ANZ Championship – Round 7 Tips

There were a few upsets (according to both bookmakers and Ms Netball) in Round Six of the ANZ Championship, adding to the intrigue of a number of matches set to take place this week. This weekend is also the Rivalry Round, where every match sees an Australian team up taking on a New Zealand side. The 2011 Rivalry Round Trophy will go to the country with the highest goal score aggregate across all five games.

Results of Ms Netball tips to date

Head to head winners: 16 selections, 11 winners (69% strike rate)

Recommended bets: Five selections, four winners, return of $7.60, Profit on Turnover (POT) = 52%

To recap, for the purposes of this weekly column, we will only recommend a bet where the opinion of bookmakers and the opinion of Ms Netball differ by at least 3.5 goals.

Time to hand it over to Ms Netball for her views on Round Seven of the ANZ Championship:

Round Seven Tips (please note: all times are the local time for the home side)

Saturday March 26, 4:20 PM Northern Mystics v Queensland Firebirds

Mystics:4-2 (fourth on ladder), 2-1 home

Firebirds:6-0 (first on ladder), 3-0 away

Bookmakers’ line*: TBC

Ms Netball says: To hold on to their place in the top 4 The Mystics will be keen for a win against the Firebirds and in this match all depends on their defence and stopping Romelda Aiken.  At the other end of the court the Firebirds defence will have to watch their penalties if they want to be effective against the shooting of Tutaia and Latu. I think this will be a close match but given the Firebirds 3-0 record against the Mystics, I am picking them again. Firebirds by 4.

Recommended bet:TBC. Back the Firebirds if not giving away a head start, back the Mystics if +7.5 or more.

 

Sunday March 27, 2:20 PM Melbourne Vixens  v Canterbury Tactix  

Vixens:3-2 (fifth on ladder), 1-0 home

Tactix:0-4 (tenth on ladder), 0-2 away

Bookmakers’ line*: TBC

Ms Netball says: The Vixens played poorly against the Magic last week and will be looking for improvement across the court. It will be interesting to see whom Vixens coach Julie Hoornweg plays against Tactix keeper Kasey Evering. While the Tactix have shown much improvement in 2011, their loss to the Pulse last week will have undermined their confidence and they are unlikely to trouble the Vixens. Vixens by 13.

Recommended bet:TBC. Back the Vixens if -9.5 or less, back the Tactix if +16.5 or more.

 

Sunday March 27, 6:20 PM Central Pulse v NSW Swifts

Pulse:1-5 (ninth on ladder), 1-3 at home

Swifts:4-3 (third on ladder), 1-1 away

Bookmakers’ line*: TBC

Ms Netball says: The Swifts are the only Australian team to have ever been beaten by the Pulse and while the Pulse won their first match of the season last week against the Tactix, I do not think they can back up to beat the Swifts this week. Swifts by 10.

Recommended bet:TBC. Back the Swifts if -6.5 or less, back the Pulse if +13.5 or more.

 

Monday March 28, 5:10 PM West Coast Fever v Waikato/BOP Magic

Fever:2-5 (eighth on ladder), 1-3 at home

Magic:5-1 (second on ladder), 3-0 away

Bookmakers’ line*:TBC

Ms Netball says:Given their relative positions on the ladder, you would expect the Magic to win easily against the Fever but I think the Fever at home will put up a good fight. Their win against the Steel has shown what they can achieve when they treasure possession. Caitlin Basset will need to stand up against Casey Williams at one end as will Susan Fuhrman against Irene Van Dyk at the other. I am hoping for a close match but somewhat predictably am backing the Magic to prevail.Magic by 6.

Recommended bet:TBC. Back the Magic if -2.5 or less, back the Fever if +9.5 or more.

 

Monday March 28, 7:40 PM Southern Steel v Adelaide Thunderbirds

Steel:2-4 (seventh on ladder), 1-0 at home

Thunderbirds:3-4 (sixth on ladder), 1-2 away

Bookmakers’ line*:TBC

Ms Netball says:While the Thunderbirds have a 3-1 record against the Steel historically, they are a much less experienced side in 2011 and the Steel are hard to beat at home in Invercargill. Despite this, I think the Thunderbirds come-from-behind win against the Mystics last week will have given them great confidence and I expect them to edge out the Steel in a close match. Thunderbirds by 3.

Recommended bet:TBC. Back the Thunderbirds if not giving away a head start, back the Steel if +6.5 or more.

Thanks to Phil Walter/Getty Images AsiaPac for use of the photo

* Once again, bookmakers had not yet published lines for these games at the time of publication of this article. We will endeavour to add these lines (and note any consequential recommended bets) as they become available via the comments section each week.