The start of a new season

Thursday, 2 April 2009

Great preseason form won’t count for much when the first whistle sounds and the LG Mystics take the court in year two of the ANZ Championship netball competition.

Having won the Queenstown tournament, including beating the defending champs the Sydney Swifts and then making the final of the Waipa event before going down to New Zealand champs, the Magic without three key LG Mystics players, 2009 is showing signs of potential.

It just happens that the Magic are the first match of the season and that match is this Monday night at the Trusts Stadium in Waitakere with the Magic having a team of Silver Ferns to call on including stars Irene van Dyk and Maria Tutaia in the shooting circle.

However the LG Mystics have undergone an extensive fitness training regime and are working well as a team and have plenty of their own stars. Temepara George may not be in the Silver Ferns but is still one of the most dynamic players to take to a netball court. Vili Davu is a rock in defence while Cathrine Latu is focussed and has improved shooting stats. There’s also Keshia Grant who is new to the team and just happens to be the New Zealand javelin champion as well.

At this stage coach Te Aroha Keenan isn’t singling anyone out in the team and expects a good performance through all three sections of the court.

 

“The girls are fit and have been putting in that extra effort at training. They just want to get out there and play. The first game against the Magic will be tough, but the team has plenty of resolve and belief in each other,” says coach Keenan.

 

Tickets for this match and all games from ticketdirect www.ticketdirect.co.nz freephone 0800 4TICKET (0800 4842538) or visit the Trusts Stadium, Waitakere (65-67 Central Park Drive, Henderson). Prices are $10 for children, $20 for adults and a family pass $40 (2 adults + 2 children).

 

The game against the Magic starts at 7.15pm Monday 6 April at the Trusts Stadium. All Mystics home games are at the Trusts Stadium expect for Sunday 12 April versus the Central Pulse which will be played at the North Shore Events Centre.