Mystics win third title in pulsating ANZ Premiership final

The MG Mystics have become the third team to win back-to-back ANZ Premiership titles with a dramatic one-goal victory over Te Wānanga o Raukawa Pulse. 

Tears flowed for Grace Nweke as the final whistle went, the star shooter landing the goal to lift the spoils with the Mystics winning 54-53 in a pulsating Grand Final at TSB Arena in Wellington. 

The match delivered in every aspect with world-class match-ups across the court and a seesaw battle between the two best teams in the league going right down to the last second of play. 

And the clash came down to the deciding quarter – a spectacle in its own right with a two-minute suspension to Phoenix Karaka following a late challenge on Whitney Souness, a couple of key offensive penalties, a huge intercept from Pulse captain Kelly Jackson, a defensive lift from the Mystics to swing fortunes yet again and a raucous home crowd almost pulling their Pulse side into the winners’ circle. 

The Pulse looked to have snatched the victory, having chased the Mystics for much of the match, but a key miss in the shooting circle with less than a minute to play gave the visitors the sniff they needed to turn the tables. 

They delivered with Peta Toeava getting the ball safely into the hands of Nweke who missed on her first attempt but landed the second in the last second in what proved to be the winning goal. 

Both teams deserved plenty of praise in just reaching the final having been dealt serious injury blows throughout the season – the Mystics using 12 players this season while the Pulse had 14 players take the court during their campaign. 

Playing in her 149th national league match, Mystics defender Phoenix Karaka forced the first turnover to allow the visitors to register on the board first but in a sign of what was to come in the opening spell, the Pulse replied in similar vein. 

Delivering on what many expected to be a key connection for the Mystics, Toeava showcased her uncanny ability to feed shooter Nweke from almost anywhere on attack, but the long reach of Jackson gave the shooter plenty to think about as Nweke missed three goals in the opening spell. 

Trailing by four goals with under five minutes to play in the spell, the Pulse went to their bench with a heavily strapped Amelia Walmsley injected into the shooting circle and not long after Maddy Gordon was also called on and made an immediate impact coming on at centre. 

A string of four goals from the Mystics came from the accumulative defensive pressure applied throughout the court – led by captain Michaela Sokolich-Beatson who worked hard to silence Pulse playmaker Whitney Souness. 

Coach Tia Winikerei made no changes to her seven with a 14-9 lead heading into the second stanza as the Mystics looked to consolidate their lead. 

It didn’t get any easier for the Pulse when an accidental head clash between Sokolich-Beatson and Souness forced the latter to leave the court with a gash to her forehead and also a positional switch with Gordon moved to wing attack with Claire Kersten returning to the court at centre. 

An intercept to Fa’amu Ioane sparked the Pulse who went on a run of three goals – taking the rhythm out of their attacking flow and bringing the home crowd back into the match. 

It prompted a change to the Mystics midcourt with Katie Te Ao replacing Tayla Earle at centre as the Pulse levelled the scores with just under five minutes in the half, while Filda Vui also made her first appearance in the Grand Final, replacing Dani Binks. 

Struggling with their second phase play from the centre pass, the Mystics attacking unit look flustered at times but a goal on the buzzer gave them the edge heading into the main break, leading 27-23. 

Another Ioane intercept looked to ignite the hosts yet again and the defensive pressure, coupled with their ability to find Walmsley under the post, allowed the Pulse to again level the scores. 

Both teams have been well versed in positional switches throughout a game and the coaches showed no fears in using their benches as the pressure mounted – Catherine Hall making her first Grand Final appearance with Karaka moving out to goal defence while a battle scarred Souness returned to the fray in the centre role. 

It only added to the tension as the arm wrestle continued, going goal for goal with the Mystics leading 42-41 at the last turn.