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Firebirds goal attack Janelle Lawson today accused the Northern Mystics of roughhouse tactics in Queensland’s bruising 46-40 ANZ Championships at Brisbane Convention Centre.
Lawson took aim at the Mystics questionable checking of star shooter Romelda Aiken who eventually brushed off the attention to lead the Firebirds to their third straight home victory.
Both the Firebirds and Mystics labelled the game the most physical they’ve encountered in the fledgling trans-Tasman league as each team gave as good as they got.
Former Silver Ferns centre Temepara George exemplified the no-holds-barred approach in a fiesty battle with energetic Firebird Katie Walker.
But Lawson, who stepped up with 15 goals as Jamaican sensation Aiken was rattled early by powerful Fijian Vilimaina Davu, felt some of the Mystics’ defensive argy-bargy crossed the line.
“There was definitely a bit of biff,” Lawson said.
“Romelda obviously attracts a lot of attention, being the size she is, I think people can’t beat her with skill sometimes so they turn to a bit of biff.
“It’s times like that that you’ve got to realise that you’re goal attack and you have to shoot as well.”
Aiken eventually finished with a game-high 27 goals but also came off early in the last quarter with an ankle injury which isn’t considered serious.
Although conceding six centimetres in height, Davu had a big weight advantage on the stringbean Aiken and used every pound to test her mettle.
The tactics seemed to work as the 19-year-old missed two elementary attempts near the net as the Mystics jumped out to a 11-6 lead.
But Lawson hit some long-range shots, and Aiken found her range as the home side peeled off the last six goals of the term.
Queensland stretched the 12-11 lead to 24-19 by halftime and then 40-29 at the last change.
But with Aiken retiring early after painfully rolling her ankle, the Mystics made a late surge.
The Auckland-based side, now win-less after four rounds, dangerously closed the gap to 41-36 with seven minutes to go before the Firebirds defence stepped up and replacement goal shooter Jo Morgan held her nerve.
Morgan missed her first two shots but then reeled off three in quick time to put the game to bed.
Expected to be one of the powerhouses of the new competition, Mystics coach Yvonne Willering predicted their fourth straight loss would have them under the gun at home.
The Firebirds’ win moved them into second place and kept intact the Australian teams’ win-less record over Kiwi opponents on home soil.