Starting Strong: First Place Tactix Believe They Are Just Get Started

After posting their biggest ANZ Premiership win so far, the Tactix believe they have not reached their full potential as the team prepares for a round-five rematch against the Steel in Invercargill.

Week-on-week, the team has been learning in game errors and have been working hard to protect their possession of the ball, with the side delivering the highest rate of intercepts and deflections with gains in round four.

Reflecting on their on court gains, goal shoot Martina Salmon believes the show of improvement for both attack and defence, is only the tip of the iceberg for the Tactix.

“As a team we are just getting started, and we have so much more to give on court,” Salmon said. ““I am looking forward to what the team brings in this week’s game against the Steel.”

Meanwhile, Tactix head coach Donna Wilkins is resisting making too many player changes, but acknowledges the coveted shooting positions are competitive with Martina Salmon, Ellie Bird and Te Paea Selby-Rickit performing well.

“I have to be a bit more ruthless, I don't like to make a lot of changes, but I will switch things up if it isn’t working…at the end of the day it is about the team result,” Wilkins said.

Wilkins reiterated that the shooter’s cautious use of the two-point shot is proving a winning strategy, with Ellie Bird landing 100% of her one-point goal attempts against the Mystics.

“We are seeing the other teams starting to take the two-point shot less and less, unless it comes with a degree of certainty. In the first round we saw teams taking over ten attempts, and that is drastically changing,” Wilkins said.

In her seventh season for the Tactix, Ellie Bird believes working on her mindset has positively impacted her game, and helped her land 50 out of 50 shots in the last game.

“I have shifted my mentality, it's not my netball mindset that has changed, it is my mindset in life that has changed - positivity, self-belief, not beating myself up when I make mistakes, throwing perfectionism out the window… you can really surprise yourself with how much further you can go when you take those limitations out,” Bird said.

She has also observed the team quickly adapting to a new era of netball under Wilkin’s coaching expertise.

“I really love Donna, she has a lot to add, she has a real passion for the sport and you can see the fiery passion that she had when she was playing, come through in her coaching,” Bird said.

The well-aged combination of Ellie Bird and Te Paea Selby-Rickit has brought success to the goal circle, with Bird saying they can read each other’s next move on court.

“Te Paea will always be looking at me to pass the ball and I am always ready, there is a trust and confidence that you build over six years together,” Bird said.

She believes the Tactix will have to work to stay at the top of the table, but the secret to success comes down to attitude and putting in the work off the court as well.

“Staying at the top just takes the top 10%, it's the team’s mindset that will get us there.”

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