Northern Mystics Coach Debbie Fuller is picking up the reins again at the Netball Northern franchise after taking a 12 month break to focus on family commitments and is now busy preparing for what promises to be a big ANZ Championship season ahead.

The Mystics have secured arguably the biggest signature in New Zealand netball acquiring the talent of Silver Ferns mid-courter Laura Langman, luring her away from the Waikato Bay of Plenty franchise. Also new on the roster jumping ship from the Magic, young NZU21 vice-captain Nadia Loveday and defensive mid-courter Jodi Tod-Elliot. The other new face is exciting young defender Temalisi Fakahokotau.

Defender Anna Harrison will return to the team after the birth son Isaac last month taking her place in the defensive circle alongside Kayla Cullen who is recovering from knee surgery.

Fuller says she’s excited about the mix of talent on the Mystics roster for 2014, but there’s a lot of work to be done first.

“The thing I am pleased about our roster is the mix of experience but also the excitement of youth, so I think if you get that combination right in your team, it can be really rewarding as a coach to see it when combinations click and we’ll just see how well we can make it work.

“Often the teams that have come into the competition with a strong roster have sometimes finished bottom of the table, so while it’s great for the fans, I’m not getting excited until I see us coming together as a team and seeing people that are prepared to work really hard,” Fuller said.

“Often the teams that have come into the competition with a strong roster have sometimes finished bottom of the table, so while it’s great for the fans, I’m not getting excited until I see us coming together as a team and seeing people that are prepared to work really hard,” Fuller said.

The shooting end for the Mystics is particularly impressive featuring a trio of Silver Ferns, Maria Tutaia, Cathrine Latu and Bailey Mes who will return to the team following knee surgery at the end of the 2013 season.

“Bailey came through at the end of the Mystics season this year and showed a great amount of growth and maturity in her role, so what we have got is three extremely strong options in the shooting end.”

“Overall, we have two players recovering from ACL injuries (Mes and Cullen) so that’s just another challenge we have to work through and every team in the competition will come up with injury challenges,” Fuller said.

“We’re hoping they’ll be able to contribute to their maximum at some stage during the season.”

Fuller has relished time away from the game to spend with her young family and says juggling coaching commitments with a young family is nothing out of the ordinary.

“It was actually good to have a bit of a break because coaching requires intense focus so it was nice not to have the full responsibility,” Fuller said.

“A lot of women are doing that these days, working and juggling families at the same time.”

“Netball is predominantly a women’s sport so you have to be able to work in with competing priorities that people have, but I also think that having a family is also a great outlet from the intensity of the game so it’s a great positive,” she said.

The full Northern Mystics squad is: Julie Corletto, Kayla Cullen, Temalisi Fakahokotau, Anna Harrison, Laura Langman, Cathrine Latu, Nadia Loveday, Bailey Mes, Erikana Pedersen, Jodi Tod-Elliott, Elisapeta Toeava and Maria Tutaia.

The Northern Mystics season starts on Sunday March 2nd with an away game against the Melbourne Vixens at Hisense Arena in Melbourne. 2014 Northern Mystics season memberships will be available before the end of the month with the franchise launching their ‘On Board’ campaign in the next few weeks.