Netball: Magic deliver when it counts but frailties remain

Noeline Taurua. Photo / Bay of Plenty Times

After a month of lacklustre performances the Magic re-emerged as transtasman league contenders last weekend, but are they back on track or is top four as good as it gets for Noeline Taurua's side?

Under siege after a series of woeful performances over the latter rounds of the competition left them in danger of missing out on the finals altogether, the Magic finally hit the "go" button in the final round, outclassing the second-placed Adelaide Thunderbirds.

That win secured them a minor semifinal showdown against the Southern Steel in Auckland (yes, Auckland) on Monday and revived hopes they could yet challenge for the ANZ Championship crown after all.

But even coach Taurua acknowledges any such talk is premature - for now she is just happy to be in the top four. Relieved even.

Given her team's inconsistencies this season, Taurua is sticking to the old mantra of taking it a game at a time.

While it is too soon to tell if the Waikato/Bay of Plenty side have turned the corner, particularly as Thunderbirds defenders spent most of the match out on play, there were certainly some positives signs from the the Magic.

The biggest changes have been in their attitude and approach to the game.

There was a definite psychological shift in the Magic leading into the final round. The team had a harder edge about them and played with a lot more passion as they looked to prove their numerous detractors wrong.

The squad made a triumphant entrance on the court last week, but behind the big smiles and high fives there was a steely determination in the eyes of the players, who were desperate to prove they are a united team, not a franchise that is imploding as the rumours suggest.

While they looked a very different side in terms of their on-court persona, some familiar concerns still emerged from last weekend's match.

Taurua said while it was a vastly improved performance from her forward line, there are a number of kinks that need to be ironed out.

"Definitely we need to improve our lines and angles, sometimes we present to the ball and we're not actually free, we haven't actually done the preparation work off the ball to make sure we have the right position," she said.

Frances Solia and goal attack Jodi Brown have shouldered much of the blame for the Magic's stuttering attacking line this season, but Taurua said they need to improve their connections right throughout the court.

"It's still a bit lethargic and slow and probably the connection between the defence bringing the ball through and the attack end is lacking a little bit."

The Magic will need every ounce of their new-found determination to overcome these attacking concerns.