2010 ANZ Championship: Central Pulse

REGIONS: Eastern, Western, Wellington, Tasman MAJOR SPONSOR: Haier Appliances COACH: Yvette McCausland-Durie WEB: http://www.pulse.org.nz ANZ Championship Record 2009 - Played 13; Won 1; Lost 12; 2 points; 10th 2008 - Played 13; Lost 12; 1 Game abandoned; 1 point; 10th Central Pulse endeared themselves to ANZ Championship fans on both sides of the Tasman with their giant-killing 53-52 effort against 2008 champions NSW Swifts in Round 13, and seven of the eight players who took the court during that game remain with Pulse in 2010. They include shooters Te Amo Amaru-Tibble (83% for the season) and Silver Fern Paula Griffin (79.5%), whose combination was a key factor in the Swifts match, and Silver Ferns squad member Camilla Lees. Pulse's potential was glimpsed by three other teams in 2009. They pushed Mystics hard, home and away, losing to them by only one and four goals, went down to Fever by six goals in Round 4, and lost by three goals to Tactix in Round 8. The benefits of Pulse's participation in the ANZ Championship were quickly seen in Wellington's 1^st Grade, Division 2 victory at the Perry Foundation National Championships in October. That team included seven 2008-2009 Pulse players. However, one boilover win and several gallant efforts do not a champion team make, and Pulse ended the 2009 ANZ Championship where they finished in Season One, in tenth position. Coach Yvette McCausland-Durie has recruited shrewdly to increase her options in both goal circles. Silver Ferns Katrina Grant (from Steel) and Ama Agbeze (from the champion Vixens squad) join the defence end, while Alanah Cassidy (from the champion Western Under-21 side and the NZU21 team) and 1.93m former Australian & Thunderbirds shooter Jane Altschwager boost the already solid shooting end. The hard-working mid-court remains stable, with Daya Pritchard, who made the Perry Foundation National 1^st Grade tournament team from the champion Wellington side, the only new face alongside Cushla Lichtwark, Camilla Lees (pictured, above) and Ngarama Milner-Olsen. Pulse begin their 2010 season away, playing Tactix in Christchurch, before returning home to meet Mystics in Round 2, and travelling to Dunedin to match Steel in Round 3. They can expect no mercy in Sydney from the Swifts who will be keen to atone for last year's shock defeat, and there will be no respite when they return home, to host the Thunderbirds in Round 5, and Steel in Round 6.
2010 CENTRAL PULSE SQUAD
PLAYER	AGE	HEIGHT	POSITIONS	2009 ANZC	2009 NATIONAL	2009 OTHER
Ama Agbeze	27	1.83m	GD, GK, WD	Vixens	England	--
Jane Altschwager - Captain	29	1.93m	GA, GS	Thunderbirds	--	--
Te Amo Amaru-Tibble	20	1.80m	GS, GA	Pulse	--	Wellington
Alanah Cassidy	20	1.77m	WA, GA	--	NZU21	Western U21
Katrina Grant - Vice-Captain	22	1.86m	GD, GK, GS	Steel	Silver Ferns	--
Paula Griffin	21	1.85m	GS, GA	Pulse	Silver Ferns, NZU21	--
Jamilah Gupwell	23	1.74m	GA, WA	Pulse	--	Wellington
Camilla Lees	20	1.77m	C, WA, WD	Pulse	Silver Ferns squad, NZU21	--
Cushla Lichtwark	29	1.81m	GD, WD	Pulse	--	Wellington
Bessie Manu	23	1.76m	GD, WD, GK	Pulse	--	Wellington
Ngarama Milner-Olsen	27	1.69m	WA, C	Pulse	--	Wellington
Daya Pritchard	27	1.74m	C, WD	--	--	Wellington
TEAM AVERAGE AGE	24
TEAM AVERAGE HEIGHT	1.80m
2010 CENTRAL PULSE DRAW & RESULTS
ROUND 1 - Away	v Tactix LOSS: 48-54
ROUND 2 - Home	v Mystics LOSS: 50-61
ROUND 3 - Away	v Steel LOSS: 44-56
ROUND 4 - Away	v Swifts LOSS: 36-50
ROUND 5 - Home	v Thunderbirds LOSS: 40-75
ROUND 6 - Home	v Steel
ROUND 7 - BYE	BYE
ROUND 8 - Away	v Magic
ROUND 9 - Away	v Mystics
ROUND 10 - Home	v Tactix
ROUND 11 - Away	v Fever
ROUND 12 - Away	v Firebirds
ROUND 13 - Home	v Magic
ROUND 14 - Home	v Vixens