By 3 News online staff
Welcome to the big time – the final of the 2012 ANZ Championships. We have the Melbourne Vixens hosting the Waikato/Bay of Plenty (WBOP) Magic at Hisense Arena.
The last time they met it was the Vixens that edged out Magic 40-39, but that was way back in Round 4. The Vixens finished top with the Magic in third, but the difference was just one game.
Refresh your browser occasionally to see the new information as it's added and video will be up at the end of each quarter. We'll warn you with a VIDEO COMING and then a VIDEO UP.
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LIVE COMMENTARY… Vixens 38 - 41 Magic
VIDEO UP! Great win girls! ALL VIDEO UP WATCH 3 NEWS at 6pm for more!
Q4 15 Mins: TWO GOAL LEAD! AND THE BALL. Magic win! Magic win! Magic win by three!
Q4 14 Mins: Magic searches for a way in as Van Dyk holds position... they find her and Mentor smashes it away... whistle, goal! Huge rebound from the MAGIC! De Bruin having a wonderful finish.
Q4 13 Mins: Back to one with Vixen's centre pass... this is a ripper.! GOAL VIXENS... all tied up again. Two minutes to play.
Q4 11 Mins: Magic in front - now it's the Vixens who are chasing! Williams with another intercept no it's De Bruin -- here come the Magic. Van Dyk with a strange pass but she gets another chance thanks to some holding... BOMB from Naoupu! Two goal lead... MAKE THAT THREE!
Q4 8 Mins: Brilliant rebound Casey Williams as the Vixen shooters get a case of the butterflies. Forward to Van Dyk quickly... she'll nail it... TIED UP!
Q4 7 Mins: Naoupu with a BOMB! Clutch shot and it's back to one. Caldwell takes it back to two... it's sweeping stuff now. Ohhhh big turnover as the ball runs through Magic legs and out. Williams leaves Browne on the deck and she claims that ball and it's forward - GOAL MAGIC! It's just one again. TIME OUT
Q4 5 Mins: Hold onto your seats... this one's heating up as the Vixens answer. Van Dyk keeps the Magic in it as she responds... she's starting to find herself... Vixens getting nervous to let the ball go. Shadrock getting stuck in there trying to steal some ball.
Q4 4 Mins: The Magic - back within ONE!
Q4 3 Mins: Strong from the Vixens but the Magic answers. Shadrock intercepts on the edge of the circle and the Magic have a sniff of a chance! Lucky as boos ring out after Naoupu misses but gets another chance thanks to the umpire. Two goals in it!
VIDEO COMING
Q3 15 Mins: Two goal ball game! But some great Vixens work out front changes that quick after a lovely ball in from Browne. Naoupu searches fro Van Dyk but the pressure comes onto her... she gets another chance and it's back to two. Caldwell finds herself free and it's back out to 3.... LANGMAN CALLED for holding on to it. Oh no. That's the quarter. Vixens lead 31-28.
Q3 13 Mins: Van Dyk keeps the 100 percent record as it's 29-26 and the Vixens call the time out this time. Vixens shooting at 29/43!
Q3 12 Mins: Getting pretty ragged out there... very little in the way of highlights this quarter but here comes the Magic with a goal and then forcing another turnover!
Q3 11 Mins: Caldwell over the top of De Bruin and it's a six goal lead... so much turnover ball and the Magic need to start scoring from it. Van Dyke answers.
Q3 9 Mins: Phew... Vixens miss another one and they need the comeback to start now... Van Dyk forced to come well out of the circle to get any ball... Chatfield and Mentor right on their games... Van Dyke gets one back from Naoupu and it's another goal for the Magic. Another Magic intercept... big chance but they run out of options and called for three seconds. Vixens make them pay - 28-23 as Howarth scores.
Q3 7 Mins: So the Vixens ahve missed 12 shots to the Magic 4 - and they are still up! Great play from Caldwell and Browne and that's another goal. TIME OUT. Magic need to pull something from the hat.
Q3 5 Mins: Great defensive take from the Mgic and Van Dyk scores from it at the other end. Magic struggling up front again though... it's been the story of the game and needs some seeing to from the sideline if the Magic are to win this. Vixens with not quite as much trouble come shooting time.
Q3 2 Mins: Great start for the Vixens and they score first. Magic battling to get the ball into the shooting circle... Van Dyk misses but gathers the rebound. Quick ball finds Van Dyk but she has to turn it back to the middle third... finally she breaks free one-one... but Mentor gets in the way and she's been amazing.
STORY OF THE FIRST HALF - Not the sharpest. Defence at both ends excellent. Magic struggling to find rhythm between Van Dyk and Naoupu. Vixen with more ball but only shooting at 67%... Magic at 82%. Magic with more turnovers 11-7.
VIDEO UP
Q2 15 Mins: Oh no... shocking long pass goes out and the Vixens finish strongly at the back end of this quarter.... that's three in a row.... and at HALFTIME it's 22-18 to the VIXENS. VIDEO COMING SOON.
Q2 14 Mins: Wow... De Bruin with a great touch puts the Vixens shot off... they then lose it immediately... becoming a habit for the Magic they could be really pulling away. But then steady as she goes from Naoupu as she nets to knock it back to one goal.
Q2 12 Mins: Bad miss from Caldwell and then 10 seconds later it's Browne with some great work to swoop on the ball to claim. Bang... bang... Vixens out by two.
Q2 11 Mins: This is a battle! Van Dyke with a second chance after a Mentor swipe from behind... she levels it up! Naoupu has a long distance effort to take the lead - no good.
Q2 9 Mins: Williams and De Bruin combination working overtime in the back third... and it pays off, Magic with the ball and they move it quickly through centre court but they've blown it under Vixens pressure and suddenly it sweeps the length of the court the other way... but there's no easy way in under the net that's for sure.
Q2 7 Mins: Williams outstanding and read the pass before it was released... that was followed by a lovely sweeping play for a Naopupu goal... then 30 seconds later a Van Dyke goal and the Magic are back.
Q2 5 Mins: Vixens put the foot down for a burst and jump out to a four goal lead.... Caldwell finding her range from distance... test of character for the Magic. Langman with a strong take under pressure from Tregear and Van Dyk then nets.
VIDEO UP
Q2 2 Mins: Vixens take an early lead. Magic again struggle to find the shooters.... contact helps as the Magic try to build on some momentum, Great pressure from Williams turns it over.... but Shadrock fires it out of court and the advantage is lost. Vixens not moving away though... 11-9.
<p>VIDEO UP SOON
Q1 15 Mins: Magic with the centre pass and it's quick to Van Dyk... she ties it up! Last play and it's Vixens with the ball.... Caldwell slots it. END OF FIRST QUARTER. Vixens lead 8-7.
13 Mins: Howarth misses but the Vixens claim the rebound and Caldwell nails it. Magic suffering due to hesitant play... Van Dyk being shut out.... then the double team on Naoupu and it's another turn over.
11 Mins: Vixens with a nice wee period and a couple of goals back-to-back... Magic succumbing to the Vixen mid-court pressure and it's another turnover... and another Vixens goal.
10 Mins: Tregear with a great intercept after turning it over - makes up for things for the Vixens. Magic with the lead now... but goals are so hard to come by. Langman with a basic error and is in court from the in and called. Vixens struggling equally as much... Williams with great pressure on the shot and that's another turnover to the Magic, they lead 4-3.
7 Mins: Defence is forcing mistakes - so many nerves out there right now. Magic really having to work to move the ball through the court and they're finding it tough to find Van Dyk and Naoupu. 3 -3
4 Mins: Magic making opportunities but not enough oomph in the pass from Watts to Van Dyk and the Vixens steal it. They capitalise.... 2-1.
Q1 2 Mins: Great start for the Magic as Howarth misses the shot for the Vixens. Oh it's tough and tight out there... Magix trying to control the ball under pressure then a lovely ball in finds Naoupu - who misses one from right under the net. Both sides feeling the occasssion here... first blood to the Magic but it takes a full minute through Naoupu who doesn't make the same mistake twice. Real pressure... Magic meeting walls through centre court... another turnover from a poor Naoupu shot. Great lean Casey Williams... oh she's called for contact... Vixens strike.
Players all out on court and we're just about ready to go...
Teams
Magic - GS Irene Van Dyk, GA Julianna Naoupu, WA Khao Watts, C Laura Langman, WD Elias Shadrock, GD Casey Williams, GK Leana De Bruin.
Vixens - GS Karyn Howarth, GA Tegan Caldwell, WA Madison Browne, C Chelsea Tregear, WD Julie Corletto, GD Bianca Chatfield, GK Geva Mentor.
Teams being announced now so we'll have those for you fairly shortly... Van Dyk is calling for precision in the Magic game if they are to beat the Vixens. Can the Magic be the first team to win this competition? The Aussies have had the wood on us
The start is not far away but in the meantime watch highlights of the Magic last outing.
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Pregame banter
Melbourne Vixens skipper Bianca Chatfield will take it upon herself to settle the nerves of her inexperienced teammates as they prepare for Sunday's trans-Tasman netball grand final against the Magic..
The 30-year-old former Australian player has logged over 200 games in the current championship format and in its previous form, and was a key member of the Vixens' last title win in 2009.
Of the current line-up, Chatfield, Test defender Julie Corletto and midcourter Chelsey Tregear were in the starting side while England international goalkeeper Geva Mentor and goalshooter Kate Beveridge tasted title success with the Adelaide Thunderbirds in 2010.
Chatfield says she expects some of her side to be very nervous ahead of the biggest games of their netball career and hopes her own experience can help them against the New Zealand powerhouse.
"You have to mentally grapple with how to prepare," she said.
"I've had the experience fortunately enough to be a part of this before but a lot of the girls haven't.
"The great feeling that we have now will be multiplied if we get the job done on Sunday."
Chatfield said they'd try to keep their preparation as normal as possible, rather than worrying about it being a grand final.
I feel like I take a big responsibility on my shoulders to make the team understand where we're going and what we need to do," she said.
The Magic, from New Zealand's Waikato/Bay of Plenty, are on an 11-match winning streak and aiming for their maiden championship win after grand final appearances in 2008 and 2010.
Vixens coach Julie Hoornweg didn't think the Magic were mentally vulnerable despite their poor record in grand finals.
"Every year it's a new team. This team is very different to last year's for us and I'm sure it's the same for them," Hoornweg said.
"You can't take a lot from what's happened before."
But Chatfield believed their painful losses in the past would spur them on.
"They've been the most consistent team across the five years of the championship, they've always made the finals and have been in three grand finals.
"There's a lot of motivation for themselves to get across the line on Sunday."
Meanwhile, Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic have grown accustomed to resurrecting their trans-Tasman netball league season with weekly regularity over the past three months, and the games that matter on a last-second basis.
Stone-cold last without a win after four weeks, the Magic built a close-knit unit to ein every game since the end of April.
But while coach Noeline Taurua has every confidence in extending their 11-matching winning streak for one more game, she expects tomorrow's grand final against the Vixens in Melbourne to stretch her team right to the limit.
"You've got to give utter respect to the Vixens," she said today.
"First thing, they're placed No.1 and they got there for a reason. And even though we've got ourselves out from the last two rounds with tight, close matches, they've done that over the season with three or four games."
Taurua says the Magic's extra time preliminary final win over Northern Mystics last week, after levelling the game in the last three seconds of regulation time, showcased the team's inner strength and belief.
But she says the Vixens have displayed similar resolve throughout the season.
"They've been able claw themselves back and win, which means they've got the ability to execute under pressure at the attacking end and put pressure on the opposition in defence.
"It takes a strong team unit and high belief in each other to be able to be able to come out with wins in those situations."
Taurua has been able to run the same starting seven over the last three months. Silver Ferns combinations star at both ends of the court - Irene van Dyk and Julianna Naoupu in the shooting circle, Casey Williams and Leana de Bruin on defence.
New Zealand centre Laura Langman drives the midcourt from centre, but it's the step up from wing defence Elias Shadrock and Australian wing attack Khao Watts that has lifted the Magic right to the brink of their first ANZ Championship win.
Taurua has no doubt her team can take that last vital step.
"My focus is on winning the game, and I have utter belief in that happening for us."
3 News/NZN