Netball: Chequebook fails to cure Mystic ills

Silver Fern-waiting Catherine Latu was one of the new swag of signings for this year's transtasman campaign. Photo / Getty Images

Well-known transtasman league underachievers the Northern Mystics will have an off-season longer than they would have contemplated to pick over the pieces of another disappointing campaign.

After finishing the first two seasons of the ANZ Championship well down the ladder, the Mystics were determined to turn things around in 2010.

So, the Auckland side reached deep into their pockets and went on an aggressive recruitment drive, targeting top-name players. By the time they had finished with their major overhaul, just four members of last year's squad remained.

Their impressive new line-up included Silver Fern stars Temepara George, Joline Henry and Maria Tutaia, along with Jamaican international Althea Byfield and Fern-in-waiting Cathrine Latu.

With such a star-studded squad, things promised to be different for the 2010 season.

But the Mystics of new, produced the same results of old.

Their faint hopes of making their maiden playoff appearance were extinguished on Monday, when they were outclassed in Auckland by the Southern Steel.

It now means the best the Auckland side can finish this season is sixth, provided they beat the Canterbury Tactix in Christchurch on Sunday.

It's an incredibly disappointing result for a franchise that has consistently under-delivered in the competition.

But Mystics chief executive Mark Cameron believes the team are heading in the right direction.

"We were definitely disappointed to miss out on the top four - that was our goal and we fell short," he said. "But irrespective of the Tactix result this weekend, we have still won more games than we have in any other season.

"This year we beat two Australian teams - something we haven't been able to do in the past two years."

Their winning record may be marginally better than it was in the past couple of seasons, but the talent in their squad was significantly better than last year at least.

They were a top-four side on paper, some even believed the Mystics were capable of winning the title. So why have they once again failed to live up to the hype and expectation?

"I honestly believe we were only one or two results away from making the finals," said Cameron.

"We just couldn't deliver on a consistent basis, and not just game to game, but even from quarter to quarter and that cost us."

If the Mystics results this season prove anything, it's that clearly it takes more to build a championship team than simply opening the chequebook.

Coach Te Aroha Keenan failed to get her side to gel properly, with their through-court connections breaking down when the pressure went on.

It all made for a frustratingly inconsistent season, but Mystics midcourter Jenny-May Coffin believes that with more time together, the team are capable of realising their vast potential.

For this reason, Cameron said the franchise will be looking to keep the bulk of this year's squad together.

"Last year we were criticised for going into the 2010 season with just four of the 12 players from the previous season. That won't happen in 2011."

One addition the Mystics would like to make is former Silver Fern Anna Scarlett, who this week announced she will be quitting beach volleyball and returning to netball.

"We would love to have Anna Scarlett play for the LG Mystics next year, I think every team in New Zealand would love to have Anna playing. But we believe we have a lot to offer," said Cameron.

The Mystics management will wait until after this weekend's game before sitting down with the players individually and conducting a season review.

The coaching and management structures must also come under scrutiny.

Along with Keenan and assistant coach Debbie Fuller, the Mystics had a big support crew working behind the scenes to help with the team's development, including former Ferns coach Lyn Gunson. Some have suggested it was a case of too many cooks in the kitchen.

Cameron said: "We do need to go through a review, so it would be premature for me to suggest anything in that regard, but I think that's something we need to work through."