Northern Mystics

Northern Mystics
ANZ Championship team
Franchise information
Years active	2008–present
Based in	Auckland, New Zealand
Regions	Northland Region Auckland Region
Main venue	Trusts Stadium
Main sponsor	LG Electronics
ANZ Championship
Head coach	Debbie Fuller
Asst coach	Jenny-May Coffin
Captain	Temepara George
Titles won	None
2011 finish	Runners-up
Team colours
Official website

The Northern Mystics are a New Zealand netball team based in Auckland that currently compete in the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship. The franchise was formed in 2007 as an amalgamation of two teams from the National Bank Cup – the Northern Force and the Auckland Diamonds – after the competition was retired that year. In 2008, the Mystics joined four other New Zealand franchises in the new ANZ Championship, representing the New Zealand regions of Northland and Auckland.

Home games in the ANZ Championship are usually played at Trusts Stadium in Waitakere, although some matches are played at the North Shore Events Centre and Vector Arena. The team uniform is primarily blue – consistent with traditional Auckland sporting colours – in addition to red and white. Former Silver Fern Debbie Fuller currently coaches the Mystics, stepping up from the role of assistant coach in 2011. The team are captained by veteran Silver Ferns midcourter Temepara George, who has led them in every match since the start of their inaugural season.

In four seasons of the ANZ Championship, the Mystics have continually made widespread changes to their playing roster and coaching staff. Their first three years have seen the Auckland-based side finished no higher than sixth, although an international-laden lineup saw improved performances in 2010. The Mystics had their most successful season in 2011, qualifying for their first finals and earning a spot in the grand final, before finishing runners up to the Queensland Firebirds.

History

Background

The ANZ Championship was founded in 2007 as the new elite domestic netball competition in New Zealand and Australia. It replaced the National Bank Cup in New Zealand and the Commonwealth Bank Trophy in Australia, which both played their final season in 2007. When the new trans-Tasman competition was announced, the competition was reported to feature five teams from each country. For the new competition, five New Zealand franchises were formed from amalgamations of National Bank Cup teams. A franchise based in Auckland was proposed early in the selection process.^[1] The five New Zealand franchises were finalised and approved in May 2007, including one representing the northern regions of Northland and Auckland, formed as an amalgamation of the Northern Force and Auckland Diamonds from the National Bank Cup.^[2]

The new northern franchise started interviewing coaches in August 2007 for the inaugural season in 2008.^[3] As of September 2007, Yvonne Willering, who had previously coached the Northern Force, had been confirmed as the coach for the new northern franchise.^[4] The name of the franchise had been confirmed by December that year as the "Northern Mystics"; the team signed LG Electronics as its naming sponsor, officially becoming the LG Northern Mystics.^[5]

2008: Inaugural season

Player selection for New Zealand franchises was delayed due to ongoing negotiations between the New Zealand Players Association and Netball New Zealand.^[6] The dispute over import players was a particular problem for the Mystics, since both the Northern Force and Auckland Diamonds had considerable numbers of Pacific Islander players.^[7] The negotiations were settled on 22 December, allowing New Zealand franchises to start formally signing players.^[8]

Most of the Northern Mystics team for the 2008 season had been confirmed by the start of February,^[9] with the exception of Vilimaina Davu, who as a Silver Ferns-ineligible player had to be approved by Netball New Zealand. After being initially denied entry into the team, Davu was cleared in mid-March to play for the Mystics, roughly two weeks before the start of the competition.^[10] The finalised 2008 team included Silver Ferns players Leana de Bruin, Paula Griffin and Sheryl Scanlan, as well as high-profile former Silver Ferns Davu and Temepara George.^[10][11]

The Mystics started the inaugural season with a 44–48 loss at home to the Canterbury Tactix. They played 13 games throughout the season, finishing seventh overall with a 5–8 win-loss record. After a disappointing first season, the club axed Willering as head coach and appointed as her replacement former assistant coach Te Aroha Keenan for the next season.^[12]

2009–10: Continuing struggles

The Mystics squad for the second season was published by Netball New Zealand on 5 November 2008.^[13] However, the Mystics squad list was contingent on Cathrine Latu receiving international clearance, and former Silver Fern and Fijian coach Vilimaina Davu being approved for New Zealand citizenship; Pamela Cookey, a shooter in the England national team, is the other import player for the Mystics.^[13] With a longer preseason for the 2009 competition, the Mystics enlisted New Zealand rugby sevens coach Gordon Tietjens to help with fitness training,^[14] which was credited with helping the Mystics to go through a pre-season tournament in Queenstown undefeated.^[15] Nevertheless, the 2009 season proved disappointing for the Mystics who finished in 8th place, one spot lower than in the previous season.

For the 2010 season, the Mystics squad had the most changes of any ANZ Championship team, with only four players from last years squad Temepara George, Grace Rasmussen, Finau Pulu and Cathrine Latu. The Mystics gained Silver Ferns stalwarts Maria Tutaia and Joline Henry from the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic, as well as Althea Byfield (Jamaican international) from the Central Pulse and Jenny-May Coffin from retirement. The 2010 season was the Mystics' best finish in their short history, finishing at sixth place. While this was an improvement on previous seasons, it was below what many commentators had predicted for the international-laden lineup.^[16] Some notable wins include their first ever victory over an Australian team, the Adelaide Thunderbirds, and another nail-biting win against the Central Pulse, where the match tied after regulation time and was won by one goal after extra time (the same score as in last year). The Mystics were no longer have the worst record against the Australian teams after winning against the Thunderbirds in round 1 and the Fever in round 12. This means the Pulse are officially the New Zealand team with the worst record against the Australian teams.

2011 season

The coaching staff of the Mystics was changed with head coach Te Aroha Keenan stepping down and last year's assistant coach Debbie Fuller taking over.^[16] In addition, Jenny-May Coffin stepped up from her playing role to take the position of assistant coach for the Mystics.^[17] The Mystics have also successfully gained Silver Fern defender Anna Harrison (née Scarlett) from volleyball, and in a major coup signed Megan Dehn after her attempts at gaining New Zealand residency for the Southern Steel were unsuccessful.^[18]

In rounds five and six, coach Debbie Fuller was due to have a baby. As a result, assistant coach Jenny May Coffin became head coach for the Mystics during that time. After the round-robin matches the Mystics finished in 4th place, qualifying for their first finals series. The Auckland team headed to Sydney to face the New South Wales Swifts in the minor semi-final, defeating the hosts in an upset victory. A second victory against the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic earned the Mystics a place in the 2011 grand final against the Queensland Firebirds in Brisbane. The undefeated Firebirds claimed victory on home soil and their first ANZ Championship, defeating the Mystics by 57–44.

Players

2011 team

2011 Northern Mystics roster view talk edit
Players	Coaching staff
Nat. Name Position(s) DoB Height Kayla Cullen GD, WD, WA 13-02-1992 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) Megan Dehn GA, WA, GS 09-11-1974 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) Temepara George (c) C, WA 23-10-1975 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) Anna Harrison GK, GD, WD 15-04-1983 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) Joline Henry WD, GD, GK, C 29-09-1982 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) Cathrine Latu GS, GA 25-10-1986 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) Kayla McAlister WA, C, WD 06-08-1988 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in) Bailey Mes GS, GA 27-05-1989 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) Jessica Moulds GK, GD 08-11-1989 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) Grace Rasmussen  GA, WA 18-03-1988 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in) Rachel Rasmussen GK, GD 05-06-1984 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) Maria Tutaia GA, GS 18-02-1987 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)	Head coach Debbie Fuller Assistant coach Jenny-May Coffin Manager: Chris Tennant Notes (c) – Captain (cc) – Co-captain (vc) – Vice-captain – Injury / maternity leave (TRP) – Temporary Replacement Player
Player profiles: Team website • ANZC website	Last updated: 21 April 2011

Notable former players

• Althea Byfield: 2010
• Jenny-May Coffin: 2010
• Leana de Bruin: 2008
• Pamela Cookey: 2009
• Vilimaina Davu: 2008–09
• Paula Griffin: 2008
• Sheryl Scanlan: 2008
• Debbie White: 2009

Venues

Vector Arena configured for netball.

The Mystics play their home games at three venues in Auckland. Most home games are played at the Trusts Stadium in Waitakere, which has a maximum capacity of 4,901.^[19] It was also the host venue of the 2007 Netball World Championships. Other matches are also held at the North Shore Events Centre – which has a maximum capacity of less than 5,000 – and at Vector Arena, the largest indoor sports arena in New Zealand, with a capacity of over 12,000.^[20][21]

Competitive record

• 2008: 7th of 10
• 2009: 8th of 10
• 2010: 6th of 10
• 2011: 2nd of 10

References

External links

• Official website

v t e Northern Mystics Established 2007 in Auckland, New Zealand Seasons 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Competitions ANZ Championship (2008–present) Home venues Main: Trusts Stadium Alternates: North Shore Events Centre Vector Arena Former clubs Auckland Diamonds (1998–2007) Northern Force (1998–2007) Official website www.northernmystics.co.nz