Behind-scenes role just the thing for Taurua to work her magic with the Mystics

Noeline Taurua, left, has joined the Northern Mystics as assistant coach. Photo / Getty Images

She was the coach behind New Zealand's only transtasman league win. Now she is the coach behind Northern Mystics mentor Debbie Fuller.

But Noeline Taurua, who guided the Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic to six straight finals appearances including the team's grand final win in 2012, is finding playing a background role has its advantages.

The long-serving Magic coach spent her first few weeks inside the Mystics camp this month, linking up with the Auckland franchise after a year out from the ANZ Championship. Given she wasn't interested in applying for the Silver Ferns assistant coaching job when it came up in 2013, stating her preference was to lead the programme, Taurua's decision to sign on as Fuller's understudy was considered a curious move.

The pair are close friends from their time as teammates at club, provincial and national level, and there was undoubtedly a lot of arm-twisting from Fuller behind the scenes. There was also the carrot of leading Netball North's coach development programme which helped convince Taurua to dip her toes back into the transtasman league. But so far, Taurua is finding the fact she's not the leader of the programme the most enjoyable part of the job.

"I think what it allows me to do is get in there on the ground and actually coach, and that's what I'm relishing at the moment. Because sometimes as a head coach you've got to cover everything up the top and there's so many extra things you have to take care of," said Taurua.

"I'm really enjoying just sitting back and watching Deb do the stuff up the top."

The decision to bring Taurua on board was a bold move from Fuller too. There would be very few coaches in the league willing to appoint a more decorated and experienced coach as their assistant.

But Fuller believes working with Taurua will be a more natural fit for her own coaching style.

"I like to have people around me who can actually have me up about stuff. I prefer that to the yes-man. It's hard, because sometimes it is brutal, but we have talked a lot in this group about the 'Emperor's new clothes' scenario. Sometimes with netball you do get a lot of people telling you you're good at this and that, and that's great. But things can unravel very fast and it's only when you are honest and open about things that you can address them properly," said Fuller.

Taurua adds: "We both want to be better coaches. So we're not scared if we see something there to actually say it and have each other up about it."

While Fuller draws on the philosophical lessons of The Emperor's New Clothes story, Taurua references Kung Fu Panda when considering the challenges ahead for the Mystics this season.

With just two finals finishes in seven seasons, despite the impressive talent at their disposal, the Mystics have earned themselves a reputation for being the flakes of the competition. They've been known to play some pretty spectacular netball at times, sure. But they've failed to do it consistently and rarely deliver under pressure.

Taurua doesn't care much for the past, however.

"It makes me think of the line from Kung Fu Panda - history is history. Because I've come from the outside, so to speak, that's all I see it as," she said.

"I don't know if it's an advantage or a disadvantage, but I don't have that feel behind it - I don't care about what has happened before."

As well as gaining plenty of experience on the coaches' bench, the Mystics have also added to the depth in their midcourt and shooting end, with former Pulse players Camilla Lees and Paula Griffin joining the franchise next season. The two former internationals join Silver Fern incumbents Cathrine Latu, Maria Tutaia, Laura Langman, Kayla Cullen and Temalisi Fakahokotau in the Mystics side, as well as English star Serena Guthrie who arrives in Auckland early in the New Year.

As in previous seasons, the 2015 Mystics look strong on paper. Fuller and Taurua are determined to make the team strong on the court as well.