Northern Mystics work hard to live up to their potential

The LG Northern Mystics top-shot Cathrine Latu says the mix of experienced "old heads" and talented newbies in the team should drive the Mystics to excellence in the 2011 ANZ Netball Championships.
At 24 years old, the goal shoot/goal attack quipped she would like to be considered as one of the youthful players in this year's squad, but with three ANZ Championships seasons under her belt, younger players, such as fellow Northlander Jess Moulds, will be looking to her for guidance in their debut season.
For the first three seasons of the ANZ Championships, the Mystics have been one of the teams to beat, at least on paper. Despite recruiting high-profile players such as Althea Byfield and Jenny May-Coffin, their best result was last year, when they finished sixth. They were seventh in 2008 and sunk to eighth in 2009.
"We definitely want to do better this year but every year we put high expectations on ourselves to reach the top four but the team is approaching the season a bit differently this year. We just want to perform to our potential and take each game as it comes. I don't want to jinx it by saying we have a great team and then not produce the results."
They do, however, have the makings of a great team with the addition of Silver Ferns defender Anna Scarlett and Australian veteran Megan Dehn, who will add power and depth to their attack.
"It is really great having Anna and Megan in the team, they won't like me saying this, but they have been around, and they're both big-game players which is something our team needed. We have Temepara [George] who can change a game around ... but we all need to step up to help her do that, and Anna and Megan will do that."
Their experience and ability to keep calm will balance nicely with the talented youth players staking their claim in the squad, Latu added.
The Debbie Fuller-coached side get the 2011 competition under way on Monday, when they will go up against the Southern Steel. This should be an interesting exercise, reckoned Latu, as the Mystics had only trained together for the first time, last week.
The 2011 season is especially tight as games have been crammed into a 12-round window, followed by the three-week finals, in order to complete the season in time for the World Championships in Singapore, during July.
"The starting seven has not been finalised yet for Monday. We have so many great players to choose from which is good as it pushes you to play better," Latu said.
The Mystics face the Southern Steel on Monday, at The Trusts Stadium, Auckland, at 7.20pm.
LG Northern Mystics: Kayla Cullen, Megan Dehn, Temepara George (c), Joline Henry, Cathrine Latu, Kayla McAlister, Bailey Mes, Jessica Moulds, Grace Rasmussen, Rachel Rasmussen, Anna Scarlett, Maria Tutaia.