WITH only three rounds remaining until finals, the ANZ Premiership is heating up with all the teams vying for that spot in the top three. The Central Pulse have all but secured their spot while the Northern Stars, Southern Steel and Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic all hoping to etch their way into finals contention with a win in Round 10.

Northern Stars v. Northern Mystics

The Northern Stars have struggled in recent weeks and if they are any chance to make the top three they will have to pull out all the stops. The Mystics have had an up and down season unable to gel down the court and transition from defence to attack.

The Stars have an impressive line-up with plenty of firepower up either end of the court with the likes of Maia Wilson doing the damage in the goal circle. Her ability to hold space in the circle and silky shots make her a real threat under the post. Therefore, the match-up between Wilson and Mystics goal keeper Erena Mikaere will be one to watch with Mikaere known for her aerial ability and physicality. The goal keeper plays hard and works hard to push the shooter under the ball and confuse the space.

Leana De Bruin leads the troops in defence for the Stars with her impressive three-foot mark and quick defensive setup. The Mystics have struggled in the goal circle throughout the season with Bailey Mes, Grace Nweke and Jamie Hume all unable to capitalise under the post at times. But when their connection is on they can post a handy tally and take it to the top teams. Therefore, if the Stars want to make finals the defensive pressure applied by the Stars trio consisting of De Bruin, Storm Purvis and Kayla Cullen will want to ensure that they maintain their pressure and disrupt the flow of the Mystics in attack.

Mainland Tactix v. Central Pulse

The Mainland Tactix have a very slim chance of making the finals sitting at the bottom of the ladder while the Central Pulse are sitting pretty at the top. The Pulse are yet to lose a game and are going from strength to strength showcasing their dominance over the competition. If they can maintain their hot form they should be able to win comfortably against the Tactix who have been unable to hit their straps this year.

The Pulse have arguably one of the strongest attacking units in the league with Ameliaranne Ekenasio and Aliyah Dunn a formidable duo. Both shooters are prolific and accurate under the post with their shooter to shooter interplay equally as impressive. With their dominance hard to stop the Tactix defenders will have their hands full. It will be up to Jane Watson to control the defence end with Sophia Fenwick and Kate Lloyd more than likely rotating through defence.

The midcourt line-up will bring plenty of excitement with Pulse wing attack, Whitney Souness renowned for her speed, delivery of the ball and good feeds into the circle. On the other hand, Tactix centre Kimmiora Poi has similar attributes with her dynamism and hard work across the court. With one of the most dominant shooting combinations it will come down to the ability of the midcourt to control the play and deliver the ball inside the goal circle.

Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic v. Southern Steel

The Magic are still in the hunt for finals and if they can get a big win against the Steel it will go a long way in boosting their confidence and making them a real finals contender. For the Steel, they will want to flex their muscles and ensure that they put out a full four quarter performance.

The Magic ooze plenty of class and experience in the defence end with both Casey Kopua and Kelly Jury posing a threat with their long reach, ability to read the play and teamwork to roll off their opponent when needed. Both can take big intercepts and can sense when their team needs a lift. Meanwhile, the Southern Steel are blessed with some strong defensive players as well such as veteran Te Huinga Selby-Rickit along with Courtney Elliott and Abby Erwood.

The Southern Steel have a strong shooting combination with Lenize Potgieter deadly under the post credit to her accuracy and volume. She pairs well with shooting partner, Te Paea Selby-Rickit making the two hard to handle when they are both on song. Unfortunately for the Magic the goal circle has been their Achilles heel throughout their 2019 campaign struggling to find that winning combination under the post at times. They have plenty of young and talented players such as Kelsey McPhee, Monica Falkner and Abigail Latu-Meafou but if they are any chance to win they must put out a dominant performance.