Netball: Mystics Fuller faith at last

Debbie Fuller. File photo / Bay of Plenty Times

Seven seconds in March convinced Mystics coach Debbie Fuller her team were made of the right stuff.

After a promising start to the year, Fuller says the dramatic last-gasp round five victory over the Magic in Hamilton was the signal that the message had got through.

"The last seven seconds in [that] game showed what was possible," says Fuller. "We stuck with them and kept the faith. We could have actually buried ourselves but we kept fighting and stayed with them. I think it confirmed to some of them that if you hang in there and keep going anything can happen."

It was a landmark, as Maria Tutaia's goal in the final seconds sealed the first victory over their great rivals, after a match where the Magic had held the lead for all but a few minutes.

Over three previous seasons of the ANZ Championship the Auckland-based franchise have been underachievers, consistently failing to deliver results that reflected their talent.

Fuller took over as head coach this season and, together with the no-nonsense Jenny-May Coffin, looked to add some steel to the silk. Before the season started Fuller made public promises that her charges would be mentally tougher in 2011; that flimsy flakiness would not be tolerated.

There were other moments this year that were evidence the Mystics have turned a corner. There was the surprise victory over the 2009 champions the Vixens in round four, with a team bolstered by several rookies; a maiden result across the Tasman (against the Fever) and the ruthless dismissals of the Pulse and the Tactix.

These highlights need to be offset against sub-par performances against the Firebirds, Thunderbirds and Swifts but Fuller says the balance is more than favourable.

"There have been more times in critical moments this year that we have come out on top because we have been mentally tougher," says Fuller. "There have been crucial moments where we have done well - whereas last year we wouldn't have done well."

Aside from specific work on handling pressure situations and the belief that comes from success, the Mystics coach says the performance of the young players in the squad has been a key factor, creating genuine depth.

"One of the biggest shifts I have seen is the effect of peer pressure," says Fuller. "Not pressure from the coaches, nor from outside, but pressure from team-mates.

"There is a relaxed intensity - but there always is with this group," says Fuller of today's vital clash with the Steel. "We have people that can absorb pressure really well and know how to manage pressure."

A victory will guarantee a spot in the top four. Any other result and they will probably miss out, depending on the result of the Vixens vs Swifts match earlier in the afternoon.

The Steel have only won four matches this season, and are coming off two successive home defeats (albeit to the Magic and Swifts) but will still be difficult opponents, not least due to the Invercargill crowd.

After an ordinary start to the season, Tutaia has been on fire in the latter stages of the season.

Her partnership with Cathrine Latu is one of the most effective in the league, with a combined 86 per cent shooting accuracy (highest) and an average of 53 goals a game (second highest).

In contrast the Steel duo of Daneka Wipiiti and Paula Griffin have struggled all year. Their combined 77 per cent shooting accuracy is the second worst in the competition.