Round 9 of the 2026 ANZ Premiership marks the beginning of the race for Grand Final hosting rights, with the GoSweetSpot Mystics, VIP Frames & Trusses Tactix and Ascot Park Hotel Steel all having secured their places in the 2026 Finals Series.
A dominant spell of extra time helped the GoSweetSpot Northern Mystics clinch a hard-fought 61-53 win while leap-frogging the Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel into top spot on the table in Invercargill on Sunday.
Round 8 of the 2026 ANZ Premiership sees the race for finals positions intensify, with just three rounds remaining in the regular season.
The GoSweetSpot Mystics cemented their spot in the top three after claiming a 58-47 win in a dogged contest against Te Wānanga o Raukawa Pulse to close out Round 7 in Auckland on Sunday.
Based in Auckland, the Northern Mystics were formed in 2007 and represent the Netball Northern Zone whose geographical region stretches from Kaitaia to Waiuku. The Northern Zone has 17 Netball Centres and four satellite venues. The Zone makes up 34 percent of the playing population in New Zealand.
Effectively a merger between the two former National Bank Cup teams, Northern Force and Auckland Diamonds, the Mystics subsequently became founder members of the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship in 2008.
The Mystics remained for the duration of the ANZ Championship, which ended in 2016, and since 2017 have represented Netball Northern in the ANZ Premiership. Netball Northern is the governing body that represents the Auckland and Northland regions.
Yvonne Willering became the Mystics first coach, in 2007, and Temepara Bailey (nee George) its first player.
The Mystics had their best season in the ANZ Championship in 2011 when the Debbie Fuller-coached team made the Grand Final but had to settle for the runners-up spot when losing to the Queensland Firebirds. They finished third in 2012.
In the ANZ Premiership, introduced in 2017, the Mystics clinched their first-ever domestic silverware after a 14-year wait when winning the 2021 title.
The Mystics’ playing strip is predominantly blue while their home venues are The Trusts Arena, Eventfinda Stadium and Vector Arena.