ANZ Championship: Round 12 preview

With just three home and away rounds remaining until the 2010 ANZ Championship Finals Series, there are still seven teams in contention for the final four. The intensity of the competition is guaranteed to lift yet another notch, as three New Zealand and four Australian teams desperately battle it out.

The NSW Swifts are the only team who are currently guaranteed a place in the final four. It remains to be seen if they can become the first team in ANZ Championship history to enter the Finals Series with a perfect winning record; this would be all the more remarkable given that they finished ninth in 2009.

If the Thunderbirds are able to reverse last year’s Grand Final result by beating the Vixens at this weekend’s Round 12 sell-out at Hisense Arena, it’s very difficult to see the Adelaide side finishing much further down than their current second position.

With their narrow loss to the Fever in Round 11, the WBOP Magic find themselves in an unusually precarious position, with the Steel, Firebirds, Vixens and Mystics all hot on their heels. The Firebirds arguably have more to play for than any of their competitors, having finished a heartbreaking fifth in both the 2008 and 2009 seasons. However don’t underestimate the passion of the Mystics, who have a star-packed starting seven and the advantage of no more journeys across the Tasman during Rounds 12 to 14.

Meanwhile, the Fever, Tactix and Pulse will all be keen to reward their supporters with strong finishes to the season; and they will be well aware that they have the ability to have a huge impact on the make-up of the final four.

You can catch every minute of the ANZ Championship action on Network Ten (TEN and ONE) in Australia and SKY Sport in New Zealand – check your local programming guide for details.

Saturday 5 June LG Mystics v West Coast Fever
2.20pm, North Shore Events Centre, Auckland

Queensland Firebirds v Haier Pulse
2.20pm, Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, Brisbane

Sunday 6 June Netball’s Festival of Stars celebrity match at 12pm, followed by:
Melbourne Vixens v Adelaide Thunderbirds
2.50pm, Hisense Arena, Melbourne

Monday 7 June Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel v Mercury Energy Tactix
7.20pm, Stadium Southland, Invercargill

NSW Swifts v First Windows Waikato / Bay of Plenty Magic
7.05pm, Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre, Sydney

* All times shown are local times

LIVE SCORING – click here for live scoring – every game, every goal, LIVE!


LG Mystics v West Coast Fever
The Fever have won both previous meetings between the sides.
When these two teams last met in Round 3, 2009, the Fever defeated the Mystics 57-46 in Perth.
The Mystics are at five wins and five losses after Round 11 and will need to win all of their last three matches and rely on others losing to have any chance of making the Semi Finals. The other problem the Mystics have is their goal percentage of 96.56%, the lowest of any of the sides still in the running for the Finals Series.
The Fever won their third match of the season in Round 11, defeating the Pulse 63-45 in Perth.
The Fever equalled their highest sixty minute ANZ Championship score when they shot 63 goals against the Pulse in Round 11. The Fever’s other 63 goal tally was against the Swifts in Round 9, 2009. The Fever’s highest ANZ Championship score is 67 goals in their Round 5, 2009 extra time victory over the Swifts.
The Mystics have the highest average goals after Round 11. The Mystics are averaging 53.3 goals per match.
The Mystics have the second best shooting accuracy in the ANZ Championship after Round 11. The Mystics are converting their shots at 86.2% accuracy just behind the Magic who have the best accuracy with an 86.3% return.


Queensland Firebirds v Haier Pulse
· After a stirring one goal win against the WBOP Magic in Rotorua last week, the Firebirds have thrown themselves back into contention for the final four. They are now sitting fifth, and they know they’ll need to win their three remaining home and away games if they’re to finally break through for their first ever appearance in an ANZ Championship Finals Series.

· The Pulse’s dream of consecutive wins was demolished last week in Perth, when they were defeated by 16 goals by the West Coast Fever.

· Despite their thrilling win in New Zealand, the Firebirds lost wing attack Sarah Wall in the final moments of the game, leaving her in doubt for this weekend’s clash. The centre court has been a pivotal part of the Queenslanders’ attack, with the former Victorian leading the centre pass receives in the competition with 199.

· Firebirds shooters Romelda Aiken and Natalie Medhurst were in fine form in Round 11, with both players shooting over 90%. Pulse defenders Katrina Grant and Ama Agbeze will have to shut the duo down if the Pulse have any chance of causing a major upset.

· Goal keeper Laura Geitz was once again in fine form last week, dominating the defensive circle. However despite her turnovers, the defender is costly for the Firebirds, having racked up the most penalties in the competition with 176.


Melbourne Vixens v Adelaide Thunderbirds
· The Melbourne Vixens suffered their fifth successive loss on the weekend, this time at the hands of the Steel in Dunedin. The loss significantly reduces the Victorian team’s chances of defending their 2009 title; they now sit sixth on the ladder, with a low percentage and a difficult run home.

· In Round 11, the Thunderbirds were convincing against the Tactix running out 24-goal winners in Adelaide. Danger player Carla Borrego left the court in the final quarter with a knee strain but looks fit to take the court in Melbourne on Sunday.

· Vixens centre Natasha Chokljat returned last week after six weeks on the sideline, however the inclusion of the influential centre court was still not enough to rally her troops to get that crucial win on the board.

· The Thunderbirds have won their last three games and look to be hitting form at the right time of the season. With the defensive duo of Geva Mentor and Mo’onia Gerrard shutting down any shooting combination that comes their way, the Vixens’ Sharelle McMahon and Caitlin Thwaites will have a difficult job on their hands at Hisense Arena.

· Sunday’s match is sold out, with the Netball’s Festival of the Stars celebrity charity match commencing at 12 noon before the ANZ Championship blockbuster at 2.50pm.


Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel v Mercury Energy Tactix
When the sides last met in Round 7, the Steel defeated the Tactix 66-38 in Christchurch.
The Steel lead head-to-head with four wins and one loss.
When the sides met in Round 7 the Steel’s 66 goals equalled their highest ever ANZ Championship score. The Steel also scored 66 goals in Round 9 last season against the Pulse.
The Steel recorded their sixth win of the season in Round 11 when they downed the Vixens 52-39 in Dunedin.
The Steel’s Round 11 win over the Vixens in Dunedin is their sixth win from six matches played at the Edgar Centre.
The Tactix have the lowest shooting accuracy in the ANZ Championship after Round 11. The Tactix are converting at just 74.8% accuracy.
The Steel have the third lowest number of goals after Round 11. The Steel is averaging 50.3 goals per match, with only the Tactix (45.3) and the Pulse (45.2) sitting on a lower average for goals per match.
The Steel has the third best shooting record in the ANZ Championship. They are converting their shot at goal at 82.1% accuracy.

NSW Swifts v First Windows Waikato / Bay of Plenty Magic
· The 2008 ANZ Champions have always produced epic matches, with Monday night’s clash set to be no exception. With the undefeated NSW Swifts leading the competition and the proud WBOP Magic with something to prove after consecutive losses in the last two weeks, the match-up is set to be fast and furious with only three games to go until the Finals Series.

· Head-to head the Swifts have the edge against the leading New Zealand team, winning four of their previous five encounters. However the Swifts have not beaten WBOP Magic since their nine-goal Grand Final victory in 2008.

· Coming off two losses the WBOP Magic need to get a win on the board to have a chance of finishing in that vital second spot that gives them the double chance come finals.

· Last week WBOP Magic coach Noeline Taurua surprised all with her decision to start shooter Jess Tuki at goal defence, pushing Jodi Tod out to the wing defence. Tod was changed to goal defence by half-time and Tuki taken off.

· Magic have not replaced wing defence Peta Scholz since she ended her season with a knee injury, and this is WBOP Magic’s last chance to bring in a replacement player to be eligible for the Finals Series. Players must play at least three games to be eligible to compete in the Finals Series.

· Magic goal keeper Casey Williams will match up against Swifts captain Catherine Cox. Both players have been in stellar form this year. Williams leads the competition for defensive rebounds with 41 and is second in the Championship for intercepts with 30.

· Cox is sixth in the competition for goals scored with 266, however she generally shares bulk of the load with goal attack Susan Pratley who is eighth on the list with 260 goals. The Swifts are the only team in the competition with both shooters in the top ten goal scorers list.