Magics Oceane Maihi during the Magic vs Tactix ANZ Premiership match at Globox Arena, Hamilton, New Zealand, on Sunday 25 May 2025. © Mandatory credit: DJ Mills / www.photosport.nz OM
By Bridget Tunnicliffe of RNZ
Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic have their first win of the season, beating Northern Stars 51-50 in Hamilton, hurting their opponents’ ANZ Premiership netball playoff hopes.
Sitting fourth on the ladder, the Stars will have to rely on other results going their way to finish in playoff contention, with two rounds of regular season remaining.
Expectations on the Stars were high this year, given the recruitment of young Silver Ferns shooters Martina Salmon and Amelia Walmsley, with experienced wing attack Claire O’Brien, but they have suffered their share of injuries, starting with the unavailability of Greer Sinclair for a second season, due to a knee injury.
Young defender Lili Tokaduadua was also ruled out with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
For the second week, the Stars had to play without captain Mila Reuelu-Buchanan, as the Silver Fern nursed a knee niggle.
With national selectors about to pick their team for the Commonwealth Games, starting on July 23, Reuelu-Buchanan was likely taking a cautious approach.
Well out of finals contention, the Magic were happy to play a spoiler role.
Coming off an extra-time loss to the Southern Steel last week to claim their first point of the season, they looked confident out of the blocks.
Sarah Guiney enjoyed a well-deserved start at goal attack for the Magic, off the back of her performance last week.
Defender Oceane Maihi picked up where she left off from round seven, with another strong game, and the Magic led 16-10 after the first quarter.
Stars assistant coach Leana de Bruin took the court for the third time this season, with the 48-year-old playing a full game.
Experienced Australian defender Kate Walsh, who was signed as an injury replacement for Tokaduadua this month, did not see any court-time.
The Stars improved in the second quarter to trail the Magic 29-24 at halftime and grabbed the momentum in the third period, winning it 13-8 to level the scores heading into the final quarter.
Maihi’s defensive work meant Salmon didn’t put up the volume of shots she normally does.
Guiney had another strong outing in her 50 minutes on court and nailed a gutsy two-point shot, when things were neck and neck in the final minutes.
Magic midcourter Georgie Edgecombe came up with a clutch intercept with less than two minutes to play and the home side went ahead.
Walmsley then nailed a two-point shot with 10 seconds on the clock to level the scores, which put everyone in the stadium on their feet, but the Magic calmly responded with a direct route to goal, which Saviour Tui aptly converted just before the buzzer.
Tui was an absolute rock, scoring 37 goals at 95% accuracy.
Pulse spoil Tactix party
Central Pulse too were out of finals contention but upset ANZ Premiership leaders Mainland Tactix 49-45 in Palmerston North.
The Pulse had been on a six-match losing run since their opening-round win but were determined to get one over the champion Tactix, who had just one loss this season before today.
The Tactix managed to come away with a bonus point for finishing within five of the Pulse, which saw them still maintain their position atop the ladder, but Southern Steel could leapfrog them, if they beat Northern Mystics on Sunday in Invercargill.
Pulse co-captain Parris Mason had an MVP performance, winning plenty of ball on defence.
– RNZ