FOR the Central Pulse, the thought of potentially becoming the first ANZ Premiership team to ever win three premierships in a row – otherwise known as a three-peat – is at the forefront of their minds.

While the prospect of becoming the first three-peat champions in an exciting one, Pulse defender Kelly Jury is aware of the big challenge ahead to get to that point.

“We don’t want to obviously become absorbed, too absorbed in the idea of putting so much pressure on ourselves to get the three-peat, because we’ve got to win games first before we should even think about that.”

Despite having such a successful run the last few years, this year the Pulse are tackling some significant changes. Premiership coach Yvette McCausland-Durie stepped down at the end of last year, and is replaced former Silver Fern Gail Parata.

Parata returns to New Zealand after a six year stint as the head coach of the Scottish Thistles. Before that, she was an assistant coach at the Pulse in 2010 and 2011, and Northern Mystics assistant coach in 2012 during the former trans-Tasman ANZ Championship league.

On top of the coaching change, the team line-up is looking a little different across the court as well. Losing defender Karin Burger and former captain Katrina Rore at the end of last year, the Pulse have welcomed newcomers Parris Mason, Kelera Nawai, Paris Lokotui, Te Amo Amaru-Tibble, and returning player Whitney Souness.

“The girls that have come in, a lot of them were training partners with us last year, so they do know what’s required in this environment and the intensity that we want to push ourselves at,” Jury said.

As the sole remaining defender, Jury has taken newbies Nawai and Mason under her wing.

“I don’t want to be the bossy one, bossing them around the court, I just want to help guide them. I think young players always have their own type of flair that they bring and you’ve got to nurture that, and let them really express themselves.”

During the ANZ Premiership preseason tournament, Jury had a run out in goal defence; a swap she says was even a shock for her.

“I didn’t realise that I was being considered as GD until I arrived at the preseason training this year, so it was very new news to me too!”

However, it may not be such an unusual sight to see Jury step out over the transverse line during the season.

“Goal keep definitely feels somewhat of a home going back to that, I guess because I’ve played it for so long at this level, but yeah I am loving goal [defence]. It feels like I’ve got so much more space to run around which is fun, and I love the attacking side of things too.”

As for game tactics for 2021, it appears the Pulse are just taking things one step at a time, trying not to get ahead of themselves.

“I think as a team we just try and focus on one game at a time, because each team we play is pretty much completely different and has their own strengths that we have got to focus on,” Jury said.

“It’s been quite a long preseason that we’ve had, so we are just really exciting just to start playing.”

The Pulse will open their season against the Northern Stars on Sunday April 18, in what is set to be an exciting clash between two highly talented sides that have a wealth of history.

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