Mes makes comeback count for high-flying Northern Mystics
Bailey Mes had to be patient for more than a year while she recovered from a knee injury, but she’s back on court with the Northern Mystics and making up for lost time.
The 31-year-old has started all four of their matches at goal attack alongside teenage shooting sensation Grace Nweke, helping them up to second on the ANZ Premiership ladder, behind their crosstown rivals, the Stars.
She first returned to action with the Silver Ferns in the Constellation Cup against the Australian Diamonds in March – 14 months after suffering a patella cartilage injury that ultimately required surgery last May – playing three quarters in the second match of the four-match series.
But it was pulling on the blue dress of the Mystics for the first time since the end of the 2019 premiership that signalled to the goal attack that she was really back in the thick of things.
Mes told the Sunday Star-Times she was ‘‘loving being back,’’ though suggested she had plenty of room to improve, noting: ‘‘I probably haven’t been playing quite as well as I’d like so far’’.
She said her time on the sideline had grown her appreciation for actually being able to play.
‘‘It was so long, and it was drawn out and really frustrating at times, but I was pretty adamant that I wanted to get back and play at least another season with the Mystics.
‘‘I don’t think it has changed me too much, it’s probably just grown my appreciation for being out there, and I’m probably focusing a bit more on just enjoying the time I do have.’’
The Mystics were beaten by the Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic in the opening round of the season, but have since won three on the trot, against the Southern Steel,
Mainland Tactix and the Central Pulse, to join the Stars in opening up a gap on their rivals. Reflecting on their strong start, Mes said: ‘‘The girls are awesome, and I think we’re just trying to keep each week as a benchmark and not go backwards and build on what we’re doing.’’ ‘‘We’re mainly focusing on what we’re trying to do in terms of our structures and then just tweaking accordingly, depending on who we’re playing. We’ve seen some really positive stuff, so it’s just about piecing it together, probably for a full game now is the next thing.’’
Mes played alongside Nweke during the 2019 season, when the goal shoot made her Mystics debut while still at Avondale College, and is relishing the chance to form a formidable combination with her.
‘‘Grace is amazing,’’ Mes said. ‘‘She’s obviously a very young player and came into our team at a very young age, but it seems like she has been around forever, and she’s made massive improvements.
‘‘She’s great to play with ... she’s such a massive target in our goal circle, so it’s been really cool getting back on court with her.’’
The shooting duo have combined well with wing attack Peta Toeava and centre Tayla Earle in the front half of the court and there have been plenty of times when their ball movement has been too much for opposing teams to handle.
‘‘It’s really fun to be on court with them when we have got a good rhythm on,’’ Mes said.
‘‘We have a really exciting style of play, but we’re still working on putting that brand out on court each week.’’
The Stars, who sit two points above them, are the only team the Mystics are yet to face this season, that clash on June 6.
First up is a rematch with the Tactix in Christchurch tomorrow, then second meetings with the Magic and the Steel.
And as she takes the court in those matches, Mes will have the lure of the Silver Ferns’ goal attack bib in the back of her mind.
The position has typically been the domain of Ameliaranne Ekenasio in recent times, but with the national captain announcing this month that she is pregnant, there is a vacancy to be filled when the international season rolls around at the end of the year.
Mes has made 72 appearances for the Ferns since her debut in 2012, and returned to the national squad for the 2019 World Cup triumph after being dropped in the wake of their failure at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
But her focus right now is purely on the Mystics, who have shown enough early form to suggest they will be contending for the title come the business end of the season.
Mes is entering a phase of her carer where she would be taking things year-by-year.
‘‘The last few years have been pretty up and down.
‘‘Coming off the World Cup, that was a massive high, obviously, and I was feeling really good about where I was at and wanting to keep going, and then the injury hit . . . there will probably come a time when my body might tell me that it’s time to step away, but at the moment I’m definitely keen to keep going.’’