Netball: 'Gutting' moment robs founding player of chance at Mystics play-off

Grace Rasmussen's season has been cut short. Photo / Getty Images

Should the Northern Mystics book their first appearance in the play-offs with a win over the Southern Steel this weekend, it will be a bittersweet moment for one of the foundation players of the Auckland side.

Watching from the sideline as the Mystics play the biggest game thus far in their four-year existence, will be attacking utility Grace Rasmussen, whose season has been cruelly cut short after suffering a serious knee injury.

Rasmussen, a member of the Silver Ferns side that won gold in Delhi last year, ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the loss to the NSW Swifts last week, becoming the fourth player to be felled by the devastating injury in the space of a month.

There is never a good moment to suffer such a setback, but with her side on the verge of making it into their first ANZ Championship finals the timing is especially cruel for Rasmussen.

However the 23-year-old, one of just three players who have been with the Auckland side since day one of the competition, is focusing on the team's ambitions.

"I've thought about that and if we do make the top four, it'll be really sad not to be a part of it. I'm really disappointed and obviously gutted I can't finish the rest of the season with the girls," said Rasmussen.

"But these things happen for a reason, I truly believe that.

"It's gutting but it's something I have to get past and make sure I come back next season fitter, faster and stronger."

That sort of stoicism is something Rasmussen has showed from the outset.

Those watching the game have marvelled at the poise she showed in the immediate aftermath of that awful moment when she wrenched her knee taking a pass on the circle edge.

There were no agonising screams, no tears, in fact she barely even grimaced as she fell to the floor. She just sat there taking deep breaths and waited for her team to score the goal before a time-out was called.

Rasmussen watched the footage of the incident on the flight home from Sydney.

"I think I was feeling more shock than pain," she explained.

"You hear about people doing their ACL's but you never think it will happen to you."

Rasmussen, whose older sister Rachel plays in the Mystics defence, is scheduled for a knee reconstruction in three weeks as surgeons wait for the swelling to go down.

In the meantime, she's concentrating on supporting her team in any way she can as they chase a place in the finals. Rasmussen will sit on the Mystics bench this weekend in her new role as technical adviser.

"[Debbie Fuller] has kept me in the mix with things and at the moment I'm a technical advisor, so it's great that I can still stay in tune with what's happening."

The Mystics have opted not to replace Rasmussen in the squad for Sunday's crucial clash against the Steel in Invercargill. Should they make the finals, the Mystics coaching staff will make a call on whether they will bring in a 12th player.

To be eligible to play in the finals, a player must have been in the game-day squad for at least three regular-season games. So the only option open to the Mystics is to bring in young midcourter Portia Woodman, who provided cover in the wing defence position when Joline Henry was injured.