2014 ANZ Championship Round Six Preview
Round Six Fixtures:
West Coast Fever v Adelaide Thunderbirds
Sunday 6 April, 10.18am
Challenge Stadium, Perth
Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel v Northern Mystics
Sunday 6 April, 7.20pm
ILT Stadium Southland, Invercargill
Kia Magic v Haier Pulse
Monday 7 April, 7.40pm
Claudelands Arena, Hamilton
Queensland Firebirds v Melbourne Vixens
Monday 7 April, 7.48pm
Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, Brisbane
Bye: NSW Swifts, EasiYo Tactix
Playing arguably the best netball of her career under the guidance of new Magic coach Julie Fitzgerald, the 26-year old midcourter has found her niche playing for the Hamilton-based team.
“It feels great and playing alongside the likes of Courtney (Tairi), Ellen (Halpenny) and Jo (Harten) in the attacking end makes my job a lot easier,” Rasmussen said after beating the Fever on Sunday night.
“And obviously with Leana (de Bruin) and Casey (Kopua) down there at the defensive end getting balls, it’s great as an attacker to be able to get as many gains as we do.”
It was a big call for the Aucklander to leave the familiarity of the Northern Mystics team in the off-season last year and pledge allegiance to the Magic side, with nine new recruits and a new Australian coach. A switch of focus and a renewed passion for the game has seen Rasmussen step up a gear.
Her statistics are currently the best in the league, but in typical fashion, Rasmussen gives credit to her teammates.
“I think it’s team unity,” she said.
“Down at the Kia Magic camp there’s a real family feel down there and we’ve got each other’s back out on court and it shows both on and off court.”
“I think that’s the key to our success.”
A 66-match veteran of the ANZ Championship, Rasmussen recorded 27 goal assists, 28 centre pass receives, one deflection and one intercept against the Fever in Round 5, highlighting her work rate on attack and defence in the wing attack position.
The past few seasons have been up and down for Rasmussen, sitting out the end of the Mystics 2011 season with a serious knee injury which resulted in missing the World Netball Championships for the Silver Ferns in Singapore. The following year was a good one with the northern team making the ANZ Championship Finals Series only for Rasmussen to withdraw from the Ferns team for the end of year Quad Series with a stress fracture.
Last season with the Mystics has been well documented with the team ravaged through injury and not finding their rhythm with a new caretaker coach. The combinations didn’t click, the team finishing at the bottom of the ladder recording just one win all season.
When it came time for national selection, Rasmussen was overlooked for the first time since 2009 and instead included in the National Accelerant Squad.
Now firmly with her sights set on the next match against the Pulse on Monday night in Hamilton, Rasmussen is well aware the ANZ Championship matches this year double as trials for the Silver Ferns.
Nevertheless, she’s just taking one match at a time and says the key to beating the Pulse this weekend is carrying on doing what the team is doing.
“It’s sticking to our game plan and doing the basics well,” she said.
Kia Magic host Haier Pulse for the Round 6 match in Hamilton on Monday 7th April from 7.40pm.
