ANZ Championship - Round 7 preview

For the first time in the ANZ Championship two teams have taken top of the table honors; the Queensland Firebirds and Waikato/Bay of Plenty ColourPlus Magic have 10 points each with the Adelaide Thunderbirds and Melbourne Vixens only two points behind. However there is no room for complacency as the Canterbury SKOPE Tactix and NSW Swifts still sit well within striking distance, just another two points behind.

The opening match of round 7 sees the Central Suzuki Pulse taking on the Tactix in Palmerston North on Saturday afternoon. The Tactix will see out the remainder of the season minus the brilliance of shooter Jodi Brown who announced she was pregnant after her teams' impressive win over the Steel last weekend. Brown will be replaced by English shooter Rachel Dunn who should slot in nicely to the Canterbury shooting circle. Dunn has a wealth of experience but has big shoes to fill in the absence of Brown who was in career best form. Dunn will match up against her English team mate and Pulse defender Sonia Mkoloma. The Pulse is the only team in the competition who are yet to notch up a win. The Tactix will be looking to ensure their first win is not against them and to edge closer to the top four.

Adelaide netball fans will be treated to the match of the round on Sunday afternoon as the Thunderbirds host the Melbourne Vixens in this much anticipated rematch. Both teams have eight championship points so this game will decide who goes ahead on the leader board. The last time these two great foes met was in round three where the Thunderbirds took the match by a goal due to some final second heroics from 17-year-old wing defence, Georgia Beaton. Last time they met the contest began with Sharelle McMahon planting a kiss on the cheek of Mo'onia Gerrard, rest assured no love will be lost second time around. Both players have huge roles to play in their respective lines and with Gerrard having the upper hand over her Aussie team mate in recent encounters, expect McMahon to produce something special in this one. The match up down the other end of the court between the league's best shooter, Natalie Medhurst, and top defender Julie Prendergast will be crucial. Medhurst was destructive in round three and has only grown since then; shutting her down will be the key for the Vixens. This will be a torrid encounter with nothing between the two sides and a wealth of talent on court.

Monday night netball will see the Magic taking on the Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel in Hamilton, should the home side win they will likely go to the top of the table. The Magic were in superb touch last weekend and are gaining some serious momentum. After last week’s loss, Steel will be dangerous and determined in this match but will need to lift to a new level and sustain it if they have any chance of an upset. The contest between Daneka Wipiiti and Casey Williams will play a vital role in the outcome of the match as too the matchup between Steel enforcer Megan Hutton against the might of Irene Van Dyk.

The final match of the round will see the Swifts taking on the West Coast Fever in Sydney. This match is an important clash for the Swifts having dropped their last two games, slipping down to sixth place on the ladder. The Swifts are yet to beat an Australian team in the competition and were convincingly beaten by the Firebirds last week. The Fever were impressive in the first half against the Thunderbirds however fell off the place in the second half. Fever has a talented line up with the potential to trouble the Swifts in this encounter, but they will need a full team effort to do so. The Swifts understand the importance of taking a win in this match; they cannot afford to lose touch with the top four if they stand any chance of featuring at the business end of the season. A lower error count and better use of crucial possession will be on the agenda for both teams in this clash.

In round seven, table leaders the Queensland Firebirds and the LG Northern Mystics have a bye.