2022 ANZ Premiership Round 4 Previews
We take a look at this weekend’s two matches in a Covid affected Round 4.
Saturday, 2 April
Stars v Tactix, postponed under the league’s Covid-19 Match Postponement Policy
The ANZ Premiership will confirm a new date for the fixture in the coming weeks.
Mystics v Steel, 4.10pm at The Trusts Arena in Auckland
The MG Mystics pulled out all the stops to come from behind in the dying minutes against the Pulse last week and having already dealt to the Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel in Round 2, should go into this match with plenty of confidence. Coach Helene Wilson’s ability to go to her bench at any time has been their strength in the opening rounds.
Midcourter Tayla Earle, known for her speed and flair at centre, has pulled on the wing defence bib during the last two rounds and is relishing what the role is bringing to her game.
“I love the grind and the hustle and tussle that wing-D brings. I think it has strengthened my defence at centre so I’m grateful to get that chance to play there.”
Earle said they still needed to treasure any turnovers they picked up, but they were pleased with where they were sitting. But it will not be the same Steel side which surrendered by 20 goals when they last met, the southerners back to their best last week and ready for redemption.
Captain Shannon Saunders led by example as she returned to her role on the wing and the Steel will need her key link with shooter George Fisher to be on-song against a tough Mystics defensive wall if they are to reverse the tables in Auckland.
Sunday, 3 April
Mystics v Tactix, postponed under the league’s Covid-19 Match Postponement Policy
The ANZ Premiership will confirm a new date for the fixture in the coming weeks.
Magic v Pulse, 4.10pm at Globox Arena in Hamilton
Splice Construction Magic fans got a glimpse of their new-look shooting circle with Silver Ferns Ameliaranne Ekenasio and Bailey Mes sharing the scoring duties for the first half last week. Magic captain Sam Winders said the duo worked well together during the 30 minutes they played in the loss to the Tactix.
“I’m excited for the day we get to run that for a whole game,” she said of the combination. With so many changes being made to the Magic line-up during a game – with players unavailable due to illness or on managed minutes – Winders said they would need to adjust quickly.
“We’ve said right from the start that we have to be able to adapt fast, and the team that does adapt the fastest will come out as the successful team.”
The Magic will be looking for a better start against Te Wānanga o Raukawa Pulse than the 10-goal deficit they suffered in Round 2, eventually losing the match 41-57. The Pulse are a team to watch with strengths across the board and coach Yvette McCausland-Durie was excited by what she saw in the thriller against the Mystics last week.
She said her side would have taken plenty of learnings from their one-goal loss including their inability to hold onto a lead in the dying minutes of the match.
“Unfortunately letting a lead slip is frustrating,” she said. “For us, just making some poor options at times on attack and equally defensively not putting the pressure on in the right places – it’s across the court but it can be fixed across the court.”
Monday, 4 April
Stars v Steel, postponed under the league’s Covid-19 Match Postponement Policy
The ANZ Premiership will confirm a new date for the fixture in the coming weeks.