Netball: Mystics hopeful of a win in Neverland

A Firebirds win in Auckland this year stretched their unbeaten record against the Mystics to eight seasons. Photo / Getty Images

The Mystics are still dreaming of an ANZ Championship grand final but it will need a journey through Neverland to make it.

The Auckland team face the Queensland Firebirds in Brisbane today, with the winner progressing to next week's decider.

But history says their hopes are the stuff of fantasy.

The Mystics have never beaten the Firebirds since the ANZ Championship began in 2008. Not home, not away, not anywhere. Even when the team's fortunes have differed — like in 2012 when they finished third and the Queenslanders were in the bottom half of the ladder — the Firebirds have trumped the Mystics.

To make matters worse, the Mystics have failed to win a game against an Australian side this season and face a Firebirds team coming off a comprehensive win over the Swifts last week.

Of course, the Mystics have only themselves to blame. After topping the New Zealand conference with an unbeaten streak against their domestic rivals, they came up with a sub-par performance last week against a Magic team playing their second match in three days. That defeat blew their chances of a home semifinal and sent them to Brisbane.

The odds seem stacked against them, but maybe that is a good thing? A little like their league counterparts in Auckland, the Mystics tend to perform well when expectations are low.

"Being the underdogs mean we can go out there and give it everything," said midcourter Camilla Lees. "As Kiwis, we want to prove a point that we can match it against the Aussies. It will be a good test for us to show the fans and critics out there we are good enough to be here."

Coach Debbie Fuller echoed those sentiments, after many pundits across the Tasman labelled the New Zealand conference a 'Claytons' division with teams making the playoffs despite losing records.

"We are flying the flag for New Zealand netball," said Fuller. "It's a great opportunity to make a statement for how strong netball is in New Zealand."

The acid will be on Fuller to prepare a strategy that can negate the twin threats of bean-pole shooter Romelda Aiken and aggressive defender Laura Geitz. Aiken in particular has tormented the Mystics over the years and has maintained exceptional standards in her eighth ANZ Championship season. No one in action this weekend has shot more goals this year than the Jamaican.

"We have to do, not die," said Fuller. "We really want to strangle them in the midcourt and put as much concern and hesitation into their attack so any placement going into Aitken is going to be with stress on it."

Meanwhile, the Magic will hope Casey Kopua, who was absent for the round two encounter, can once again be the point of difference in their semifinal clash with the Swifts in Hamilton this evening.

The Sydney side boast the most prolific shooting duo in the competition, with Caitlin Thwaites (443 goals) and Susan Pettitt (369 goals) both among the league's top-10 shooters.