New Zealand’s self belief against arch-rival Australia will be bolstered by the Magic’s breakthrough win in the trans-Tasman netball championship, according to Diamonds coach Lisa Alexander.
The Magic, from the Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions, upset the favoured Melbourne Vixens in Sunday’s grand final 41-38.
Finally landing the title after two previous grand final defeats and making finals for the past five years, Alexander said the Magic had jumped a mental hurdle.
“I know they’ve (the Magic) done a hell of a lot of work with a psychologist in areas they felt were still holding them back because it has to be something mental when you get to that level each time and you can’t quite make it,” she said.
With four Silver Ferns in the Magic starting line-up including skipper Casey Williams, she said it would have a spin-off effect.
While New Zealand have also had some tight victories, Australia have most recently dominated the Kiwis, most notably winning last year’s World Championship in Singapore in extra time.
“They really have been honest as a team together you can see that so we’ll have to be mindful of that for the Diamonds because that will improve their Silver Ferns performances as well.
“It will mean they’re mentally tougher for our next international series.
“It will assist their confidence that they’ve had a breakthrough win in the domestic competition.”
She believed however that Australia would be up to the challenge when their top line-up was on the court.
Alexander, who was at the Melbourne grand final, said the Vixens’ inexperience in the goal circle with Tegan Caldwell and Karyn Howarth let them down.
“At the end of the day I think it was a battle of the defence ends and the Magic just triumphed because Tegan and Karyn have had a good season but were a little bit inexperienced in the clutch situations in that game.”
A 22-player Australian squad will be named on Wednesday for a training camp in early August.
Players have rejected Netball Australia's latest pay offer with former great Liz Ellis fearing the relationship between the warring parties may not be salvageable.…
More than 20 of Australia's biggest sporting bodies have joined together to support the Voice to Parliament. After weeks of announcements from the various…
Collingwood will withdraw from the Super Netball competition at the end of the season. The struggling Magpies conducted a review of their future viability…
As a member of both Collingwood and the Melbourne Storm, I have been to numerous AFL / NRL ANZAC Day double headers. This year…
Australia's Diamonds have underlined their global netball supremacy
Both sides won their last round-robin matches in South Africa.
