THE Northern Mystics crept their way up the ladder in season 2021 and ended the home and away season with a bang to steal top spot and safe passage into the ANZ Premiership Grand Final. One player that has been a lynchpin and a key reason for the Mystics’ success this season is wing attack Peta Toeava, with the midcourter noting the teams connectivity and lift in endurance as paramount.

“I think it was coming to the season knowing what our standards had to be. We’re all fit and I think that’s been a big part and then just trusting each other,” Toeava said. “I feel like in the previous year’s Mystics have been a team where you start off fine then you like kind of like drop off. So we’ve learnt how to maintain that intensity throughout the whole game and it’s really cool to be that we can do that.”

There is no denying that Toeava’s connection with shooting sensation Grace Nweke is poetry in motion and often leaves fans and players alike begging the question of how does she do that week in, week out. The answer is simple according to Toeava teamwork.

“She is very big and easy to read but I give credit to those around us that let me and “G” do that kind of thing so we’ve got Filda, Tayla (Earle) and Bailey who do a lot of work on the outside, to get that connection going.”

The goal attack role has chopped and changed a fair bit throughout the season with Mes, Filda Vui and even Saviour Tui getting some court time but that has not fazed Toeava who has continued along her merry way.

“It doesn’t impact my game they’re very different. Bailey’s very athletic, fast, and then Filda’s got game smarts so they’re working for us and we will use that to our advantage this week,” she said.

Toeava has been a pillar of consistency in that frontend and is one of the more experienced players out on court despite the Mystics having the services of Bailey Mes and Sulu Fitzpatrick.

“She’s (Fitzpatrick) amazing, very lucky to have a back up in Auckland, and leading our team. I haven’t nothing bad to say about her but she leads from the frontend, very lucky to have her on our team,” Toeava said.

The midcourter is one of the craftiest players in the ANZ Premiership with her pinpoint feeds and speed and has hit her strides this season in attack. The one thing she touts as the major change is her sense of self-belief and confidence.

“The big thing for me is I really didn’t believe in myself a few years back so self confidence,” Toeava said. “Just believing that my skills will get me there, but also, again, getting my fitness up at this level, and yeah just enjoying it.”

When asked about how she went about restoring that sense of confidence, the wing attack credited her captain in Fitzpatrick as a key reason for her individual success and form this season.

“It was hard. I guess with someone like Sulu around always reminding me of what my strengths are and my whole team reminding me of what my strengths are,” Toeava said. “But then also having Rob here, pushing me during games which has helped my game a lot. Me executing that has definitely helped me believe that I am a good player.”

After spending time in the Suncorp Super Netball as Collingwood Magpies head coach, Rob Wright defected across the ditch at the start of the 2021 season and has been an integral member of the Mystics’ coaching staff with Toeava highlighting the influence his netball brain has had on them as a whole.

“He’s awesome for me. “I’m a person that likes direct feedback and that’s what he gives me,” she said. “But even his off court work, he’s very different, you just never know what he’s going to come up with. “But such a good change for us for the Mystics. “He has brought that balance to us and it’s really good.”

The Mystics will be up against some tough opposition in the form of the Tactix who know the story all too well having competed in the 2020 grand final but were unable to walk away with the trophy. Two players that Toeava and her attacking counterparts will have to be acutely aware of are Jane Watson and Karin Burger with the Silver Ferns and Tactix defenders in ripping form. The pair are renowned for their hunt and tenacity something Toeava is hoping to exploit around circle edge.

“Again, we’re just going to focus on what we can do and what we can control, focusing on our strengths. But no doubt that they’re going to come out firing, especially in that defence end with, with Karin and Jane,” she said. “Yeah just focusing on ourselves. “I feel like when we play with our strengths and what we’re good at, we’re unstoppable. So yeah, it will be hard but we are up to the challenge.”

Fully aware of what the Tactix are capable of, Toeava highlighted the importance of the Mystics playing their own game and using their versatility and smarts to keep the scoreboard ticking over.

“The Tactix are going to come out firing, and we’re ready for it so we just need to get ourselves sorted and come game time we will be ready,” she said.

The grand final will take place at Spark Arena on Sunday July 8 at 3:30 with the winner set to be crowned 2021 premiers.