Round 8 of the ANZ Premiership brought plenty of surprises with the Northern Mystics toppling the Central Pulse and Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic clinching a thrilling one goal win leading to a couple of fresh faces in this rounds Team of the Week. Winning both games for the round, four Mainland Tactix players earned their spot in the squad while for the first time this season the Pulse failed to register a player.

GS: Maia Wilson
GA: Te Paea Selby-Rickit
WA: Whitney Souness
C: Mila Reuelu-Buchanan
WD: Holly Fowler
GD: Phoenix Karaka
GK: Temalisi Fakahokotau

BENCH: Grace Nweke, Erikana Pedersen, Jane Watson

Starting in the goal circle, Maia Wilson led the way for the Stars in both outings across the round with her prolific nature and skill to absorb the pressure. The goal shooter made it look easy under the post sinking 35 goals from 40 attempts up against strong opposition and using footwork to hold space. But it was her second performance that stunned many and was a testament to her true class slotting 39 goals at 100 per cent. Out in goal attack is Tactix playmaker Te Paea Selby-Rickit with the shooter not only plying her trade in the goal circle but so too in the attacking third with her touch on the pass and silky footwork. Selby-Rickit managed 31 goals from 37 attempts across two matches, showcasing her increased accuracy while also amassing 25 goal assists for her efforts across the round.

Through the midcourt it was the last quarter heroics from Whitney Souness that gifted her a start in the Team of the Week – as well as our Draft Central Player of the Week award – with the Magic wing attack snatching an intercept on the transverse line. Although not as prominent in her first game of the round, she well and truly made up for it in her second outing zipping around the court and hitting circle edge with pace and precision.  Her hot hand into the circle saw her collect 35 goal assists for the round while teammate and wing defence Holly Fowler secured her first spot in Team of the Week thanks to her defensive efforts. Her hands over pressure, acceleration off the mark and tenacity enabled her to get hands to ball and disrupt the play in attack amassing three gains and four deflections. Stars centre, Mila Reuelu-Buchanan takes out the final midcourt position thanks to her two way running and ability to impact the play in all facets of the game. Quiet in her first outing with just the 13 goal assists, Reuelu-Buchanan upped the ante in the second seeming to have the ball on a string and hitting the circle edge with precision to rack up a team high 26 goal assists.

There was options aplenty in defence with Phoenix Karaka getting the nod in at goal defence thanks to her stellar performance against the Pulse. Karaka was involved in everything in her sole outing for the round nullifying Ameliaranne Ekenasio and winning back a wealth of ball. It was a stats-stuffing performance from the Mystics goal defence who finished with five gains, two intercepts, four deflections and two rebounds. Finalising the starting seven is Mainland Tactix goal keeper Temalisi Fakahokotau who once again shone in her sides two victories. Fakahokotau imposed herself from the get-go with her aerial ability and physicality at the contest to throw herself at everything and most importantly regain possession amassing a staggering 18 deflections, 10 gains and four intercepts.

Rounding out the team and unlucky to not get the start is Mystics goal shooter Grace Nweke who displayed her dominance and strength under the post, using her height and fancy footwork along the baseline to reel in passes. Credit to a couple of strong performances over the weekend Tactix teammates Erikana Pedersen and Jane Watson also find themselves on the bench. Pedersen was electric through the midcourt with her speed and vision while Watson proved to be a menace in defence with her rangy arms and quick footwork.