Netball: National selection on Mystics' minds

Mystics coach Debbie Fuller. Photo / Bay of Plenty Times

The intense transtasman league play-offs race won't be the only thing on the minds of the Northern Mystics players when they take the court against the NSW Swifts on Monday.

With the Silver Ferns to be named the following day, there is certain to be some anxiety in the camp, but Mystics coach Debbie Fuller is confident this will only help her side in Sydney.

"If anything it is kind of extra motivation for them to show what they can do under these circumstances. And that's what Ruth and Wai [Taumaunu] will be looking for - to see if they can front," said Fuller.

New Zealand coach Ruth Aitken is set to name her 12-strong world championship team on Tuesday, meaning the Mystics players will either be notified directly after Monday's game or early on Tuesday morning whether they have made the grade or not.

Fuller said she is more worried about the effect the disappointment of missing out on the team could have on the confidence on some of her players, but said Ferns management had little choice but to name their squad during the season.

"Of course you would like it to be at the end of the season so it wouldn't distract them, but the great thing about our group is that we have got a mature bunch of individuals that realise getting dropped is part of what you have to take in sport. So you just have to get on with it and see it as an opportunity to reinvent your game."

But Fuller said the opportunity for a maiden play-offs appearance should be enough to keep her players focused regardless of whether they are selected for the Ferns.

In previous years the Mystics have either been out of contention, or at best an outside chance of making the top four at this stage of the season.

But after last week's breakthrough win against the West Coast Fever in Perth, they are in with a strong shot of making the play-offs.

The ANZ Championship's "finals simulator" gives them a 77.3 per cent chance - slightly higher than the Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic and the NSW Swifts, given a 76.1 per cent likelihood of making the top four.

After two interesting results on Thursday night, round 10 action will continue today with the Thunderbirds taking on NSW Swifts in Adelaide.

The Melbourne Vixens take on Perth tomorrow, as they look to bounce back from an embarrassing loss to the Queensland Firebirds on Thursday night.

In Monday night's early game the Canterbury Tactix take on the Central Pulse in the only game of the round that won't have a bearing on the make-up of the top four.

Round 10 fixtures

ANZ Championship - today: 4.20pm Adelaide Thunderbirds v NSW Swifts, Adelaide. Tomorrow: 4.20pm West Coast Fever v Melbourne Vixens, Perth; 6.20pm Southern Steel v Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic, Invercargill. Monday: 7.40pm Canterbury Tactix v Central Pulse, Christchurch; 9.40pm NSW Swifts v Northern Mystics, Sydney.