2015 ANZ Championship Round 12 Preview

2015 ANZ Championship Round 12 Preview

Round 12 Fixtures:

Adelaide Thunderbirds v Mission Queensland Firebirds
Saturday 16 May, 7.18pm
Adelaide Arena, Adelaide

Melbourne Vixens v West Coast Fever
Saturday 17 May, 12.18pm
Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne

NSW Swifts v Mainland Tactix
Sunday 17 May, 2.18pm
Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre, Sydney

Mojo Pulse v Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel
Sunday 17 May, 7.10pm
Arena Manawatu, Palmerston North

SKYCITY Mystics v Kia Magic
Monday 18 May, 7.40pm
The Trusts Arena, Auckland

ANZ Championship Talking Points:

Australia Post One Netball Round (Australia)
• Round 12 of the ANZ Championship is the Australia Post One Netball Round.
• The Australia Post One Netball program aims to create more inclusive netball communities to ensure that everyone, regardless of their background or ability, is welcome in netball.
• Earlier this week, the One Netball Community Awards were launched for 2015, which reward and recognise the individuals, Clubs and Associations who go above and beyond to create and support inclusive netball environments for all.
• Last years’ winners included individuals, Clubs and Associations who were going above and beyond to support players with a disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, multicultural communities, and regional and remotely located communities.
• Up to eight winners will be selected, to receive prize packs worth more than $1000 each, to be personally delivered by one of the 18 Australia Post One Netball Ambassadors.
• Eight of this year’s ambassadors will be in action over the Australia Post One Netball Round – Leigh Waddington, Nicola Gray (Adelaide Thunderbirds), Clare McMeniman, Rebecca Bulley, Beryl Friday (Queensland Firebirds), Josie Janz-Dawson (West Coast Fever), Geva Mentor (Melbourne Vixens) and Kimberlee Green (NSW Swifts). Other ambassadors include former internationals Mo'onia Gerrard and Sonia Mkoloma.
• Filled with passionate coaches, umpires, players and volunteers, Australia’s netball community has many inclusion champions who go to great lengths to ensure that the sport of netball is accessible to anyone who wants to be involved.
• To make your One Netball Community Award nomination, go to onenetball.org.au. Nominations close on Sunday 5 July 2015.
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Game Talking Points:

Adelaide Thunderbirds v Mission Queensland Firebirds
Saturday 16 May, 7.18pm
Adelaide Arena, Adelaide

Media Contacts:
Thunderbirds - Nicki Barnet
M: +61 419 803 047
E: nicki.barnet@netballsa.asn.au
Firebirds - Toni Caldwell
M: +61 439 779 069
E: toni.caldwell@netballq.org.au

Broadcast Live - FOX SPORTS 4 (AUS); SKY SPORT 3 (NZ)

Umpires: Helen George & Joshua Bowring
Reserve: Tara Warner

Head to Head:

The Facts:

LAST MEETING: Rd 6, 2015: Firebirds 48 def Thunderbirds 46, Brisbane
• The Mission Queensland Firebirds have secured their spot in the Australian Conference Finals with a guaranteed top-three finish following last weekend's 54-45 victory over the Melbourne Vixens. The win moved the Firebirds into a share of top spot with the West Coast Fever.
• The average winning margin in the last seven matches between the Adelaide Thunderbirds and Mission Queensland Firebirds is 3.6 goals stretching back to Round 11, 2012.
• The Firebirds have twice won consecutive matches against the Thunderbirds – in Rounds 3-5 2011 and Round 11, 2014, and Round 6, 2015.
• The Thunderbirds average 52.8 goals a match against the Firebirds in Adelaide with the Firebirds averaging 52.4 goals per appearance.
• This will be the first ever ANZ Championship match played at the Adelaide Arena, which is the home of the city’s NBL team the Adelaide 36ers and WNBL team the Adelaide Lightning.
• The Firebirds have won their past seven matches, which is now the club’s second longest ever winning streak in their ANZ Championship history. Their best overall is 15 wins in a row, from the opening round of 2011 through to the Grand Final of that season.
• Thunderbirds captain Renae Hallinan is scheduled to make her 150th national league appearance this Saturday night. She has made 106 ANZ Championship appearances and 43 for the Melbourne Phoenix in the former national league.
• Firebirds shooter Romelda Aiken needs 17 goals to become the second player in the competition history to reach 400 goals in a season for the eighth consecutive year. The other player to achieve that feat is West Coast Fever shooter Caitlin Bassett.
• Thunderbirds defender Eboni Beckford-Chambers missed the side’s loss to the NSW Swifts last round because of a shoulder injury. It was the first match the English international has missed since joining the competition via West Coast Fever in 2012.
• Leigh Waddington leads the way for goal assists for the Thunderbirds this season with 83. The leading Firebirds player is Kim Ravaillion (88) followed by Gretel Tippett (82).
• The Firebirds have joined the Vixens as the most successful Australian teams in the ANZ Championship with 73 victories. The Kia Magic has the most wins of any side with 77 overall.

Melbourne Vixens v West Coast Fever
Saturday 17 May, 12.18pm
Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne

Media Contacts:
Vixens - Briony Carlyon
M: +61 417 183 277
E: briony.carlyon@netballvic.com.au
Fever - Sasha Jones
M: +61 408 468 678
E: bluedogcommunications@bigpond.com

Broadcast Live - FOX SPORTS 2 (AUS); ONE (AUS); SKY SPORT 1 (NZ)

Umpires: Tara Warner & Clare McCabe
Reserve: Sharon Kelly

Head to Head:

The Facts:

LAST MEETING: Rd 6, 2015: Fever 53 def Vixens 47, Perth
• The Vixens have won six of the seven encounters between the two sides in Melbourne by an average margin of 17.8 goals. Fever’s only victory, which was their first ever over the Vixens, came in Round 8, 2010 when they triumphed 56-53.
• This will be the second of three ANZ Championship matches played this season inside Margaret Court Arena, which is located in the Melbourne and Olympic Parks sports precinct. The Vixens defeated the Mojo Pulse 64-40 in the opening match of the season. They will play the NSW Swifts at the venue in Round 13.
• Fever is coming off their first defeat of the 2015 season and first loss since losing to the SKYCITY Mystics in Round 13 last year.
• Fever is aiming to complete just the second clean sweep over an Australian side in the same season in their ANZ Championship history, having defeated the Vixens by six goals in Perth in Round 6. Fever defeated the NSW Swifts twice in 2009.
• A victory will also give Fever three wins overall against the Vixens in their ANZ Championship history. They also currently have three wins overall against the NSW Swifts, Adelaide Thunderbirds and Mission Queensland Firebirds. Seven victories against the Mainland Tactix is their most successful opponent.
• The Vixens are averaging 58.5 goals against New Zealand sides in 2015 but just 46 goals from six matches against their Australian Conference rivals. They are yet to score 50 goals in a match against an Australian team this season with 48 their best – against the Adelaide Thunderbirds (Round 2) and the Mission Queensland Firebirds (Round 7).
• The Vixens average 60.1 goals a match against the Fever in Melbourne while West Coast averages only 45.3 goals. They have only shot more than 50 goals once from their seven previous trips whereas the Vixens have never scored below 50 goals.
• In their Round 6 match in Perth, the Vixens were held to just six goals in the opening term, the equal worst quarter of any side in 2015.
• Fever is the only side after 10 rounds that has two players with more than 100 goal assists in Natalie Medhurst (106) and Khao Watts (104).

NSW Swifts v Mainland Tactix
Sunday 17 May, 2.18pm
Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre, Sydney

Media Contacts:
Swifts - Rebecca Trbojevich
M: +61 448 160 778
E: rtbojevich@netballnsw.com
Swifts - Victoria Bain
M: +61 449 903 405
E: vbain@netballnsw.com
Tactix - Leanne Harris
M: +64 275 526 876
E: Leanne.Harris@netballmainland.co.nz

Broadcast Live - FOX SPORTS 2 (AUS); SKY SPORT 1 (NZ)

Umpires: Michelle Phippard & Rachael Ayre
Reserve: Helen George

Head to Head:

The Facts:

LAST MEETING: Rd 2, 2014: Swifts 68 def Tactix 57, Christchurch
• The Swifts have won all three matches played between the two sides in Sydney by an average margin of 15.3 goals.
• The Swifts 22-goal opening term against the Adelaide Thunderbirds last round was their best quarter overall of the season. It was also the second highest opening quarter total behind the Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel (24 goals v Mainland Tactix, Round 6).
• The Swifts are currently averaging 56.3 goals a match this season. Their best season average was in 2008 when they averaged 56.6 goals per game. The Swifts have shot 60 goals or more in three of their past four matches.
• The Tactix’s loss to the Mojo Pulse on Monday night was their 19th consecutive defeat, a new competition record. They have not tasted victory since beating the Pulse in Round 4, 2014.
• The Swifts are ranked No.6 in defence in the ANZ Championship, conceding an average of 51.2 goals a match. The Tactix have the competition’s worst defence, conceding an average of 60.7 goals per match.
• Tactix shooter Mwai Kumwenda is the second most accurate player in the competition, scoring her 316 goals at just under 92 per cent accuracy.
• Swifts defender Sharni Layton is the No.1 ranked player in the competition for intercepts (34), deflections (63), gains (59) and defensive rebounds (26).
• Layton had a round high 13 deflections in the Swifts’ win over the Adelaide Thunderbirds last round. Her five intercepts were also the equal best of the round.
• Tactix midcourter Jessica Moulds is ranked inside the top 10 for gains with 26. She is also their leading player for intercepts (33) and deflections (12).
• Bailey Mes has scored 149 goals from 10 appearances with the Tactix in 2015. She shot 189 goals from her 21 matches with the SKYCITY Mystics.
• The Swifts have won 13 of the past 16 quarters played for three victories (Round 8 v SKYCITY Mystics, Round 10 v Melbourne Vixens and Round 11 v Thunderbirds) and a draw against the Mojo Pulse in Round 9.
• Swifts midcourter Jade Clarke is set to face against her former side for the first time since switching teams at the end of 2014. Clarke played two seasons for the Tactix (2013-2014).

Mojo Pulse v Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel
Sunday 17 May, 7.10pm
Arena Manawatu, Palmerston North

Media Contacts:
Pulse - Catherine Rossiter-Stead
M: +64 21 047 1723
E: Catherine@pulse.org.nz
Steel - Kate Buchanan
M: +64 21 292 1660
E: Kate.Buchanan@netballsouth.co.nz

Broadcast Live - FOX SPORTS 2 (AUS); SKY SPORT 1 (NZ)

Umpires: Jono Bredin & Angela Armstrong-Lush
Reserve: Liz Boon

Head to Head:

The Facts:

LAST MEETING: Rd 10, 2015: Steel 50 def Pulse 49, Dunedin
• The Steel leads the Pulse 9-6 head to head in 15 previous meetings.
• The Pulse remain in the hunt for the New Zealand conference finals with 7 points equal with the Steel who are one position ahead of them on the ladder.
• Steel coach Janine Southby will lead the Steel for the 50th time in Round 12. Southby took over the reins at the Steel in 2012 (co-coach with Natalie Avellino) and in her own right in 2013.
• The Steel is coming off a 59-53 defeat to the Kia Magic in Hamilton in Round 11.
• The Pulse is coming off a 51-48 win over the Mainland Tactix.
• Pulse mid-courter Joline Henry will celebrate her 100th match if she takes the court on Sunday night.
• Steel shooter Te Paea Selby-Rickit is No.1 in the league for goal assists.
• This match is the last ‘home’ game for the Pulse of the 2015 regular season with a game against the Magic in Hamilton in Round 13 and a Round 14 match against the Thunderbirds in Adelaide.
• Pulse captain Katrina Grant will play her 99th ANZ Championship match if she takes the court on Sunday night.
• Pulse midcourter Elias Shadrock will play her 49th game if she takes the court on Sunday night.

SKYCITY Mystics v Kia Magic
Monday 18 May, 7.40pm
The Trusts Arena, Auckland

Media Contacts:
Mystics - Caley Wilson
M: +64 21 804 004
E: caley@mynewfavourite.com
Magic - Greg Palmer
M: +64 21 687 184
E: Greg.Palmer@netballwbop.co.nz

Broadcast Live - FOX SPORTS 2 (AUS); SKY SPORT 1 (NZ)

Umpires: Fay Meiklejohn & Kristie Simpson
Reserve: Yvonne Morgan

Head to Head:

The Facts:

LAST MEETING: Rd 6, 2015: Mystics 45 drew Magic 45, Rotorua
• The Magic holds a 13-3-1 record over the Mystics in 17 previous meetings.
• Before the Round 6 draw this season the Magic won the six previous meetings between the sides.
• The Magic is coming off a 59-53 victory over the Steel in Round 11.
• The Pulse is coming off a 51-48 victory over the Pulse in Round 11.
• The Magic sits in second place on the New Zealand conference ladder with four wins, five losses and a draw.
• The Mystics are top of the New Zealand conference with five wins, three losses and two draws.
• Magic mid-courter Grace Rasmussen is second in the league after 11 rounds for goal assists behind Steel’s Te Paea Selby-Rickit and second for centre pass receives.
• Mystics wing defence Serena Guthrie is tied for second in the league for intercepts alongside Firebirds’ midcourter Gabi Simpson.
• Magic youngster Jamie-Lee Price is the only mid-courter in the top ten for defections (31).
• The last time the two teams played at The Trusts Arena in Auckland, the Magic won 50-36.
• Magic shooter Jo Harten celebrated her 50th ANZ Championship match in Round 11.

Birthdays:

17 May 1994 - Kaylia Stanton (Fever)
19 May 1991 - Verity Simmons (Firebirds)
25 May 1990 - Katherine Coffin (Mystics)

Upcoming milestones:

100 Games (ANZ Championship):
Joline Henry (Pulse) - 99
Katrina Grant (Pulse) - 97

50 Games (ANZ Championship):
Janine Southby (Steel) - 49 coached
Eboni Beckford-Chambers (Thunderbirds) - 48
Elias Shadrock (Pulse) - 48
Shanon Francois (Steel) - 47
Ashleigh Brazill (Fever) - 46

3500 Goals (ANZ Championship):
Irene van Dyk (Pulse) – 3369

2500 Goals (ANZ Championship):
Maria Tutaia (Mystics) - 2335

1500 Goals (ANZ Championship):
Paula Griffin (Mystcis) – 1451
Kate Beveridge (Fever) – 1418
Tegan Philip (Vixens) – 1370
Erin Bell (Thunderbirds) – 1354
Ellen Halpenny (Magic) – 1352

1000 Goals (ANZ Championship):
Mwai Kumwenda (Tactix) - 856

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