Netball: Plummer not writing off Kiwi teams yet

Australian coach Norma Plummer is expecting both semifinals to go down to the wire. Photo / Martin Sykes

SYDNEY - Australian coach Norma Plummer predicts two cliffhanger transtasman netball league semifinals and insists the Southern Steel can't be written off as title hopes.

While nationality led her to predict two Australian wins in week one of the playoffs, Plummer resisted the urge for some Kiwi-baiting by talking up Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic and the Steel.

Both cross the Tasman as underdogs; the Magic in the major semifinal in Melbourne on Sunday and the Steel in the knockout semi in Adelaide the following night.

"I think, naturally, the two Australian teams will win," said Plummer, whose team face the Silver Ferns five times this year.

"But Magic will go home and have a good look at themselves (after a heavy loss to Adelaide) and it'll be a great game between them and Vixens.

"I'm actually expecting both games to go down to the wire.

"Steel have come from having players coming back from having babies who have now got fit. Donna (Wilkins) is on fire and I think she's a handful for any team."

Australia's TAB Sportsbet rates the table-topping Melbourne Vixens, who can book a home final with victory on Sunday, as $1.60 title favourites, Magic at $3, Thunderbirds at $7 and the Robyn Broughton-coached Steel $51 outsiders.

The Steel beat the Thunderbirds 58-49 in their previous meeting in Invercargill, and while the venue is much different, Plummer felt the southerners could give their hosts a fright.

"What a lot of people over here forget is the Steel have won more grand finals than any other New Zealand team.

"They are contenders in the finals. Whether or not Thunderbirds have anticipated that, I'm not sure. They were talking about playing the Magic then next minute they were down there and got beaten."

Still, Adelaide's 54-35 thrashing of the Silver Ferns-laden Magic at home last weekend carries the most relevance.

Plummer labelled it a complete game by the Thunderbirds, and said she had never seen their imported English defender Geva Mentor play better.

But she felt the Magic's poor showing, slammed by their coach Noeline Taurua, was just a one-off.

"I wouldn't look too much at that game last weekend. I don't believe they could play that kind of game twice. My mindset would be they'd come out bigger and better.

"Vixens are playing very well so it's going to be a great contest."

Much has been made of the New Zealand teams struggling to win in Australia but Plummer said she would be staggered if either team were affected by crossing the Tasman this weekend.

"I really don't understand it. The court doesn't change, the dimensions are still the same. The Ferns can still win offshore so I don't understand why.

"The Magic have got most of the Ferns, they've beaten Australia at Hisense Arena (Melbourne) before. Why would it be a factor? To me it would be strange.

"If you're beaten it's because the opposition is better on the day so I guess it will come down to tactical nous."

The winner of the Melbourne match books home advantage for the grand final in a fortnight, while the loser hosts the winner of the Thunderbirds-Steel match for a place in the decider.

- NZPA