Melbourne Vixens looming as top contenders

With the third season of the ANZ Championship starting tomorrow, netball reporter Brendon Egan casts his eye over the 10 franchises to see how they are shaping up for 2010.

MELBOURNE VIXENS

Coach: Julie Hoornweg
Major gains: Wendy Jones (nee Jacobsen)
Major losses: Ama Agbeze (Pulse), Sarah Wall (Firebirds)
Key players: Julie Corletto, Sharelle McMahon, Bianca Chatfield
Last year: Champions (Won 12, Lost 1)

Lowdown: Last year's champions again loom as serious contenders for this year's trans-Tasman netball title. The Vixens have retained most of their squad from last season and are stacked full of past and present Australian Diamonds right through the court, with Bianca Chatfield and Julie Corletto in the defensive end, Renae Hallinan, Chelsy Nash and Natasha Chokljat in the midcourt and Sharelle McMahon and Caitlin Thwaites in the shooting circle.

ADELAIDE THUNDERBIRDS

Coach: Jane Woodlands-Thompson
Major gains: Erin Bell (Swifts), Carla Borrego (Jamaica)
Major losses: Natalie Medhurst (Firebirds), Jane Altschwager (Pulse), Laura von Bertouch (retired)
Key players: Natalie von Bertouch, Mo'onia Gerrard, Geva Mentor
Last year: Runner-up (won 10, lost 3)

Lowdown: The Thunderbirds have had a couple of key defections from last season, but still have enough quality players to challenge for this year's championship. Natalie von Bertouch is widely regarded as the best midcourter in the world and with star defenders Mo'onia Gerrard and Geva Mentor and accurate Diamonds shooter Kate Beveridge also in the ranks, the South Australian side should have too much class for most opposition teams this season.

WAIKATO-BOP MAGIC

Coach: Noeline Taurua
Major gains: Jodi Brown (Tactix), Peta Scholz (Australia) Kahurangi Waititi (Tactix)
Major losses: Leana de Bruin (Steel), Joline Henry (Mystics), Maria Tutaia (Mystics)
Key players: Casey Williams, Laura Langman, Irene van Dyk
Last year: Semifinalists (won 11, lost 2)

Lowdown: Magic's championship calibre side has taken a big hit in the off-season with Silver Ferns Joline Henry and Maria Tutaia moving up the motorway to the Northern Mystics. Towering defender Leana de Bruin has also packed her bags and moved south to play for Southern Steel. Any side with classy Silver Ferns Irene van Dyk, Casey Williams and Laura Langman in their arsenal must be treated with respect, though. Magic's depth will be sorely tested, however, if the "terrific trio" fall prey to injuries. If they remain fit, the side will again be tough to topple in this year's competition and should make the top four.

SOUTHERN STEEL

Coach: Robyn Broughton
Major gains: Leana de Bruin (Steel), Jade Topia (Mystics)
Major losses: Katrina Grant (Pulse), Donna Wilkins, Megan Hutton, Adine Wilson
Key players: Liana Barrett-Chase, Megan Dehn, Leana de Bruin
Last year: Semifinalists (won 8, lost 5)

Lowdown: Southern Steel have lost a ton of experience from last year with Silver Fern defender Katrina Grant switching to the Central Pulse and Donna Wilkins, Megan Hutton and Adine Wilson all not returning. That's an awful lot of experience to replace, but with eight of last year's squad back again, Steel will be counting on players such as Erika Burgess and Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit to step up and make the most of starting opportunities. Daneka Wipiiti and new recruit Leana de Bruin are both returning to top-level netball for the first time since giving birth for the first time last year and Steel's chances in this year's competition will ultimately hinge on how quickly they adjust back to the rigours of the ANZ Championship. In the midcourt, Steel will be relying on Silver Ferns Liana Barrett-Chase and Wendy Frew to lead from the front.

QUEENSLAND FIREBIRDS

Coach: Roselee Jencke
Major gains: Natalie Medhurst (Firebirds), Amy Steel (AIS), Sarah Wall (Vixens)
Major losses: Janelle Lawson (Fever), Demelza McCloud
Key Players: Romelda Aiken, Laura Geitz, Natalie Medhurst.
Last year: Fifth (won 8, lost 5)

Lowdown: The Firebirds went agonisingly close to cracking the top four of the ANZ Championship last season, but this year could finally be the year they break into the playoffs. The side has recruited well over the off season, adding Australian internationals Natalie Medhurst and Amy Steel and nippy midcourter Sarah Wall from the Vixens. Mix that together with established stars like Jamaican shooter Romelda Aiken and uncompromising defender Laura Geitz, and the Queenslanders look a good shot of making the top four for the first time since the inception of the competiton.

CANTERBURY TACTIX

Coach: Helen Mahon-Stroud
Major gains: Anna Galvan, Chelsea Pitman
Major losses: Jodi Brown (Magic), Sonia Mkolomoa (Swifts), Julie Seymour (retired), Larrissa Willcox (Mystics)
Key players: Maree Bowden, Anna Thompson, Charlotte Kight.
Last year: Sixth (won 5, lost 8)

Lowdown: Tactix are tipped to struggle in this year's ANZ Championship with the Canterbury-based side rocked by the losses of Sonia Mkoloma, Larrissa Willcox and Jodi Brown over the off-season and veteran midcourter Julie Seymour's retirement. They will be fielding the youngest shooting combination in the history of the competiton with young Silver Fern Anna Thompson likely to team up with either Ellen Halpenny or Chelsea Pitman. Silver Fern midcourter Maree Bowden and rising star Charlotte Kight will need to back up their stellar form from last season if Tactix are to avoid being the whipping girls of the competiton – which many people are predicting.

WEST COAST FEVER

Coach: Jane Searle
Major gains: Janelle Lawson (Firebirds), Leah Shoard (Steel)
Major losses: Jasmine Keene (Thunderbirds)
Key players: Caitlin Bassett, Madison Browne, Susan Fuhrmann
Last year: Seventh (won 5, lost 8)

Lowdown: West Coast Fever are arguably the most promising young side in the ANZ Championship with the Perth-based outfit, dominated by fringe Australian Diamonds players and Australian under-21 internationals. Fever boast an exceptionally speedy midcourt in Madison Browne, Johannah Curran and Shae Bolton and are expected to cause plenty of problems for their opposition in this year's competition. With giant shooter Caitlin Bassett in the attacking end and rugged Australian defender Susan Fuhrmann in the defensive circle, Fever have the potential to surprise a few people this season and possibly challenge for the top four.

NORTHERN MYSTICS

Coach: Te Aroha Keenan.
Major gains: Joline Henry (Magic), Maria Tutaia (Magic), Althea Byfield (Pulse), Larrissa Willcox (Tactix)
Major losses: Pamela Cookey, Jade Topia (Steel)
Key players: Maria Tutaia, Temepara George, Joline Henry
Last year: Eighth (won 3, lost 10)

Lowdown: The Northern Mystics have been the most active shopper over the ANZ Championship off-season completely changing the face of their team. With the additions of Silver Ferns Joline Henry, Maria Tutaia and Larrissa Willcox, former New Zealand midcourter Jenny-May Coffin and Jamaican international Althea Byfield they possess a side, who could go close to claiming this year's title. The challenge for the perennial underachievers will be gelling all that amazing talent together as a unit.

NSW SWIFTS

Coach: Julie Fitzgerald
Major gains: Sonia Mkoloma (Tactix)
Major losses: Erin Bell (Thunderbirds)
Key players: Sonia Mkoloma, Catherine Cox, Kimberlee Green
Last year: Ninth (won 2, Lost 11)

Lowdown: The Swifts went from champs to chumps last season with the defending champions having a season to forget. They nabbed the prized signature of outstanding English defender Sonia Mkoloma over the off season and will be hoping her addition will considerably strengthen the side. With agile Australian centre Kimberlee Green in the midcourt and a great shooting combination in Catherine Cox and Susan Pratley, it would be difficult to see the Swifts having another dreadful season like they did last year.

CENTRAL PULSE

Coach: Yvette McCausland-Durie
Major gains: Jane Altschwager (Thunderbirds), Katrina Grant (Steel), Ama Agbeze (Vixens)
Major losses: Althea Byfield (Mystics)
Key players: Katrina Grant, Paula Griffin, Camilla Lees
Last year: Tenth (won 1, lost 12)

Lowdown: After only winning one match in the first two years of the ANZ Championship, Central Pulse needed a major revamp over the offseason and they got one. The central North Island franchise scored a massive coup by recruiting Silver Fern defender Katrina Grant from the Pulseand that outstanding signing was then followed by the additions of former Australian international Jane Altschwager and English defender Ama Agbeze. Young Silver Ferns Paula Griffin and Camilla Lees are two of the more-promising players in New Zealand at the moment and the exciting duo will be expected to lift their games. Pulse should be a much more competitive outfit than previously, but it is hard to see them making the top four.

- © Fairfax NZ News