Tactix look to regain best version of themselves in ANZ Premiership elimination final
Sunday, 20 July 2025
What: ANZ Premiership elimination final, Tactix v Pulse; When: Sunday, 7.30pm; Where: Wolfbrook Arena, Christchurch; Live coverage: Sky Sport 2 from 7pm, Live updates on Stuff.
With a place in the grand final on the line, the time for talk is over, says star Tactix defender Karin Burger.
The Tactix have gone close to capturing their first ANZ Premiership title in recent years, but fallen short late in the season.
They lost back-to-back grand finals to the Pulse and Mystics in 2020 and 2021 and were knocked out in the elimination final at home by the Mystics last year.
A disappointing 70-56 loss to the Mystics in the final round saw the Tactix finish second, setting up a do-or-die elimination final with the Pulse in Christchurch on Sunday.
The Tactix have often been spoken about as a side with the firepower and experience to end their title drought, but come unstuck when it counted.
Fresh off a forgettable display against the Mystics, who will host the grand final next Sunday, Burger said it was all about their actions on court in the elimination final. The time for talk was over.
“It’s easy to keep saying, ‘This is our potential’, but we need to actually live by it and show what our potential is,” the 63-cap Silver Fern said.
“Knowing this could potentially be our last game and the stakes at hand we know how much effort we have to put into this one and that we’re pretty much putting it all out there.”
Had the Tactix beaten the Mystics by six goals they would have locked in their first home grand final in team history. Instead, they produced their worst performance of the season, never recovering from a sloppy first quarter against a confident Mystics side.
Considering a home grand final was up for grabs, it was an uncharacteristically sluggish showing from the red-and-blacks, who failed to stem the flow of ball into Mystics’ Australian shooter Donnell Wallam.
“We can’t keep saying it’s not just how we play. We actually have to prove how we play. Earlier on in the season that is exactly what we had been doing…
“We know what we can do to be better and we need to go out and do that. Whether we lost or won the last game it doesn’t matter. We need to go out hard this week and every last game is the most important game.”
Burger and defensive partner Jane Watson’s battle with Pulse shooting standout Amelia Walmsley will go a long way to deciding who advances to the grand final.
When the ball is flowing quickly into Walmsley, the Pulse are a lethal beast. Applying pressure high up court and hounding key Pulse feeders Maddy Gordon and Whitney Souness will be paramount for the Tactix.
Burger and Watson are arguably the best defensive combination in the ANZ Premiership and will naturally pick up ball at the back. They can only be effective if players like Paris Lokotui and Holly Mather further up court are doing their jobs defensively.
Against the Mystics, Burger and Watson were quiet by their lofty standards, being outplayed by Wallam, who racked up 57 goals.
“I think we’ve really had a tough look at ourselves individually and seeing what we can do better,” Burger said.
“I think potentially we are in the right places [to win ball], we’re just not necessarily having the courage to go for things. I think there’s sometimes that very fine line between being courageous and going for stuff, but also being smart about when you go for things.”
Since Burger joined the Tactix from the Pulse in 2021, she and Watson have built up a brilliant combination. The duo have also played together for the Silver Ferns and at times have an almost telepathic understanding when hunting for ball.
Watson, who has been unavailable for media this season, has not discussed her plans beyond 2025, but this could very well be her final campaign.
If the Tactix lose, there is every chance it could be the last dance for the 35-year-old, who played 66 tests and was a pivotal performer in the Ferns’ 2019 Netball World Cup winning side.
Burger had not heard any whispers about Watson’s future plans, at least publicly, but savoured every time she lined up against the defensive great.
“Me personally I’ve been fortunate to be able to build that connection with her and create this formidable defensive end that it’s fun to play with and constantly learning and developing.
“I’ve been extremely grateful for it, so I definitely understand you don’t know what’s going to happen next year, so you’ve got to enjoy it while you can.”
Tactix strength and conditioning coach Mark Drury had reminded the side this week the realities of professional sport meant the same group of players would not all be back next season. They needed to embrace an elimination final and soak up every minute together.
A former Pulse player, Burger knows opposition members Gordon, Souness, Kelly Jackson, and Tiana Metuarau well from her time in the capital and the Silver Ferns.
Interactions had been quiet this week with no cheeky pre-match banter ahead of the winner-takes-all showdown.
Prior to the opening centre pass, there would be a hug and hello, but for 60 minutes friendship would go out the window.
“On-court it’s rivals, but off-court it’s friends. I think there’s this mindset that it’s all just an on-court battle.
“It’s business mode at the moment, but I’m sure off-court once the game is done everything will be back to normal again. At the end of the day, it’s just a game. Life goes on.”
Silver Ferns defender Parris Mason, who sustained a nasty neck injury against the Stars two weeks ago, is again expected to be unavailable for the Pulse.
Mason has been cleared of any bone and disc, or main ligament injury, but it would not be a shock if she sat out the final part of the ANZ Premiership.
Without Mason, the Pulse will go with former Australian Diamond Gabi Simpson or New Zealand under-21 member Laura Balmer as their starting goal defence.