Netball: Southern Steel to host Mainland Tactix in ANZ Premiership elimination final

Grace Nweke of the Mystics collects the ball ahead of Karin Burger of the Tactix. Photo / Photosport

The ANZ Premiership elimination final will be held in Southern Steel territory after the Mainland Tactix fell 63-59 to the grand final-bound Northern Mystics in Christchurch on Sunday night.

It was a crucial match for the Tactix who, after already securing their place in the elimination final with last week's win, were looking to make sure it would be played on home soil.

It wasn't to be for the Christchurch side and they will head down south to the fortress that is Stadium Southland in Invercargill to face the Steel next Sunday.

The winner of that match will take on the Mystics in the grand final on August 8.

It is perhaps not the finals match-up that would have been predicted at the start of this 2021 season. The Tactix had an undeniably shaky start to their campaign and the Steel were all but written off having lost key members of their squad since last year.

However both teams have produced consistent play as the season progessed, and the ability to put on spectacular performances when needed has put them firmly into contention for this 2021 ANZ Premiership title.

Though the Mystics had already secured their grand finals position, they came out firing against the Tactix, storming out to a 35-26 lead at halftime.

But it was game on again in the third and strong defensive pressure from the Tactix bought the Mystics' lead down to just three goals to set the stage for an exciting final quarter.

Back and forth play plagued the Tactix in the final quarter and they were ultimately unable to translate their gains into much-needed goals - the Mystics punishing their mistakes with quick conversions by shooter Grace Nweke who only missed two of her shots all night.

MVP Fa'amu Ioane dominated the midcourt in the wing defence position for the Mystics, picking up a huge chunk of her team's centre passes and disrupting the flow of the ball for the Tactix in the centre third.

Tactix captain Jane Watson made significant plays for her team on defence, but acknowledged that it was their inconsistent attacking ability that saw them unable to pick up the win.

"We've been building this whole season, and I don't think we've yet given a really solid match for a whole 60 [minutes]", she said.

The Tactix will need a full 60-minute performance if they are to pull off a win against the Steel, who will be bolstered by their emphatic home crowd on Sunday.