IT is the penultimate round of the ANZ Premiership season, and there is still so much to be decided.

MATCH OF THE ROUND

Mainland Tactix vs. WBOP Magic
Sunday at 4pm
MainPower Stadium, Rangiora

This weekend’s middle match could play a massive role in shaping how the ladder finishes this season.

The Tactix are still in the hunt for top spot and are only one point and 1.7 two per cent off spot, while the Magic are currently in fourth, one point and 2.8 per cent behind the third placed Mystics. In an extra twist of fate, the Mystics and Pulse play each other the day prior, so the Tactix and Magic will already know exactly what is at stake before they head into their match.

This weekend sees the third match up between the sides this season, and the two previous meetings could not have produced more different results.

Round four’s clash could not have been closer, with the Tactix holding on for a win by the narrowest of margins.

By contrast, in round nine the Tactix were more dominant from the get go, winning every quarter and really shooting away in the last quarter to win by 18 goals.

The shooters are going to play a massive role in who comes out on top in this clash.

They are ultimately the end point to any team’s hard work further up the court, but last time these sides met the shooters’ accuracy was impressive, so the expectation will be that they maintain that again this week. Ellie Bird is also second in the league for goals this season, while Saviour Tui is third, so they know how to provide plenty of goals.

One thing the Magic will need to lift from the last time the sides met is their turnover to goal rate, so Erena Mikaere and Oceane Maihi will have a big assignment, not only to do that but to match the levels of their counterparts in Jane Watson and Karin Burger.

OTHER FIXTURES

Northern Mystics vs. Central Pulse | Saturday, 4pm @ Eventfinda Stadium, Auckland

Southern Steel vs. Northern Stars | Monday, 7:30pm @ Edgar Centre, Dunedin