Domestic showpiece raises pulse rates
With the start of the ANZ Premiership days away, there was plenty of excitement in the air at yesterday’s season launch in downtown Auckland.
But what was it specifically that had the gathered players energised about the campaign ahead?
Silver Ferns goal shoot Maia Wilson has been installed as the Northern Stars captain and for her, it was the options at coach Kiri Wills’ disposal.
‘‘We have a strong team of 10 or 12, including our training partners,’’ she said. ‘‘It gives us the option to be able to put anyone out there. We’ve got a good mix of experience and youth, and hopefully we can bring those youthful players through to play a good season, which will hopefully put them on the path to national honours.’’
For Southern Steel captain Shannon Saunders, it was her young team’s potential to grow over the course of the season.
‘‘We have such a good vibe off the court and we have so much fun, so I’m really looking forward to seeing that translate onto the court,’’ she said.
For Mainland Tactix captain Jane Watson it was the fact that her side has held on to six of the seven starters from last year’s grand final loss to the Central Pulse, replacing the lone departee, Temalisi Fakahokotau, with fellow Silver Fern Karin Burger.
Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic skipper Sam Winders now has Fakahokotau shoring up her side’s defence, but it’s the other end of the court – where they’ve added Australia Diamonds veteran Caitlin Bassett – that excites her most.
‘‘I think our attacking end will be exciting,’’ she said, ‘‘with the calmness that you might see, and the variety and the smarts’’.
Sulu Fitzpatrick will lead from the defensive end for the Northern Mystics, who had their best ANZ Premiership campaign yet in 2020, when they finished third, and she’s looking forward to seeing them play with flair in 2021 – but only once they’ve earned the right to.
‘‘We have a lot of flair but the key for us this season is to balance that with doing that hard grind first.
‘‘We really want to earn that right to play with flair and do that hard work, whether it takes one quarter or if it takes four quarters.’’
Then there are the two-time defending champion Pulse, who will be searching for a three-peat without long-standing captain Katrina Rore, who is on maternity leave; without Burger, who has joined the Tactix, a move that has the Mainlanders looming as the title favourites; and with a new coach, Gail Parata, on board, succeeding Yvette McCausland-Durie.
Claire Kersten led the Pulse at the annual pre-season tournament in O¯ taki two weeks ago, and said the exciting thing for her about the team this season was the opportunity they had been given to reset.
‘‘I think for a few years we’ve had a really consistent team and each pre-season you’d come in and you’d almost feel like you were picking up where you left off.
‘‘Things are a little bit different this year, which kind of forces everyone to reset and go back a few steps which I think puts everyone in a good position and just reminds you of a few things.’’
The Pulse begin their title defence at Fly Palmy Arena in Palmerston North on Sunday against the Stars, while the Steel host the Tactix that evening at Stadium Southland in Invercargill, with the Mystics and Magic meeting on Monday night at Trusts Arena in Auckland.