Building year for Mysticks

Once a week for a month, coach Russell Tillman had been hopping into his car and driving to New Plymouth to search for Central Mysticks players.

Until now the national league team has not only been Palmerston North-based, but Manawatu dominated.

"We tried to go out and build some interest," he said. "The coaching staff have got to go out more and not expect the players to do all the travelling."

Three Taranaki women reached the final trial and in the end just one made the cut: striker Victoria Avison. But Tillman did make the effort.

"It is a young team, 12 new players, very much a transition year," he said.

Other teams are bringing in international players to stiffen their lineups – two are permitted per team – but Tillman wants to build from within this year.

Because of the Commonwealth Games, Black Sticks are out and that removes Central's Emily Naylor, Kayla Sharland and Piki Hamahona. Former international Sheree Horvath isn't available.

"With the Black Sticks out it benefits the bigger associations rather than us because for quite a few years we've been punching above our weight," Tillman said. "It is more difficult for us to bring players up another level."

Last year, with everyone on call, the Mysticks won their second national title in five years.

This year's senior women are former New Zealand players Tara Drysdale and Caryn Paewai, among only six returning. Drysdale and Paewai won't be available for every match but Tillman has 18 in his squad.

Gone from last year's side are Queensland defender Jodie Schulz, Melanie Aiken (to Wellington) and Wendy Hull and Angela Croad (unavailable).

Verity Sharland comes back from North Harbour as a player of origin and Alice Naylor returns, although both are in Argentina watching their sisters at the World Cup. They will miss the first two games, at Palmerston North against Southern and Canterbury on September 11-12.

Manawatu's goalkeeper of the year, Massey's Sarah Crofoot, is back.

Tillman has three highly promising but young strikers – Avison, Michaela Curtis and Hawke's Bay schoolgirl Tinesha Carey. There's also South African midfielder Gill Fitzhenry, who is serving a gap year at Wanganui Collegiate School.

Curtis, defender Talitha Holt and midfielder Liz Horne are from the Palmerston North Girls' High School 1st XI.

A useful acquisition is former North Harbour player Erin Weber, back from knee surgery.

Central Mysticks: 1 Victoria Avison (Taranaki), 2 Colleen Bayliss (Whanganui), 3 Carla Burt (Manawatu), 4 Tinesha Carey (Hawke's Bay), 5 Sarah Crofoot (Manawatu), 6 Michaela Curtis (Manawatu), 7 Tara Drysdale (Manawatu), 8 Gill Fitzhenry (Whanganui), 9 Talitha Holt (Manawatu), 10 Liz Horne (Manawatu), 11 Sam Hughes (Manawatu), 12 Haley Mallinder (Whanganui), 13 Vanessa Martelli (H Bay), 14 Alice Naylor (Manawatu), 15 Caryn Paewai (H Bay), 16 Verity Sharland (North Harbour), 17 Erin Weber (H Bay), 18 Lisa Watson (goalie, guest player, Canterbury).

- © Fairfax NZ News