Waikato Bay Of Plenty deliver their Magic

WBOP Magic 45 (Harten 25/34, Paseka 14/18, Halpenny 6/13) Adelaide Thunderbirds 44 (Borrego 23/32, Bell 21/25)

Adelaide Thunderbirds were caught up in the Waikato Bay Of Plenty's Magic show at Netball SA Stadium today going down by one goal, 45-44. This was a loss no one seen coming and especially not Adelaide coach Jane Woodlands-Thompson. "It was incredibly disappointing what we've seen four times a week, from what the players have put out has been excellent and in total contrast to what was out there today," Woodlands-Thompson said. Adelaide got off to a great start during the first term and were out to a two goal margin by quarter time, 14-12. Captain Renee Hallinan sent a scare through the camp when she went down with a ankle injury just before the first break but was able to be re-strapped and continue on. The game turned scrappy in the second quarter with both teams scoring nine goals each and together missed 20 goals for the first half. At Half Time both teams made changes, although the Magic's decision to introduce 20 year old Malia Paseka for Ellen Halpenny at goal attack proved to be the difference. Paseka showed her class and made an immediate impact scoring 9 from 11 and combining well with Jo Harten as they piled on 15 goals to 9 in the quarter, to break the game open and hold a four goal lead at three quarter time. Magic's Grace Rasmussen was also proving to be a handful for Thunderbirds captain Renee Hallinan, by the last break Rasmussen had 13 goal assists along with 12 centre pass receives indicating she was creating all the play. The Magic were disappointed to lose their star centre Courtney Tairi early in the last quarter with an achilles tendon injury. With the home side rallying to get within a goal late in the last quarter, the Magic were not willing to let this one slip and they ended up winning by one goal. Despite the Thunderbirds confidence boosting finish in the last few minutes coach Woodlands-Thompson said her side needed to do that for four quarters. "There is no point turning it on in the last five minutes, we needed to play like that in the whole game," "So incredibly disappointing, we need to win all of our games at home and we need to beat all the kiwi teams at home so that's not good enough," Jane Woodlands-Thompson said. Magic coach Julie Fitzgerald was extremely pleased with the result especially of her younger players composure late in the game. "It is very pleasing it was a very, very tough game and to able to start the season off and fight that out with the young ones out there was satisfying," Fitzgerald said. Fitzgerald had confidence to bring Paseka on for Halpenny at half time after Halpenny shot just six goals from 13 attempts. "I thought Malia (Paseka) did really well, she has been training with us really well and she has taken a huge step forward this year," Magic coach explained. "So we always knew that we would have no worries at all in throwing her out there." The match was certainly controlled well by Magic's exciting wing attack Grace Rasmussen. "I thought she played a lovely game particularly in the end, I don't think you can underestimate the the fact that she was surrounded by babies in that last five minutes and she really steadied the ship and kept it going well."

TURNING POINT: With Adelaide in front at Half Time, three changes were made from both teams, Adelaide brought Amy Steel on at goal defence for Kate Shimmin and Leigh Waddington took Emily Beaton's position at wing attack. But the Magic's change of Ellen Halpenny for 20 year old Malia Paseka proved the difference. Paseka showed her class and made an immediate impact scoring 9 from 11 and combining well with Jo Harten as the Magic piled on 15 goals to 9 in the quarter to break the game open to a four goal lead by three quarter time.

WHAT THE COACHES HAD TO SAY: Jane Woodlands-Thompson (Adelaide Thunderbirds) "Incredibly disappointing what we've seen four times a week, from what the players have put out has been excellent and in total contrast to what was out there today" "There is no point turning it on in the last five minutes, we needed to play like that in the whole game," "So incredibly disappointing, we need to win all of our games at home and we need to beat all the kiwi teams at home, so that's not good enough," Jane Woodlands-Thompson said. "We fiddled around with the ball, we have to finish the play and when that's not done it puts an incredible amount of pressure on the team." "I thought we did alright defensively other than the third quarter which was 15 goals against, I think the rest were all nine's so to keep a forward line with Rasmussen and Harten in it down to nine for three quarters, I think the defensive circle was pretty good actually." "We did not bring the ball out of defence well, which made the linking through the midcourt difficult and then we didn't finish so it was a combination of all three, three epic fails." "I thought deBruin held Erin Bell really well today she never really broke loose despite some great shooting and Borrego was just really inconsistent." "I was pleased to see Leigh Waddington after a horrible scare early on with her knee, it was terrific to see her come on and finish like she did and you know that will be a positive moving forward into next week. "There is absolutely no excuse for them to look confused, Dan Ryan has been working very very hard with that front line and they have got it down like clockwork in pretty much every trial game we've played so why all of a sudden it was confusing I have no idea your going to have to talk to the players." "I just don't think we capitalized on the hard work Eboni did." Despite the Thunderbirds rallying in the last few minutes coach Woodlands-Thompson said her side needed to do that for four quarters. "There is no point turning it on in the last five minutes, we needed to play like that in the whole game," "So incredibly disappointing, we need to win all of our games at home and we need to beat all the kiwi teams at home so that's not good enough," Jane Woodlands-Thompson said. Julie Fitzgerald (Waikato Bay Of Plenty Magic) "It is very pleasing it was a very very tough game and to be able to start the season off and fight that out I thought with the young ones out there was satisfying." "I thought Malia did really well, she has been training with us really well and she has taken a huge step forward this year so we always knew that we would have no worries at all in throwing her out there." 'We are not talking dates on Casey Kopua's return she is a long way off" "I thought she played a lovely game particularly in the end, I don't think you can underestimate the the fact that she was surrounded by babies in that last five minutes and she really steadied the ship and kept it going well."