 REGION: Canterbury MAJOR SPONSOR: Mercury Energy COACH: Helen Mahon-Stroud WEB: http://.tactix.org.nz ANZ CHAMPIONSHIP RECORD: 2009 - Played 13; Won 5; 10 points; 6th 2008 - Played 13; Won 5; 10 points; 8th Canterbury Tactix made real progress in 2009 to finish two places better than their inaugural 8th place showing, and give clear signs of their growing competitiveness in the league. Those signs included defeats of two Australian teams, Fever (Round 2) and Firebirds (Round 11), and an outstanding performance against eventual Grand Finalists, the Thunderbirds, in Round 4. Tied at 42-all after four quarters, the two teams fought out extra time before the Adelaide team prevailed, 53-48. Tactix' performances against other New Zealand teams were more disappointing: they lost five matches to Steel, Magic and Mystics by an average of about two goals. Turning around these results may well be the key to boosting Tactix' standing in 2010. After losing three 2009 players (Sonia Mkoloma, Jodi Brown & Kahu Waititi) to other franchises, and captain Julie Seymour to retirement (although she remains as assistant coach), head coach Helen Mahon-Stroud has not been afraid to make her own changes. She will put five new players in the red-and-black dress in 2010, and four of them are first-timers in the competition: former Silver Ferns defender Anna Galvan (nee Veronese) and the youthful trio of Hannah Poff, Ashleigh Smith and, from Australian Institute of Sport, Chelsea Pitman. Mid-courter Hayley Crofts joins the squad after seasons with Pulse (2008), and the 2009 NZU21 and Southland teams. Gritty former Firebirds defender Peta Stephens was also signed by Tactix, but a shoulder injury has unfortunately ruled her out, leaving the Canterbury side with an 11-player squad a week before the season starts. The returning players are Silver Ferns Maree Bowden (pictured above) and Anna Thompson, Canterbury stalwarts Victoria Smith and Phillipa Finch, and two talented youngsters, 21-year-old Charlotte Kight whose rapid progress alongside Mkoloma last season took her into the Silver Ferns squad, and 19-year-old shooter Ellen Halpenny. Tactix' 2010 season opens at home against Pulse, before they travel to Perth for Round 2 against Fever. They then stay home in Christchurch for Rounds 3, 4 and 5 to host Swifts, Vixens and then Magic, before heading north to Auckland to face the Mystics in Round 6. |
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| 2010 CANTERBURY TACTIX SQUAD | ||||||
| PLAYER | AGE | HEIGHT | POSITIONS | 2009 ANZC | 2009 NATIONAL | 2009 OTHER |
| Maree Bowden - Captain |
30 | 1.75m | WA, C, WD | Tactix | Silver Ferns | -- |
| Hayley Crofts | 21 | 1.73m | WD, C | -- | NZU21 | Southland |
| Phillipa Finch | 28 | 1.71m | C, WD, WA | Tactix | -- | -- |
| Anna Galvan - Vice-Captain |
31 | 1.84m | GK, GD, WD | -- | -- | Canterbury |
| Ellen Halpenny | 19 | 1.85m | GS, GA | Tactix | -- | Canterbury |
| Charlotte Kight | 21 | 1.83m | GD, GK | Tactix | Silver Ferns, NZU21 | -- |
| Chelsea Pitman | 21 | 1.81m | GA, WA | -- | -- | AIS |
| Hannah Poff | 19 | 1.71m | WA, C | -- | -- | Canterbury Canterbury U21 |
| Ashleigh Smith | 18 | 1.87m | GS, GA | -- | NZ Secondary Schools | Southland Southland U19 St Peter's College |
| Victoria Smith | 26 | 1.84m | GD, GK | Tactix | -- | Canterbury |
| Anna Thompson - Vice-Captain |
23 | 1.75m | GA, WA | Tactix | Silver Ferns | -- |
| 12th player to be announced | ||||||
| TEAM AVERAGE AGE | 23.4 | |||||
| TEAM AVERAGE HEIGHT | 1.79m | |||||
| 2010 CANTERBURY TACTIX DRAW & RESULTS | ||||||
| ROUND 1 - Home | v Pulse WIN: 54-48 |
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| ROUND 2 - Away | v Fever LOSS: 44-62 |
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| ROUND 3 - Home | v Swifts LOSS: 53-56 - in ET |
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| ROUND 4 - Home | v Vixens LOSS: 49-64 |
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| ROUND 5 - Home | v Magic LOSS: 36-53 |
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| ROUND 6 - Away | v Mystics | |||||
| ROUND 7 - Home | v Steel | |||||
| ROUND 8 - BYE | BYE | |||||
| ROUND 9 - Away | v Magic | |||||
| ROUND 10 - Away | v Pulse | |||||
| ROUND 11 - Away | v Thunderbirds | |||||
| ROUND 12 - Away | v Steel | |||||
| ROUND 13 - Away | v Firebirds | |||||
| ROUND 14 - Home | v Mystics | |||||