ANZ Championship Weekend Preview and Statistics

After 8 rounds of the ANZ Championship six teams are in strong contention for the top four spots, things could not get any tighter. And with top of the table ColourPlus Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic and third-equal placed NSW Swifts having a bye this weekend, the results from round 9 will be crucial in deciding the final ladder places.

The first match of the round sees the Suzuki Central Pulse head south to take on the Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel. In recent weeks the Pulse has come painstakingly close to that elusive first win. The last time these two teams met was in round 2; deadlocked on 40-all at full time the Steel needed extra time to eventually triumph by just two goals. The Pulse’s final few minutes of the last 2 games has seen their undoing, however their improvement is apparent and this game presents another great opportunity for the gutsy Pulse to give their very loyal fans something to celebrate. The clash of the day will come from Steel spearhead Daneka Wipiiti, who has slotted 69 per cent of her teams overall goals, up against the Pulse’s shining light Sonia Mkoloma. Mkoloma has been superb throughout this Championship and has played a huge role in keeping her side in contention.

When the Melbourne Vixens host the West Coast Fever on Sunday afternoon they will be out to rectify their shattering nine goal loss to the Firebirds last weekend. It was the Vixens’ second loss of the season, in a match where they were outplayed by a torrid Queensland unit. The Vixens now sit in third-equal place on the ladder and will settle for nothing but a convincing win over Fever. With Caitlin Bassett responsible for 73 percent of the Fever’s goals she will be the focal point for the Vixens defence. Down the other end of the court, the dual between Caitlin Thwaites and Susan Fuhrmann will be one to watch. Fuhrman generally matches up well on the talented shooter and with Thwaites the Vixens go-to-girl, stopping her becomes vital for the visitors.

Monday night netball will see the SKOPE Canterbury Tactix take on the LG Northern Mystics. The last time these two sides met was in round one with the Tactix prevailing by four goals. The Tactix are New Zealand's number two ranked side, a position many expected Mystics would hold. The Mystics have six highly credentialled international players on their list, more than any other team in the competition, so as soon as they hit their straps they are capable of knocking off anyone. They enter this game with victory fresh on their minds after a final quarter surge against the Pulse gave them their second win of the season. This game will be tight across the board and with Jodi Brown's replacement shooter Rachel Dunn filling the void well, the Tactix will provide tough opposition. Dunn was the top scorer in round eight of the competition, her haul of 35 goals at 85 per cent was unmatched by any other shooter last weekend. They will need her on song in this one as she faces fierce opposition from the likes of Vilimaina Davu, Leana de Bruin and Sheryl Scanlan. The game will be held in Auckland due to Christchurch's venue being unavailable.

The final game on Monday evening could well be the best match of round 9 when the Queensland Firebirds host the Adelaide Thunderbirds. This game may have a significant bearing on final places. It's the first time these two sides meet and what a contest it promises to be. The Thunderbirds have suffered back to back losses and as a result have slumped to fifth on the ladder while the Firebirds are running hot with five consecutive wins positioning them proudly in second place. Two of the league's most accurate shooters will play influential roles in this game with Romelda Aiken averaging 40 goals a match and the elusive Natalie Medhurst leading the accuracy contest, with 92% for the Championship.
However, if there is any defensive unit that could come close to shutting down Aiken it’s the Thunderbirds duo of Geva Mentor and Mo'onia Gerrard. This game is crucial for both teams; the Thunderbirds cannot afford to slip any further away from the top four and the Firebirds will want to join the Magic on equal points at the top of the table.




This weekend;

Saturday 31st May
Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel v Suzuki Central Pulse
Stadium Southland, Invercargill. 1430*

Sunday 1st June
Melbourne Vixens v West Coast Fever
State Netball & Hockey Centre, Melbourne. 1330
Monday 2nd June
Queensland Firebirds v Adelaide Thunderbirds
Brisbane Convention Centre, Brisbane. 1900
SKOPE Canterbury Tactix v LG Northern Mystics
The Trusts Stadium, Auckland. 1900
BYE
NSW Swifts
ColourPlus Waikato / Bay of Plenty Magic