Netball: Injury-hit Steel face tough Mystics match

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The Northern Mystics have the opportunity to get their transtasman league off to a flyer tonight, when they meet a down-on-their-luck Southern Steel side blighted by injury.

The Mystics-Steel fixture has traditionally seen some tight tussles, with the scorecard three apiece from their previous six match-ups.

But with the Steel without three experienced players tonight, what was likely to be a gritty battle could easily be a walkover win for Debbie Fuller in her first game as Mystics coach.

Key shooter Daneka Wipiiti has been officially ruled out, with former Silver Fern Tania Dalton controversially stepping in to the breach.

The Steel will also be without Australian import Natasha Chokljat who is struggling with a calf strain.

Promising youngster Stacey Peeters has been called in as a replacement, while Otago's Louise Thayer will take the place of veteran defender Sheryl Scanlan.

There will be plenty of sympathy for the Steel's plight from one member of the opposition. Former Steel captain Megan Dehn, new to the Auckland side this season, said she doesn't like seeing her old team in such strife.

"They have had a terrible run, they've got some really good depth in their side but when you get so many injuries you do get stretched a bit thin," Dehn said.

Dehn's old coach will likely be casting a few rueful glances at the Mystics bench tonight.

The decision by Robyn Broughton to bring in Dalton, a player five years retired, is a strong admission that she is not comfortable with the depth in her shooting end.

The Mystics, meanwhile, have an embarrassment of riches in their forward line, with Dehn joining Silver Ferns Maria Tutaia and Grace Rasmussen and the supremely talented Cathrine Latu.

Dehn, who had initially planned to retire at the end of last season, was lured to the Mystics by her old friend Temepara George for one last hurrah. Her brief this year is to cover the goal attack and wing attack positions, providing impact from the bench.

It is a change in pace from last year, when she was the key cog in the Steel's attack, but the Australian international said she is happy being the utility.

"My philosophy my whole career has been to play whatever fits in with the team and whatever is going to help my team win," she said.

"It's a good challenge for me to be used as an impact player and know I'm not just going to be used in one position."

Dehn only joined the Mystics two weeks ago and said she was still coming to grips with the differences in style. She warned not to expect a flawless performance from her side.

"Everyone will be a bit rusty in the opening game because the pre-season has been so limited.

"So it will be whichever team makes the least mistakes - and that is something the Steel have been really good at, so we need to be very careful with the ball we do get."

The early start to the season is expected to have a negative impact on crowd numbers, with the Mystics expecting around 3000 spectators - well down on the 4000 they averaged last year.

In yesterday's ANZ Championship season opener, the NSW Swifts underlined their status as the early favourites for the 2011 crown, toppling the defending champion Adelaide Thunderbirds 60-40.

The Thunderbirds, sporting a new-look side in a new-look pink strip, looked a shadow of the team that won last year's title, with the loss of seasoned veterans Geva Mentor (Vixens) and Mo'onia Gerrard (Swifts), taking potency out of their defence.

All four of the Thunderbirds rookie defenders - Sharni Layton, Kara Richards, Georgia Beaton and Kate Shimmin - had a run during the match, but none had much success disrupting the slick Swifts forward line.

Swifts shooter Susan Pratley, controversially dumped from Australia's tour to Jamaica last month, was in particularly impressive form, shooting at 100 per cent (27/27).

Round 1

* Northern Mystics v Southern Steel
* Tonight, 7.40pm
* Trusts Stadium, Waitakere