Netball: Stakes high in battle of North and South

Steel GA Megan Dehn takes a catch during the LG Mystics v Southern Steel netball game. Photo / Sarah Ivey

It's been billed as the big North v South clash, but Monday's minor semifinal showdown between the Magic and Steel is more than a battle between the islands.

The match will pit two vastly different netball philosophies against each other other: flair v precision, instinct v structure, individual class v teamwork.

The Magic are a team that play with flair and are capable of brilliance at times, but are also frustratingly inconsistent.

The Steel are known for their safer, more clinical style. Some might say it is boring, but there can be no doubting coach Robyn Broughton's methodical game plan has proved highly effective.

And so the battle lines are drawn. The winner will earn the title of New Zealand's top side, and more importantly advance through to the preliminary final to face the loser of tomorrow's major semifinal between the NSW Swifts and Adelaide Thunderbirds. The winner of that match will go on to contest the grand final on July 11.

Steel shooter Daneka Wipiiti said despite her side being comprehensively beaten by the Swifts last week, they take a lot of confidence from the fact they beat the Magic in their last meeting in round 10.

"We know the Magic, we know how to play them and how to play them well so as long as we stick to our game plan I'm sure everything will fall back in to our favour," said Wipiiti.

But that meeting came at a time when the Magic were facing huge disruptions.

Struggling to overcome the loss of inspirational import Peta Scholz, the Magic were disorganised on defence and failed to effect turnover ball from the Steel side.

Since that loss last month the Magic have settled on a defensive line, with English import Jade Clarke slotting in seamlessly at wing defence. The addition of Clarke has allowed Magic coach Noeline Taurua to return to her strongest in-circle defensive combination of Casey Williams and Jodi Tod.

Magic coach Noeline Taurua believes recent results will count for little in the all-important play-offs clash. "I believe once you hit the playoffs you go back to a clean slate - it's a whole new ball game, a whole new stage of the competition," she said.

Taurua said last week's 53-44 win over the Thunderbirds in what was a pressure-filled match was a huge morale-booster for the team.

"The big step we've taken from the Thunderbirds game is that we do have faith in each other and we can demonstrate that out on court," Taurua said.

"Confidence comes and it can go really fast as well. Even though it could have been our last game, it was bigger for us as a team than the two points."

No side knows what a huge difference a little bit of confidence can do than the Swifts, who have had a topsy-turvy opening three seasons in the ANZ Championship.

To recap: the Swifts were the surprise winners of the inaugural season, with the Sydney side, by no means a team of stars, outgunning their more-fancied rivals.

The Melbourne Vixens, dubbed the "dream team" ahead of the opening season, the big-spending Thunderbirds, and Silver Ferns stacked Magic side were considered stronger chances for the crown.

If their success in 2008 was a surprise to some, the Swifts rapid downfall last season was even more of shock. The NSW side finished the 2009 season ninth on the ladder, and suffered the indignity of being the first team to lose to the Central Pulse.

Swifts centre Kimberlee Green said after nothing went right for her side in 2009, she didn't expect they would blitz their way through the regular season unbeaten.

"We're a bit surprised actually, we sort of went into each game with the aim of playing our best netball and hopefully win at the end of it. And after an appalling year last year, to come through and do so well, we're obviously really happy with that," said Green.

"I don't think we've done things much different from last year. I guess confidence is a great thing to have on your side."

With momentum clearly on their side, the Swifts are heavily favoured to topple the Thunderbirds this weekend and book their place in the grand final.