Netball News: Mainland Tactix now first time ANZ Premiership champions for 2025 following their 68-46 win over Mystics

Netball – First of all, how good was the Mainland Tactix who just became the new ANZ Premiership champions for the first time ever in NZ’s National League history.

Also a first in the making was head coach and former player Donna Wilkins as shoutout on getting the best out of this experienced group that was full of cohesion, dominating ball on top of defenses & funnelling out goal after goal.

Having Ellie Bird back on-court with some unfinished business to give back to the Tactix was a really good move as always at Goal Shoot – 50/54 shots at 93%. 

She will be missed once again for sure as yes never say never but Ellie is indeed moving to Melbourne just like Jamie-Lee Price from the Giants here in Sydney although she will be setting up a wellness business there than playing Super Netball.

Other than Bird, everyone who took part in today’s big dance for the red & black also deserved a big round of applause. 

Tough pick for someone to clinch 2nd place for sure.

Let’s say it will be a joint one starting with GD’s Karin Burger whose combination alongside Jane Watson & Paris Lokotui keeping guard in between the wings was rock solid ranging from flying steals & quick feeds to the other end to shutting down the Mystics passage of play.

Then the other one is team captain & also ex-Mystics player Erikana Pedersen at Wing Attack where she was lively as the leading mid-court feeder using the space to fill in with excellent pace that no one else couldn’t do as well as her leadership qualities, even though she had to leave twice in the last 15 mins but it was just a cramp issue.

It remains to be seen what next year’s comp looks like actually that affects all six teams with still no next TV deal yet at the moment.

While we would love to hear what the direction is going to be like if it wasn’t for the ongoing uncertainty, at least Netball New Zealand has relaxed their overseas selection rules last week based on merit & they may as well grant someone an exemption without having to leave home.

So will keep an eye on that for sure where some could retire, stay or most importantly, head off to test themselves something world class here provided by Super Netball here in Australia.

Last but not least, despite the loss this afternoon, Mystics always punch above their weight when it comes to their regular season form and developing young talent.

Catherine Hall as the new starting GK was one of the standout stars as if we still have Grace Nweke in the books but only at the back three rather than attack.

It’s important for Catherine to keep on churning her best defensive qualities so she can give her middies and front two the best scoring chances possible that can go for so long including at International level where she too would want to win a grand final as an actual starter on court. 

But sometimes today’s runner-up loss was not a reflection on her individually but from the whole team itself when Mystics kept on gaining turnovers on top of an incoherent attacking plan plus a bold strategy in the last 15 was a bit too much to ask under pressure unless the rules did really change a bit by changing the single goal system to two-pointers with shots and passes were just full of hit and misses.

The final score was the Tactix clear winners over Mystics by 58-46 (12 goal gap) away from home in Auckland after 32 matches played out of 32 across 10-12 short weeks in this year’s ANZ Premiership season.

Can’t wait for the home International leg to begin later this year in late September to late October for the Silver Ferns team with three v South Africa aka Proteas and four against the Aussie Diamonds.

There was confidence today by the Tactix who never won a national comp title up until now, and sure there will be confidence from the Ferns to win it all including the Constellation Cup crown once again following a 3-1 winning series campaign to remember last year.