Magic confirm team for 2017
Media Release 8th September 2016
The Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic team for the 2017 ANZ Netball Elite League is (from the defensive end) - Casey Kopua, Kelly Jury, Alex MacLeod-Smith, Grace Kukutai, Samantha Sinclair, Grace Rasmussen, Sydney Fraser, Monica Falkner, Amorangi Malesala and Lenize Potgieter.
Coach of the Magic is former international Margaret Forsyth who is delighted with the squad the Magic has been able to assemble.The Magic organisation has had limited time to put a squad together as they have had to replace a coach and the CEO moved to Auckland to join the 6th Team however Forsyth said it was a lot of fun and she enjoyed the process very much.
“The last three weeks have been an interesting time as well as a lot of fun. The group we have is a mix of considerable international experience from Casey Kopua, Grace Rasmussen and Lenize Potgieter, some players with real talent and seasons of trans-Tasman league experience in Sam Sinclair and Kelly Jury both of whom represented NZA and Kelly was also in the Under 21’s.
“As has been the case with Magic over the last three seasons we have looked to youth and have many exciting young players.
“Monica Falkner (goal attack) has already represented NZA and New Zealand Under 21’s. Grace Kukutai is a midcourter who has been in the 2016 New Zealand Under 21’s, Amorangi Malesala is a goal shooter who in 2015 played for New Zealand Secondary Schools.
“Sydney Fraser, who is still at school, covers WA and GA and is the youngest in the group. Sydney is undergoing an Achilles Tendon operation next week but will be part of the Magic Squad, just as Kelly Jury was two seasons ago, and will take part in preparations where she can”, said Forsyth.
The Magic’s import player is Lenize Potgieter who is an exciting goal shooting talent from South Africa who even at the tender age of 22 has already played in a Netball World Cup as well as the recent Quad Series.
“Lenize is looking forward to joining the Magic and will add to the excitement at that end of the court and I am looking forward to working with her,” said Forsyth.
Alex MacLeod-Smith is new to the Magic however is an experienced defender covering all three positions and was player of the year for the Mainland Beko Netball League team and will add knowledge to that end of the court and some seniority to the team in general.
Forsyth added that it was great to see two of the younger players who had completed their secondary schooling in Auckland coming back to the Zone, as it is and will always be a focus of the organisation to support where possible, people from the region.
The team is looking to gather in Hamilton over the next four or five weeks to be briefed and receive out of season programs ready for an official start in early January.
