The Northern Mystics have farewelled captain Sulu Fitzpatrick with a crushing victory over the Northern Stars in the ANZ Premiership final.
Fitzpatrick is set to retire after this season and the 30-year-old will walk away following a dream campaign, guiding her side to theminor premiership before enjoying an equally dominant performance in today’s decider.
The 27-test defender still hopes to be selected in the Silver Ferns’ World Cup squad, announced by Dame Noeline Taurua on Wednesday, and did her prospects no harm in Hamilton.
Fitzpatrick led the Mystics to their second ANZ Premiership title in three seasons, having made her debut as a teenager in 2010. With tears in her eyes and applause filling the arena, she paid tribute to her teammates — even if they did occasionally test her nerves.
“I’m going to miss them,” Fitzpatrick told Sky Sport. “They piss me off a lot. We probably argue a lot — our team is full of emotion but also a lot of love. We’re able to just be ourselves and embrace each other’s good, bad and ugly.
“I love these girls and I know they’re going to be better without me. They’re going to be better next year and I’m so glad to go out on a high.”
Fitzpatrick exchanged warm embraces with each of her opponents, and Stars captain Maia Wilson credited their neighbours for a comprehensive victory.
“That’s a blimmin’ hiding,” she said. “They thoroughly deserved that win. They were very tenacious — you can see the emotion and what it means for them and Sulu in particular.”
Sulu Fitzpatrick and Peta Toeava with the ANZ Premiership trophy. Photo / photosport.nz
The Stars remain without an ANZ Premiership title and today’s defeat is their third in grand finals, having last year edged the Mystics in the elimination final before suffering a record 19-goal loss to the Central Pulse.
“It’s a similar scoreline to last year but it doesn’t feel anywhere near as hard,” Wilson said. “I guess that shows a bit of improvement but we have to just be better, and unfortunately we weren’t today.”
The Stars booked their ticket for the showpiece by edging a thriller over the Pulse in Porirua last weekend. But today they had no answer for Silver Ferns goal shoot Grace Nweke, who equalled her career-high in an ANZ Premiership game while making 70 of her 73 attempts.
The prolific Mystics attack came as little surprise after they and Nweke had led the scoring charts this season, with Mystics coach Tia Winikerei thriving in her first campaign since succeeding Helene Wilson.
But the margin of victory was less expected considering all three meetings between the sides this year — two won by the Mystics — had been decided by five or fewer goals.
Today was the first time the Auckland rivals had met in an ANZ Premiership decider and initially the game appeared set to match the occasion.
The Mystics made a faster start, capitalising on turnovers and jumping out to a six-goal lead, prompting their opposition to make an early adjustment to their defence. But the Stars — second in scoring during the round robin — mounted a strong reply and closed to within 21-17 at the first break.
That marked the highest-scoring first quarter in an ANZ Premiership final, with the connection between Nweke and wing attack Peta Toeava proving particularly effective as their side hastened the pace.
A five-goal run saw the Mystics increased their lead to seven in the second quarter and, as the Stars went almost three minutes without scoring, the margin reached nine goals by halftime.
The Stars put together their best run early in the third to trim the deficit to five, but that was as close as they came. The Mystics soon extended their advantage to double digits, turning the fourth quarter into a procession — and a celebration for Fitzpatrick.
