Wrap up

No Mystery behind Mystics success

Mental strength from the Mystics

So much has been written about the Mystics new mental toughness this year, and it was amply demonstrated on Sunday when they stayed strong as the Magic threatened several late comebacks. The ultimate test is yet to come in Brisbane this weekend but fans now know that this Auckland side will not freeze when the stakes are high. Temepara George told me the coaches made the playing staff confront the situation in the pre-season, telling them “this (mental softness) is the perception of us and it has got to change.”

The truth session worked, and the team has gradually improved over the season in this crucial area. Full credit must go to the franchise for being so open and forthcoming about their Achilles heel in the media – a rare sight in any sport.

Latu’s weighty issue

It is a shame that Cathrine Latu’s weight has been brought into the media, after a facebook dispute driven by a resentful Magic fan. There is no doubt that Latu has a different build to the majority of netball players, but netball should be a game for all shapes and sizes. Latu, incredibly agile and athletic, is also amazingly strong. Laura Geitz of the Firebirds, one of the meanest and most physical defenders in the league, told me that the Mystics attacker is one of the hardest players in the competition to defend, mostly because of her strength.

Latu knows she will never resemble a Sharelle Mc Mahon or Natalie Medhurst, but she has worked incredibly hard in the last two seasons to improve her conditioning as she strives to make the Silver Ferns. Among the Mystics she is probably the most popular among all the kids and young fans and is a wonderful role model.The storm also brings up the unfortunate double standard in society and in the media as a rugby player with Latu’s build would simply be called ‘stocky’.

Predictably unpredictable

If you want predictable – best you don’t follow the ANZ Championship. While the English Premier League continues to be dominated by a select few and Super Rugby is fought out by the same old contenders, identifying trends in the ANZ Championship is as tricky as predicting Auckland’s weather. In 2011 the competition will have its fourth different champion in as many years, while seven of the ten teams have reached the final four playoffs at some stage.

Galaxy of questions surround All Stars

The first-ever ANZ Championship All-Star team prompted some healthy debate, and raised more than a few questions. It was a little surprising to see Sharelle McMahon chosen a goal attack, when she only completed seven matches this season. Surely Natalie Medhurst or Maria Tutaia had greater claim to the honour. It was also unusual to see two representatives from the Adelaide Thunderbirds in lieu of their mostly forgettable season. Natalie Von Bertouch is an incredible player, but Temepara George or Laura Langman must have gone close to snaring the award. And while Anna Scarlett and Leana de Bruin have enjoyed outstanding seasons and were worthy choices at goal keep and goal defence respectively, Firebirds’ fans will be wondering how their defenders missed out – given the Queensland side has the meanest defence in the league.

Debbie dares to dream

For a first year coach, Mystics mentor Debbie Fuller has proved her mettle at the highest level. Early on some at the franchise were afraid she would be exposed as being naive and perhaps caught out by the ever-wary media. But she has proven herself to be honest, forthright and capable of tackling the tough issues. Before the crucial Steel match she maintained that it was “when, not if,” her team won while in the days leading up to the first semi-final against the Swifts she talked about a “relaxed intensity” among her squad. Some in Australia have questioned the Mystics’ right to be in the finals (due to the perceived imbalance in the draw) but she told me they needed to “get over it”. Before last week’s Magic clash she focussed on a “quiet confidence and belief” in her side – and was proved right again.

Shooting stars

Sunday’s final will bring together four of the best shooters on the planet. While they have different styles, there are few better under the posts than Cathrine Latu or Romelda Aiken. Nobody this year has scored more than Aiken (488 goals at 86.1%) while Latu is the most accurate in the league (428 goals at 92.8%). Maria Tutaia is willing to attempt from any distance and has made 323 (at 79%) while her counterpart Natalie Medhurst has potted 316 at a success rate of 83.1% and has also managed an incredible 133 assists – no other goal attack is even close to 100.

Curse of the champions

One team will be crowned champions on Sunday night, but it is advisable they don’t bank on long term success. The plight of the Adelaide Thunderbirds this year, who struggled to sixth place after being title winners in 2010, continued the unusual curse of the champions in the ANZ Championship. The Swifts won the inaugural grand final back in 2008, only to finish in ninth (and second last) the following season. That year the Vixens were champions, but the Sharelle McMahon-captained team couldn’t even make the playoffs the next year, ending a disappointing campaign in seventh place.