2024 ANZ Premiership Round 12 Preview
Take a look at the three match-ups coming in Round 12 of the 2024 ANZ Premiership.
4pm, Saturday 29 June
Magic v Stars at Mercury Baypark Arena in Tauranga
Live on Sky Sport and free to air on TVNZ 2 and TVNZ+
International streaming on www.netballpass.com
Third place on the Premiership ladder and AVIS Magic are going from strength to strength. For the first time since 2017, the Magic have found themselves in the top three and coach Mary-Jane Araroa says her team is building.
“We’re really up for it this year,” she said after a convincing win over the Mystics.
“The girls can feel it, every week we’re building It’s going to give us incredible confidence going through. We know we can give more…but it’s not over yet.”
The Magic turned in a full team performance against the Mystics with all areas of the court firing. They must be wary of a Stars team that continues to push all opponents hard – a team that has competed in the contest but fallen just short in the critical moments.
If there is one thing the Stars have been able to nail this season, it is the art of picking up bonus points. The Maia Wilson-led side have now netted eight bonus points showing they can mix it with any of the teams in the league – including the top two sides – but stumble when the screws are tightened in the dying minutes.
“I think I’m going to call ourselves the team that loves the bonus point. It’s just the nature of our season with the ins and outs of everybody.”
The defensive duo of Kate Burley and Holly Fowler put all sorts of pressure on the Pulse shooting combination and face another tough task against Ameliaranne Ekenasio and Saviour Tui.
4pm, Sunday 30 June
Tactix v Mystics at Wolfbrook Arena in Christchurch
International streaming on www.netballpass.com
The Trident Homes Tactix are “hungry” to finish the regular season well and Sunday’s game against the MG Mystics could well be a litmus test for the table-topping side, facing an opponent desperate to get their season back on track.
The Mystics are just one point below the third-placed Magic and will be keen to stay in the race for a place in the Finals Series while also grabbing their first win of the season over the Tactix. Captain Michaela Sokolich-Beatson said it was important that they scored from their own centre pass.
“We get 50 per cent of the ball, if we can score, we stay in the game, so we just didn’t score enough of our own ball,” she said following the loss to the Magic.
They did however welcome back star shooter Grace Nweke for 15 minutes of the match and will be hoping to give her court time in a tough encounter against the Tactix.
Sokolich-Beatson said it was great to have her back, but everyone still needed to focus on their own jobs. With four rounds to play she said they all they had to do was “win” to climb back into Finals contention.
“That’s all we need to do right, beat the other teams. I know we can, we’ve been training hard, and I think if we have the hunger to win, which I know we do, we’ll be fine.”
They’re not the only ones hungry for points with Tactix Kimiora Poi admitting her team was “hungry to get to the finals and secure the home final”.
“That would be such an advantage for us – we know every game is important, every goal is important. I think we need to keep putting the foot down.”
7.30pm, Monday 1 July
Steel v Pulse at ILT Stadium Southland in Invercargill
International streaming on www.netballpass.com
There will be more than ANZ Premiership points on the line in Invercargill in Round 12 with the Robyn Broughton Legacy Trophy at stake for the first time when the Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel host Te Wānanga o Raukawa Pulse. The teams will pay tribute to the legendary netball coach who guided both sides during her successful coaching career and passed away last year.
Steel captain Kate Heffernan said the match would take on extra meaning for the region and the players who knew Broughton well.
“It means a lot. Robyn had a massive influence on a lot of people in our team and so we’d love to get that trophy and love to have a really good performance, not only for Robyn but for the home crowd as well.”
But she said they had plenty to “reflect” on after a 24-goal loss to the Tactix last week.
“We’ve got to re-watch the game, dump it and really come out hard on Monday against the Pulse,” she said.
The Pulse have already made one successful trip to the Deep South this year with a 20-goal win in Round 8 and this time they will have Tiana Metuarau at their disposal with the goal attack steadily building minutes on court in the latter stages of the Premiership. She was in the action for 30 minutes last week showing some of the touches she is well known for including her quick release of ball into shooter Martina Salmon.
No doubt coach Anna Andrews-Tasola will be looking to increase that time on court with the Finals Series on the horizon.