Netball: De Bruin returns to Magic

Leana de Bruin. Photo / Getty Images

Silver Ferns defender Leana de Bruin has been lured back to the Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic for next year's trans-Tasman netball league.

De Bruin, who spent the last two seasons with the Southern Steel, began her trans-Tasman career with the Northern Mystics in 2008 before playing for the Magic the following year.

She made her Silver Ferns debut in 2003 and has 46 caps for New Zealand, on top of 34 for South Africa.

De Bruin, named joint MVP for this year's trans-Tasman league with Queensland Firebirds goal attack Natalie Medhurst, said the chance to be closer to her home base in Cambridge was too good to pass up.

"The fact that I live up here in Waikato and my little toddler were definitely deciding factors," de Bruin said.

"Caleb is 20 months old and he's just starting to realise when I go away, so I basically just didn't want the amount of traveling and being away from home that I would have to do if playing for someone else. The thought of playing at home was fantastic."

De Bruin said the loss of Robyn Broughton as Steel head coach had little influence on her decision.

"Even if Robbie was still there, I would have had the same questions and the same dilemmas. My decision is solely based on my own personal situation," she said.

"I was in this similar position last year but because it was a short season I thought I could make it work."

De Bruin is now firmly focused on the Silver Ferns' world championship campaign and leaves for Singapore with the team on Monday.

- NZPA