Netball: Mystics' season looks doomed after ragged defeat

Vanessa Ware is put under pressure by Temepara George of the Mystics. Photo / Steven McNicholl

This was the year the Northern Mystics were supposed to shake off the tag as notorious under-achievers.

They say they have the formula right off the court, they clearly have the talent on the court, yet still week after week they've been producing the same patchy performances.

And the weekend's 54-48 loss to the NSW Swifts could well have been the final nail in the coffin for the Mystics.

The Auckland side need to win their three remaining matches, beginning with the West Coast Fever this Saturday, and rely on a swag of other results to go their way if they are to secure their maiden playoffs appearance.

In the past couple of seasons 16 points has been enough to scrape in to the semifinals, but should the Auckland side finish tied on points with another team, they will likely be edged out on goal percentage.

The Mystics only have themselves to blame for their precarious predicament. They blew a precious opportunity to grab two points and set themselves up for a strong tilt at the playoffs.

While the table-topping Swifts were unbeaten after nine outings heading in to the match, it was still a very winnable game for the Mystics, playing on their home court.

But poor discipline on defence, a lack of drive and frequent brain explosions on attack cost the Mystics. The Auckland side did manage to put the Swifts under pressure for patches of the match, but were overall just far too inconsistent - the story of their season.

The Mystics went away feeling aggrieved at the umpiring after a number of perceived inconsistencies in the officiating.

The home side were forced to finish out the game with six players after goal attack Maria Tutaia was stood down for three goals with 90 seconds remaining for persistent breaking on the centre pass.

Keenan said it was a curious decision from umpire Jonathan Bredin. "I don't think that was the only thing being done relentlessly, I think there was a lot of stuff that was consistently being pulled, so to zero in on that one aspect at a critical time in the game ... ," she said.

While the Mystics faltered at the weekend, the Southern Steel charged ahead in their quest to secure their second straight playoffs appearance.

The Steel embarrassed the Melbourne Vixens 52-39 in Dunedin last night, consigning the defending champions to their fifth straight loss.

Despite being bolstered by the return of key midcourter Natasha Chokljat, who has sat out the last five weeks through injury, the Vixens were well off the pace, scoring just 14 goals in the first half.

In the weekend's other match, the Adelaide Thunderbirds trampled the Canterbury Tactix 58-34 in Adelaide. The Tactix did well to trail by just four goals at halftime, but were completely outclassed, 31-11, in the second half.