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Netball

2025 ANZ Premiership Round 5 of 10: Northern Mystics continue to reign supreme fair and square v Central Pulse on a rare Sunday night game of Netball at TSB Arena

by Sports Benches June 8, 2025

Well, Mystics may not be able to have Donnell Wallam on the call right now but at least they’re so good at developing their own star-studded goal shooters – very important for the best of the community that extends to all high levels.

Meet Sophia Lafaialii who had one hell of an evening where she’s got the power of accuracy to shoot and spot from up high to hold own GKs even at super shots.

She doesn’t have to be that tall like Donnell or Grace Nweke; it’s all about timing and Sophia did that beautifully where the circle was hers to take home tonight away from home at TSB Arena.

Here’s another Mystics product also shined a light tonight was mid-counter Taylor Earle at centre & she just never stops delivering for the other shooters to clutch in goal after goal including some two pointers. No wonder she’s been doing that all time at a top-winning group like the Mystics who is still by far the team to beat in this ANZP after Round 5 out of 10.

Meanwhile, Pulse looked one-dimensional when they know how to get the ball rolling but then lost their way in between and later ran out of ideas – just like the equivalent Hurricanes in Super Rugby with the Qualifying Final last night v Brumbies.

Not only that some of their selections looked out of place when some of the subs deserved better like Amorangi Malesala and ex-Diamond Gabi Simpson – both of whom with previous Super Netball experience btw, didn’t know that as well.

If one had to win alone, gotta be Gabi having kept guard as part of the Pulse’s good restart momentum in between goal defense and wing defense – even though this match wasn’t completely out of reach at the time. But since no one else were able to close in, Pulse were simply not up to it and not winning at least 1-2 quarters is just a wake up call if they want to win back the ANZP later this year off Mystics.

For now, Mystics too good over Pulse once again like it was before & we never know if they will be back to see each other should this next contest be an upcoming big Final following a clear 13 goal margin by 51-64.

There’s Stars v Magic again for the second straight week tomorrow night but in reverse in Auckland and yes, so close from the Steel who fell short yesterday afternoon to the Tactix by eight goals. Looks like the battle for 3rd is heating up and now it all depends if Tactix can keep this winning form up or it will be Steel’s turn this year – at least Steel ain’t gonna finish last this time and also great to see Silver Ferns mid-courter Kate Heffernan back for a bit from knee injury.

June 8, 2025 0 comment

Other Sports

2025 ANZ Premiership Round 4 of 10: Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic secured their first win of the season v Stars by 72-51

by Sports Benches June 2, 2025

Saviour Tui loves scoring goals for fun at goal shoot – always say that when I started following Netball again just a year ago which was simply outstanding.

Since she was there in the week-long training camp to Sydney for the Ferns earlier this year, let’s hope Dame Noeline Taurua can consider Tui later this year.

Standing next to Tui was always consistent & already Silver Fern (even though she’s Aussie!) Claire O’Brien within the Magic squad at Wing Attack who is always constantly involved running to and back with feeds after feeds that got the best of Ameliaranne Ekenasio and tonight’s outstanding goal scorer in Tui.

All in all, it was an encouraging win tonight by Magic making the most out of their chances even though they weren’t at their best. Again, they took advantage of the Stars poor defensive record where their Magic shooters went the distance, having won most of the Quarters except the third.

And MRB short for Mila Relelu-Buchanan did the best she could at the heart of the Stars mid-court engine with okay first 15 followed by a good 3rd quarter alone.

It’s a pity Stars couldn’t connect or were inconsistent at times that can be so frustrating especially when they’ve lost a couple of players in recent times to unfortunately injury. All the Stars can do now is regroup, learn and even though reaching Top 3 may be a tough ask but they have the Magic again this time as the home team same time & day next week.

Final score was 72-51 with the Magic’s first win of 2025 on home front at Globox Arena in Hamilton after Week 4 of 10.

Happening elsewhere, Central Pulse too good for the Southern Steel yesterday afternoon by 70-45 in Invercargill. For the Steel, it wasn’t an easy game as always when they were up against one of the Top 2 teams who were more than certainly bound to end up being Top 2.

And shoutout to veteran goal defender Casey Kopua (nee Williams), who came out of retirement the other day after six years, as an injury replacement for Jodi-Ann Ward at the Giants also in Sydney.

She’s nearly 40 just like former Fern and current Assistant Coach to Wendy at the Steel in Liana Leota where she also came out of retirement albeit for a few mins off the bench when a few of the current players were sidelined back in Round 1.

A sign of the times maybe or maybe not? when their times usually belong to ones present – we’ll see and Casey did play for some time yesterday v the Melbourne Vixens even though Giants lost by 61-71.

June 2, 2025 0 comment

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2025 ANZ Premiership Round 3: Mystics stay unbeaten after they lock up Steel at the last minute by a goal difference: 54-55

by Sports Benches May 26, 2025

Versatile experienced shooters and even attackers Filda Vui and Peta Toeava worked wonders that was enough for the Mystics to bump off Steel at the finish line by just a mere one goal difference: 54-55.

Vui can play in any goal circle position even goal shoot despite her lack of 6ft height & so does Toeava also despite lack of height who always know how to bridge those bombs at attacking channels that help Mystics sink in goals at wing attack.

Toeava even played GA for a bit towards the end with Vui upfront when Donnell Wallam had to come off due to a wrist injury (don’t know when, likely to be out of the season) as super shots a necessary requirement now in ANZP. But hey, that seemed to have made the trick indeed – something no one else does bar Mystics.

Meanwhile, Steel unlucky off the back of a flying start where it could’ve been theirs to win if it wasn’t for that poor 3rd quarter run when they oh so close from behind, particularly within the final 15 mins.

That doesn’t mean they are a bad team like 2023 & 2024 and Steel is fortunate enough to have Kimiora Poi inject that dynamic mid-court energy at Centre where her own shooting team of Georgia Heffernan and Aliyah Dunn gets the job done alongside former Mystic Carys Stythe providing that tough hands grab at GK with assistance from her youngsters.

Wait till Kate H comes back from injury hopefully sooner than later so she and Poi can be at their absolute best likewise at International level with the Ferns.

Again, Steel still tipped as outside finalists instead of say the Tactix from last season.

May 26, 2025 0 comment

Other Sports

2025 ANZ Premiership Season Round 2, Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic v Southern Steel: Too good from Steel to hit the winning front way past the Magic by 28 goals, 41-69

by Sports Benches May 19, 2025

Great to see the Southern Steel back on the winning front – looks good on paper potentially end up Top 3 & playing Finals for a shot at the Grand Final following a huge rebuild in the off-season, we’ll see.

Magic, meanwhile, have a lot of work to do who were caught off-guard unfortunately with a lot of mistakes left, right & centre by surprise, very disappointing indeed.

Final score was 41-69 to Steel over Magic away from home in Hamilton.

Top 3 players

Easy to say Aliyah Dunn shooting goals has done it with perfection having returned to the Steel this year as a better player. No doubt her experience playing Finals before with the Pulse and Tactix along with her impressive natural shooting game skillset will continue to help Steel win games on the front foot.

Same with also another ex-Tactix player who just joined the Steel is Kimiora Poi running the mid-court engine in between channels. Doesn’t matter what position she plays or wants to play whether if it’s C or Wing Attack but Poi is here for the vision club legend Wendy Frew wants to build so they can reclaim its former glory over time as the Steel’s new head coach.

Lastly, don’t know or don’t have much to say other than the Magic not being on par at all with the Steel tonight. There were lots of wrong calls, gaining turnovers, poor passing/passage of play & ill-discipline – you name it with no cohesion to rattle the Steel’s territory that goes from A to Z.

If one was to win over 7-10 odd players tonight, I’d say Claire O’Brien at Wing Attack – don’t know why she was hauled off the court following a tough 1st 15 mins when she was running around except no one was really there to help her which went worse and worse from there. Mind you, she is someone who gained some Silver Ferns experience at the back end of last year and for her to come back on when Magic know the game was already gone, it’s just not right.

Reminds me of Maddie Hay from the Giants who also plays in the same spot as Claire (also a former Giant and Swifts player via her country of birth – Australia) during yesterday’s afternoon match v Grace Nweke’s Swifts team in Super Netball when Giants were on par in the first half but when Maddy H was being subbed, it was a horror show past the end without her – that’s that.

May 19, 2025 0 comment

Other Sports

2025 Super Netball Season, Round 6 of 15: NSW Swifts clutches way ahead of Giants from a tight first half into the clear with the win

by Sports Benches May 18, 2025

Helen Housby (Goal Attack) is the bomb of all sorts of attack and defensive final third circles alongside Grace Nweke (Goal Shoot) that kept goals for Swifts ticking.

Then here comes Sarah Klau being the staple of that Swifts back two – not bad as starting Goal Keep but even better at Goal Defense that made Teigan O’Shanassy wanted to do more of the grabbing, waving & snatching from there.

Hats off to Briony Akle with her tactical masterclass as Swifts are clear victors in the best of NSW and still unbeaten.

For Giants, not so much especially when their good 30 mins start has unfortunately come into waste off the back of bench changes and even positional changes Julie Fitzgerald made at half-time.

Not a good look on her players including Maddy Hay at Wing Attack who wished she could’ve stayed on more often to help finish things out in the other 30 with the way she cuts in and out with those feeds.

Without Maddy H, Giants were nowhere near as good as Swifts – The end.

Giants will be back here at Ken Rosewall Arena next Saturday night at 7pm and Swifts even though they were here today as the away team will be away once again to the Sunshine Coast in QLD v the Lightning also next Saturday night 5pm.

May 18, 2025 0 comment

Other Sports Football Motorsport

A few quickfire sports items this week: Chiefs def. Crusaders once again, NSW Swifts continue to be unbeatable in Super Netball and Honda’s return to winning ways in MotoGP with Johann Zarco from Team LCR

by Sports Benches May 14, 2025

Here’s a few quickfire sports items this week: Thursday 15th May, 2025

1️⃣ Great to see the Chiefs def. Crusaders once again but if these two play in the Grand Final later on, sure it’s not over just yet. Can’t wait for Saders v Tahs tomorrow although no Joseph for a while due to jaw injury while wishing Mason Gordon the best of luck now he’s unable to play rugby.

2️⃣ Swifts still unbeatable as always but at least they’re leading the Super Netball ladder by a merry way – not so much from Giants who lost to SC Lightning.

3️⃣ It’s a Honda with that emphatic French Motorcycle GP win by Johann Zarco in the Satellite LCR Bike. Yes, Honda haven’t been at their best last 1-2 years but hoping they can be back challenging for titles again.

4️⃣ Sheffield United too good for Bristol City and Sunderland sees off late threat from Coventry – going to be a cracking Final where one will go to the big time PL.

May 14, 2025 0 comment

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2025 ANZ Premiership Round 1: Mainland Tactix pulled off final quarter shootout to see out win over Southern Steel

by Sports Benches May 11, 2025

1 week done, 9 more to go plus two extra when it comes to the Finals in this brand-new ANZ Premiership Season for 2025.

Both Tactix and Steel were side-by-side for the most part even though Steel lacked some quality due to injury. But what made one team stood out over the other was the use of subs as well as those tactics/game-plan where one could not see this coming.

What that said, Tactix came from behind by a single goal (26-27) at half-time to closing out on what has been a triumphant victory in front of their home fans, 57-50.

Happening Elsewhere

While the Pulse were comprehensive over the Magic (57-44) yesterday, Mystics also off to a flying start from earlier this afternoon over fellow Auckland side in the Stars (55-71). Gotta feel for those three Stars players being shot down due to injury unfortunately in Kate Burley, Greer Sinclair and Charlie Bell. Don’t know what else to say as this reminds me with Mila Relelu-Buchanan last year when she had a knee injury of her own that took many months to recover from her ACL before she was able to return at the start of this year.

And over in Australia’s Super Netball, glad to see the Swifts still unbeaten who has just wrote off the Melbourne Vixens but not so much for the Giants v SC Lightning.

Yes, Giants did win v Adelaide Thunderbirds last week but maybe T-Birds might’ve had some of their own injury issues & Giants took advantage of it.

Top 3 players

Take a bow Martina Salmon! Yes, she may not have been given the starting nod over Ellie Bird. But hey, her presence within the circle as goal shoot changed everything that the Steel couldn’t stop off-guard including that stunning two-point shot.

If one sub wasn’t enough that turned up the heat for the Tactix, especially when playing at home – how about another in Parris Petera at Wing Attack?

She and Salmon just came over from the Central Pulse btw where Petera & Salmon understood each other and you just cannot underestimate the way Tactix funnelled their passage of play.

They were relived to put this into bed with the good use of the Tactix’s stronghold bench by Donna Wilkins following a competive 2/3rds of tonight’s game that turned into a comfortable last quarter.

Carys Stythe – she has sure tightened up the Southern Steel defense as the mainstay GK now from the championship-winning Mystics. Her towering presence provided real frustration at times to the Tactix where Stythe’s new team gave themselves breathing room to stay on top of things as said with a robust squad that Wendy Frew added in the off-season.

Shoutout also to Liana Leota who just had played a bit of game time in a long time actually even though her main role is to be No.2 assistant coach to Frew. But the only reason why she was there because Steel were short-staffed due to injuries such as the one of the other co-captains in Kate Heffernan.

Although Steel’s boost of quality players has given themselves a fair fight along the way as sure we will that continue – fingers crossed with the group fully fit to take on the rest of this ANZP comp. Unfortunately, they’ve just lacked the right calls as well as the necessary experience required to close out games strong.

May 11, 2025 0 comment

Rugby Other Sports

Black Ferns too good yet again for the Wallaroos in women’s rugby while Central Pulse well clear past Magic in Netball to kickstart the 2025 ANZ Premiership Season

by Sports Benches May 10, 2025

Hats off to the Black Ferns first of all with yet another Trans-Tasman win v the Wallaroos this afternoon in Newcastle.

That’s the team every other top rugby nation wants to emulate which does takes time but hopefully by the home World Cup in 2029, Wallaroos can be sure enough to blow World Rugby away by surprise.

The end goal in the meantime going into this year’s next Women’s RWC later this September is to make the Quarter-Final again at least with the bonus point being an occasional semis run.

They have proved they can win that isn’t against the Black Ferns and sure with the dominant 7s girls looking to help them out but in the XVs, they could achieve that objective after all – we’ll wait and see.

And maybe they could spur up more amazing moments here and there including that cross kick cut that could’ve been any sensational than that in the last minute, even though we know they didn’t win.

For now, lots of additions from the women’s side of the game here like the Trans-Tasman domestic club Super Final, which we could see them play more often like the men currently do in Super Rugby.

More women’s sport? The ANZ Premiership Netball comp in NZ also started today to write the first page of 2025. Gotta say Central Pulse steered well clear off the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic by 55-44 in front of their home supporters – so far, so good. Don’t know what else to say from Magic other than making good use of the new super shots in this comp but they better start planning for the future, that’s all.

There will be an Auckland rivalry going on early tomorrow afternoon with the Mystics and Stars. Interesting to see how the Mystics get on without Nweke but so does the Stars who has a new-look line-up & a new coach.

And of course, Tactix will take on Steel also tomorrow but during the night time in Christchurch. Can’t wait for that and with the Steel also new-look that features a strong group of players coming through, looks like they could be up to either finish 3rd or even split up the Pulse and Mystics.

Steel were champions in the past remember back in 2017 and 2018 although they haven’t been at their best over the past two years but sometimes a new direction has to make sense than continuing as it is & they’ve chosen to go with the latter.

Now it’s up for them to game on all along right from centre pass over the next 10 weeks plus two more if they possibly can.

May 10, 2025 0 comment

Other Sports Football Rugby

A few quickfire sports items this week Thursday, 7th May 2025: Moana and Hurricanes stay on course Top 6 while Waratahs struggle again, great weekend from NSW in Super Netball, NRL finally has a WA team & more Soccer with the English

by Sports Benches May 7, 2025

Here’s some quickfire sports items this week:

1️⃣ Moana Pasifika and Hurricanes take wins that kept their Top 6 alive with Reds unlucky to Drua and Waratahs lose again away where they were so out of depth v Brumbies after half-time – they better pull those strings tomorrow v the Reds again.

2️⃣ Top weekend from NSW Netball – Giants finally crush champs Adelaide Thunderbirds by one goal (64-63) while Swifts still so unbeatable v Firebirds.

3️⃣ Lots of recognised NZers at the second from Grace Nweke to Kiri Wills along with Silver Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua & the ANZ Premiership is back this weekend.

4️⃣ NRL now officially welcomes back the Bears as a WA team. Fun fact: Reds & future Wallabies coach Les Kiss used to play there back in his day.

5️⃣ More Football in the form of soccer, Leeds won the Championship at the last minute while Arsenal won’t be in the CL Final with PSG v Inter – and now we’ll see if Tottenham along with Man Utd will be up for the Europa Cup 2nd leg semi tomorrow.

May 7, 2025 0 comment

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Super Netball 2025, Round 3: Jhaniele Fowler’s return to the West Coast Fever secures their first win of the season over Melbourne Vixens by 57-67 at John Cain Arena

by Sports Benches April 27, 2025

First of all, Jhaniele Fowler back on-court at the right time knowing what she does best – shooting goals inside the net and here goes the Fever’s first win of 2025.

Still long way to go of course having lost the first two when Jhaniele was closing in towards full fitness following a tough last few months with the miscarriage of her unborn child. But now as a whole Fever unit together, Jhaniele wants unfinished business closing into Top 4 at some point and play Finals with the hope of going one better past Prelims & go all in for the GF.

Then England International Fran Williams kept a great eye on the Vixens’ dangerous front two alongside GK Kadie-Ann Dehaney at Goal Defense. She’s also an excellent pivot at rebounds to her middies engine room such as the long bombs at the other end and that is key to playing Jhaniele’s best strengths up front.

On that note, Kiera Austin did the best she could in and out of the circle after 60 odd minutes at Goal Attack for the Vixens – don’t know what went wrong other than some good late game momentum, particularly with super shots. It’s unfortunate they weren’t on the same page along with some misuse of their players & that’s by being on the back foot.

Other than Giants still winless as of a long weekend split Round 3, lots to play for from others with the Swifts on an unbeaten winning streak ahead of Round 4 next weekend.

Could we see Fever with Jhaniele now back in the field continue making up lost time v the Sunshine Coast Lightning?

There’s a Melbourne derby too at the same time next Sunday arvo at 2pm where Vixens could either bounce back as long as they get their structure right or else it’s the Mavericks turn this time?

There’s going to be lots more other big questions if you’re a Giants or Firebirds fan with their respective next opponents Thunderbirds and Swifts currently flying Top 2. But at the end of the day, fingers crossed – we’ll see when all players are being tested at the highest level of National League competition in Australia and this is going to be good as it gets.

Oh going to be a nice Auckland reunion between Grace Nweke (Swifts, ex-Mystics) and coach Kiri Wills (Firebirds, ex-Stars) for that next Swifts v Firebirds contest albeit in Super Netball colours.

For now, Vixens not bad at playing catch-up including super shots time but Fever have the overall on-court dominance that Vixens couldn’t have in the end by 57-67.

April 27, 2025 0 comment