Netball: Tactix crushed by Vixens

The Melbourne Vixens kept alive their hopes of a home semi-final in the trans-Tasman netball league with a crushing 63-35 win over the Tactix at Hisense Arena last night.

With just one round remaining, the Vixens needed a victory to keep on par with New Zealand's leading side, the Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic.

The top side at the end of the round robin competition hosts the second side, with the winner of that moving directly through to the grand final while the loser faces a sudden-death preliminary final.

Melbourne are blessed with their final round encounter of the ANZ Championship at home against the lowly Central Pulse, who have only won once in two years of competition, while the Magic face a tough task against Adelaide at home, who will be looking to regain their winning momentum.

The third-placed Thunderbirds had their six-game winning streak ended earlier on Monday night in Dunedin 58-49 by the Southern Steel, who leapfrogged the Queensland Firebirds into the fourth and final play-off position with the win.

The Vixens effectively sealed the result by halftime, taking a 36-15 lead after an unanswered 10-goal run by goal attack Sharelle McMahon, who came back into the side after resting last round, and goal shooter Caitlin Thwaites.

Defence was also key, with goal defence duo Bianca Chatfield and Julie Corletto suffocating the Tactix attack to allow a miserly five goals for the quarter.

By the final break that lead had blown out to 54-25, with Thwaites on target for that quarter with seven from seven, earning a well-deserved rest which allowed coach Julie Hoornweg to give Kathleen Knott her first game of the season.

McMahon, the Australian captain, was also in magic touch, only missing three goals from 34 attempts in three quarters of netball.

The 28-goal win also gave Australia a nine-point victory in the inaugural rivalry round, with each game pitting Australian teams against the New Zealanders.

Despite the impressive victory, which was their biggest winning margin of the season, the Magic still have the edge on percentages.

However Vixens coach Hoornweg said she couldn't have asked for more from her side.

"It was one of our better performances for the year," she said.

"We certainly started strongly and built across each quarter.

"We saw this as a danger match for us if we didn't play quality netball.

"But we surpassed all of our goals and expectations for the match. "

- AAP