Netball: Adelaide's secret weapon

The Adelaide Thunderbirds have a secret weapon unlike any other in the transtasman netball competition - hypnosis.

Sometimes met by scepticism, and even cynicism, some say the source of the strength they've shown on the court this season lies in their subconscious.

While many people have the mental strength needed to secure sporting victory, if you ask the team's recently recruited sport psychotherapist, it often takes hypnosis to bring it to the surface.

"It gets rid of their doubts ... and gives them that edge," said Positive Mind Management founder, Gary Haseldine.

Over the past few months, the third-placed side has undergone a stringent mental programme involving in-person group hypnosis, relaxation recordings and motivational DVDs.

Confidence, enthusiasm, success, concentration and belief tracks have all been downloaded to their iPods in preparation for their preliminary final against the Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic on Sunday.

Thunderbirds coach Jane Woodlands-Thompson said the players had all embraced the experimental Amos electronic team coaching software to varying degrees.

"There is not one who would say it hasn't been a benefit to them," she said.

"Sometimes it takes a little bit more than what the head coach and assistant coach have got in their tool kit.

"We're finding that they can recall tactical information and game plan and play with enjoyment a lot better."

Woodlands-Thompson acknowledged that some may criticise the programme, but said it was always worth trying something a little bit different.

"You might try 10 different things, but it's worth it if one of them comes off and that gives you the edge," she said.

"We're going up against a lot of teams that are more experienced than us ... and you need to be mentally stronger to compete. Netball as a sport really under-does the psych side ..."

Having worked with the West Coast Eagles in 1992, the St Kilda Football Club in 1997, the Melbourne Storm and the Victoria Golf Association, Haseldine said hypnosis could help all athletes.

"When I first put a person under hypnosis and when you get into the subconscious part of the brain, what I do is I help them increase all the good productive habits that they've already got," he said. "All the Thunderbirds have these fantastic abilities as sportspeople and I guide them to the source of their own power."

Haseldine won't be with the Thunderbirds when they meet the Magic in Hamilton on Sunday, but Woodlands-Thompson is confident the work they have done will help them cement a place in the grand final against the Melbourne Vixens.

"It's not just Gary that is going to win them this championship," she said.

"The physical, technical and tactical is 95 per cent of it."

Win or lose the preliminary final, Woodlands-Thompson said the Thunderbirds would continue with the hypnosis programme next season.

"It's become part of the furniture in our preparation now," she said.

"We've really only tipped the iceberg of what is possible."

- AAP