Magic wary of the unexpected
Press Release March 27, 2014
The threat of an ambush has Kia Magic respectfully wary of a well acclimatised and hungry West Coast Fever for their ANZ Championship netball clash in Tauranga on Sunday.
Surprise results from the latest round have the unbeaten Magic on their toes and prepared for Norma Plummer’s Fever, the Perth team remaining in New Zealand and preparing in Tauranga for the past week flollowing their one-goal loss to Southern Steel in Dunedin.
Considering the accomplished recruits they picked up in the off-season, Fever would be disappointed with just the one win from four outings to date, Magic midcourter Courtney Tairi having no doubts of their firepower.
``They have a great line-up of players and a great coach,’’ she said. ``They will really bring it to us, so for us it’s certainly about not underestimating their capabilities and sticking to our game plan. We know we’re in for a big battle.’’
The good vibes continued to eminate from the Magic following their five-goal away win over the classy Melbourne Vixens, the surprise package of the competition impressing with their court craft and intent on the back of a four-game winning streak.
Magic have surpassed most people’s expectations but not their own.
``I knew that it was possibe to be where we are at the moment,’’ Tairi said. ``I knew that we had been training hard enough to get there. I’ve always personally felt good about the team and knew that the way we had been training that we could put it out there on court together.’’
Apart from the odd few minutes at Silver Ferns training camps (with Ellen Halpenny and Grace Rasmussen), Tairi had never played with the new-look Magic attack line which includes England shooter Jo Harten.
``We have got a really good bunch of girls and I think Julie (Fitzgerald, coach) has done very well at bringing us all together as well as our leaders in Casey (Kopua) and Leana (de Bruin). They’ve done a great job of welcoming and building us into that Magic culture and environment.
``As a group we’ve come together quite quickly, we’re all very close and have become good friends off the court and I think that’s translated on the court now where we’re fighting for each other and really connecting and playing together as a team.’’
Now playing in her more familiar role of centre after two years at wing attack with Southern Steel, Tairi, 25, modestly understates her role in the slick-performing attacking unit, and doesn’t see herself as a traditional centre.
``I’m surrounded by such great players, so for me I’m really just trying to help them out and be on offer when I’m needed,’’ she said. ``If you’ve got someone like Casey to bring the ball down court and someone like Grace, who is just a work horse and is so good with the ball in her hand, for me in centre, I’m just trying to help them out and be used where I’m needed.’’
With Magic getting up over the Vixens, the previously winless Northern Mystics ending Adelaide Thunderbirds unbeaten 16-game winning streak and the much-maligned Tactix tipping up the talent-laden Central Pulse, nothing in the competition is a given.
``We’ve never underestimated anyone and we know that every game is going to be just as hard as the last one,’’ Tairi said.
``It’s a great mindset for us to have, knowing that every game is a must-win and we have to fight for every one of them and never under-estimate the opposition.’’
Jane Hunt
Kia Magic media liaison
Ph: 021-107-0287
