32 from 36, though didn't get much support from goal attack Jamie Hume, who was briefly dragged for promising 18-year-old Vika Koloto, and ended up hitting just four of nine attempts.

The Stars struggled to contain the Tactix at times, especially in the third quarter when the Tactix had a run of seven unanswered goals, which gave them a handy eight-point buffer going into the final period, and they significantly managed to deny the Stars a losing bonus point with a steady final quarter display.

Also missing out on a bonus point were the Mystics, who dragged back what was a six-goal fourth-quarter deficit to two goals with six minutes to go, but faded in the final moments as the Steel made the most of their overwhelming possession advantage – attempting 63 shots to the Mystics' 45.

The Steel were missing the accuracy and volume of injured shooter Jen O'Connell, shooting at just 69 per cent in the first half, but still led despite the Mystics nailing all of their attempts. They even suffered yet another injury to a shooter – their third of the season as Kalifa McCollin limped off, but the cool heads of Gina Crampton and Shannon Saunders helped the Steel to just their third win of the season.

The Mystics can jump back into second place when they make up their game in hand tomorrow night against the struggling Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic, while the Stars have a chance to gain points back when they take on the Tactix on Thursday in Christchurch - the Tactix's only home match of the season.