Netball: Mystics wary of backlash from Magic

Temepara George's Mystics have had much to ponder before tomorrow's crucial play-off. Picture / Dean Purcell

A mixed opening weekend of transtasman league play-offs left the Magic feeling "sick" and the Mystics on a high.

Contrasting emotions, but the challenge for both coaches heading in to tomorrow's preliminary final showdown has been the same: getting their respective sides back on an even keel.

For Magic coach Noeline Taurua that has meant rebuilding her side's shattered confidence after a humiliating 11-goal loss to the Queensland Firebirds.

"We were all in the same boat, we felt quite sick actually about what we put out there," said Taurua.

"Because we all felt pretty low emotionally, it was a huge mental challenge for us to come back to training feeling positive and confident."

"I'm really happy with where we ended training and what the feel is. But it's still sitting there in our stomachs and it's not going to be gone until we take the court again and rectify things."

Mystics' coach Debbie Fuller, meanwhile, has had to be careful to ensure overconfidence doesn't creep in to her side following their brilliant win over the NSW Swifts in last weekend's minor semifinal.

"[The danger of being over-confident] is something we've definitely discussed a lot as a group. Just because we've had success doesn't mean it's an entitlement. You can fall into that trap of thinking things will go our way because they have the last few weeks," she said.

"So we have to go back to focusing on the processes that got us over the line in that game."

While many have written off the Magic following their capitulation to the Firebirds, the Mystics are refusing to accept that.

Veteran midcourter Megan Dehn believes the Magic will have no problem getting themselves back up for tomorrow's match - a message that was repeated by Dehn's teammates during the week.

"[The Magic] will be really hurting after that performance. I don't think it was a good thing that they got a hiding because they'll be even more determined. So we have to be ready for them," said Dehn.

To ensure her side are ready, Fuller said her team's preparation for tomorrow's game has to be even more meticulous than it was for their semifinal against the Swifts.

Fuller and her sidekick Jenny-May Coffin have continued to drill in to their side the importance of treasuring possession and improving their turnover-to-score ratio, while former All Black great Wayne Shelford visited the Mystics' camp this week to help the team with their mental preparations.

"Noeline and [assistant coach] Marg Foster are both really experienced coaches and they're going to be rounding their troops up. They're going to be really pushing their side and demanding more from them, so it's actually going to be tougher for us to prepare for this game."

The Magic are expected to be boosted by the return of key midcourter Peta Scholz for tomorrow's crucial clash.

Scholz has missed the Waikato side's last two games with a knee injury, but returned to training with the Magic this week.

"I'm actually feeling pretty optimistic about it, compared to where she was at the beginning of the week," Taurua said.

"We just have to see how she pulls up [today], but yeah, she's looking good."

Fast facts
* The winner of the match will go through to contest next week's grand final against the unbeaten Queensland Firebirds

* When the teams last met in round 5 this season the Mystics defeated the Magic 47-46 in Hamilton. That was the Mystics' only win to date against the Magic.

* The Mystics' win over the Swifts in the minor semifinal is the first time a side that has finished fourth at the end of the regular rounds has advanced to the preliminary final.

* The Magic suffered their biggest loss of the season when they were defeated by 11 goals by the Firebirds in the major semifinal. The Magic's previous biggest loss was their seven-goal loss to the Swifts in round 9.

Preliminary final
* Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic v Northern Mystics
* Tomorrow, 6.20pm, Mystery Creek Events Centre