Netball: Mystic Tutaia's time to shine

Maria Tutaia wants to lead the Northern Mystics by example against her old teammates the Magic on Saturday. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Northern Mystics shooter Maria Tutaia has been forced to look at some of her close friends in a new light this week.

The Silver Ferns star has been busy analysing her former teammates at the Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic as she prepares for tomorrow's round three ANZ Championship match-up.

With many predicting the beefed-up Mystics squad will overtake the Magic as the top New Zealand side, this weekend's clash at Trusts Stadium is shaping up as one of the juicier matches of the round.

The Mystics will be sporting two Magic defectors - Tutaia and defender Joline Henry - in their line-up this weekend.

Tutaia said it had been strange sizing up the Magic as opposition rather than teammates.

"It is going to be quite weird, but I'm comfortable with where I'm at at the franchise. It's going to be different because normally I'm training against them and now I'm going to be playing them," she said. "Both sides have got a lot of Silver Ferns and other experienced players, so it's going to feel like a test match, I think."

Much of the focus for the Mystics' attack this week has been on how to counter the wily Magic defence that includes Silver Ferns star Casey Williams, the often underrated Jodi Tod and former Australian international Peta Scholz.

With all three players keen ball hunters, Tutaia said the Auckland side would need to play a flat, fast game and resist the temptation to put in any lifted ball around the circle.

The Aucklanders can take their lead from the Southern Steel, who impressively starved Williams of ball on defence in Monday's clash in Rotorua. While the Steel couldn't pull off the win, they limited the effectiveness of the Magic defence by playing a shorter, sharper attacking game.

"We have to be careful not to put in too much high ball, because that's what Casey loves. So that will be a challenge for us in the circle - to try and exploit any weaknesses," said Tutaia.

Aside from training hit-outs, Tutaia hasn't faced off against Williams since playing as a teenager for the Auckland Diamonds in the old domestic league.

She is looking forward to the challenge of testing herself against the Silver Ferns skipper, regarded by some as the best defender in the world.

"It's been yonks since I played a proper match against her, so it's going to be pretty weird.

"I'm just going to try my best to try and not make her look so good," Tutaia laughed. "She's the ultimate test for any shooter. But I think for me it's just making sure I don't take away my game and play to my strengths."

Those kind of challenges were one of the motivators for Tutaia's decision to return to Auckland. With the Magic last year boasting a shadow Silver Ferns line-up, the young shooter was virtually swamped by the talent in the side and she admits that at times she sat back and relied on her more experienced teammates.

But if the going gets tough on Saturday Tutaia wants to lead by example.

"In the Magic I should have stepped up a lot more than I did. I think for me I just relied more on others - the likes of Irene [van Dyk] and Laura [Langman] - to take that role when I shouldn't have. A huge focus for me in coming to the Mystics this year was to play a dominant role in the attacking end and be the one that has to step up and lead when it gets tough."