Netball: Thunderbirds look unstoppable

Inspirational captain Natalie von Bertouch has been leading the Thunderbirds' charge for transtasman league supremacy. Photo / Getty Images

It is one of the most overused puns in the ANZ Championship, but never before has it been more apt.

The Thunderbirds are go, indeed.

The in-form Adelaide team, who have looked unstoppable in their most recent outings, loom as ominous opponents for the Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic in this weekend's preliminary final in Hamilton.

The Thunderbirds comprehensively outplayed the Magic in their final-round meeting two weeks ago, dealing New Zealand's top finals hope a crushing 19-goal loss.

The Magic backed up that performance with another soul-destroying loss to the Melbourne Vixens in last weekend's major semifinal. With the Waikato side down on form and confidence, many are predicting the Adelaide side to once again run rough-shod over the Kiwi side on Sunday and to book a showdown against the Melbourne Vixens in the grand final.

Leading the Thunderbirds' charge for transtasman league supremacy has been inspirational captain Natalie von Bertouch. She is the go-to girl on attack, the workhorse on defence.

The 26-year-old's impressive form for the Thunderbirds has been vital to the team's success. It has also provided the key to von Bertouch's brand new car. The Thunderbirds star was named the competition MVP after the final-round win over the Magic, earning herself a new Holden.

While von Bertouch said she was thrilled to come away with the car, the only prize she has her eyes on is the ANZ Championship title.

The Australian international said the disappointment of a third place finish in the inaugural season led her side to go back and work hard on their game as individuals, and as a team.

And the Magic have only themselves to thank for Thunderbirds' renewed resolve this year.

It was the Magic that last year ended the Thunderbirds' title hopes, overcoming the Adelaide side in a hard-fought preliminary final in Hamilton.

A year later, the two sides are once again fighting it out for a spot in the grand final. But von Bertouch is hoping history will only repeat itself to a certain point.

"Last year we fell short and we were exceptionally disappointed with that," said von Bertouch. "Finishing third really hurt and we don't want to be left with that empty feeling again."

The 38-test veteran said that while last year's result was tough to swallow, it had made her side a much stronger unit this season. "We don't dwell on last year, but we definitely use it as motivation for this season. We've reassessed our programme based on where we went wrong last year. We went back and worked even harder."

One of the keys to the Thunderbirds' improvement has been the exceptional planning of coach Jane Woodlands-Thompson. The Thunderbirds' mentor has a background in sports science, which has enabled her to manage the workload and fitness levels of her players to ensure the team has peaked at the right time.

Although it has been a long and gruelling season, von Bertouch said her side were feeling on top of their game.

"We had a few bad performances sort of midway through the season but we were doing a lot of training at that point in time to make sure we peaked when it mattered. It's definitely paid off. We're feeling on top of things right now and everything has just slotted into place really well."

The Adelaide side emerged as strong title contenders with some impressive wins over the back half of the season, but perhaps the biggest indication of the team's potential came in their final-round demolition of the Magic.

While the Thunderbirds were able to expose several areas of weakness in the Magic on that occasion, it would take a foolish side to write off the Waikato team at this point.

With the likes of Silver Ferns stars Irene van Dyk, Casey Williams, Laura Langman, Joline Henry and Maria Tutaia in the Magic side, von Bertouch is expecting an extremely tough battle.

"They'll definitely be coming at us with everything they've got. We expect they'll try a few different things but our gameplan doesn't change. We're not focused on the opposition, we just have to concentrate on what we do well.

"... It'll be an extremely hard-fought match."

WHAT MAKES NVB AN MVP?
Natalie von Bertouch has been one of the most consistent players of the 2009 ANZ Championship.

More steady and reliable than flashy, von Bertouch is a picture of calmness under pressure.

The Thunderbirds skipper has a knack for pulling off the match-winning play whether it be pressuring the opposition into making an error or pulling off a timely intercept.

Long-time rival, Magic and Silver Ferns midcourter Laura Langman, said it was her work ethic that made her such a tough opponent.

"Nat is an outstanding midcourter and she always ensures I'll have my work cut out for me," said Langman.

"She's very effective on attack, she's just dogged and keeps working and re-offering. And she has that same tireless work ethic on defence."

HOW THE MAGIC CAN WIN
While the Magic have been downright awful in their most recent hit-outs, they are still just one win away from a grand final appearance.

After two heavy losses it is easy for a team to begin second-guessing themselves, but there is no room for indecision out on court on Sunday. The Waikato side must play with confidence and let the ball go.

While they don't sit as high in the intercepts and deflections stats, the Thunderbirds create a lot of turnovers by forcing the opposition to make errors. Their defensive pressure will be immense and the Magic must muscle up and not let the visitors get under their skin.

While the Thunderbirds shooting pairing of Kate Beveridge and Natalie Medhurst are playing with confidence, they can be vulnerable. If the Magic apply the pressure, the mistakes will come.

Casey Williams is the best goal keep in the world. She must be played there. Her height and elevation will be needed to limit the flow of ball to Beveridge.

Williams has been very expensive in terms of the obstruction calls she gives away this year, she needs to be more disciplined and ensure she gets her hands over the ball every time the shooter looks to the post.

HOW THE THUNDERBIRDS CAN WIN
It's no secret what the Thunderbirds will be out to do against the Magic on Sunday night. They will be out to once again unsettle the Waikato side by hassling and harrying their attack.

However, the visitors can't expect the Magic to unravel as easily as they did two weeks ago. They will need to keep the pressure on for the full 60 minutes.

They also need their defenders to play smart. With one Australian umpire and one New Zealand umpire officiating the match, the likes of Geva Mentor, Mo'onia Gerrard and Jo Sutton will not be able get away with the same level of contesting at both ends of the court.

The trio can't let that frustrate them. Gerrard and Sutton are prone to going off the boil if the calls don't go their way, but they must keep their wits about them.