Kia Magic Looking Forward to Summer Shootout

Media Release

5th Feb 2015

The Kia Magic are looking forward to getting on court in earnest at this weekend’s ANZ Championship Pre-Season Summer Shootout, after weeks of training and strength and conditioning.  The three-day tournament in Sydney, features all 10 ANZ Championship teams.

Kia Magic coach Julie Fitzgerald said the pre-season tournament, to be played at the newly completed Netball Central at Sydney Olympic Park, is an important element to the season build-up.

“The ANZ Championship starts later this month so we don’t have much time left to prepare, meaning this tournament is important for us,” said Fitzgerald.

“While results are by-and-large irrelevant, it’s the combinations we’ll be looking to bring together that will be our focus, especially given we’ve had several girls away at Silver Ferns camp and tests.”

One player not making the trip to Sydney is Jo Harten.  The English goal shoot has a slight back niggle and given her recent international playing and travel commitments, the decision has been taken to rest her from the Summer Shootout.  Former Kia Magic shooter, Jess Waitapu will travel with the team in Harten’s absence.

 A total of 25 games, comprising both full length and shortened games consisting of two 15-minute periods, will be contested over the weekend as teams play five matches, beginning on Friday night and concluding on Sunday afternoon.

The Kia Magic matches are as follows (NZ times):

Friday, 6 February (full length game)

-          7:00pm v Vixens

Saturday, 7 February (2x15 halves)

-          12noon v Firebirds

-          5:30pm v Tactix

-          7:30pm v Swifts

Sunday, 8 February (full length game)

-          12noon v Steel