Laura Langman: Magic can win

In her third year of captaining Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic, Laura Langman says winning today’s ANZ Championship final would be the “cherry on the cake”.

The 26-year-old, who has been playing netball since she was young, hopes after four years of making the semi-finals and stopping short of gold, the Magic will finally finish on top.

“It would be extremely satisfying,” she says.

“We’re keeping everything in perspective and not wanting to get ahead of ourselves.”

Despite the Magic losing the first four games of the season, Laura says the possibility of making it to the finals was never out of the question.

“I think it’s been an incredible journey that’s for sure; we’ve been at all spots in the ladder and being at the top is a lot more enjoyable than the bottom.”

The team has gone on to win 11 consecutive matches.

“I think after our terrible start we really had look at ourselves and look at the processes we had in place.

“I think a key shift was we stopped worrying about the outcome and just focused on our task and as a result our performance from week five to now has taken care of itself.”

But Laura is remaining humble – saying the Firebirds managed to go all season without a loss in 2011.

In 2008 the Magic faced the Swifts in the grand final but were defeated 65 – 56.

Laura says the memories of that match will be used to the Magic’s advantage this afternoon.

“I think our ability to have made the final every year speaks for itself. It’s more the experience of being in top four and knowing what’s required, the standard of netball and what it’s like is probably what you remember the most.”

She admits there is still a little pressure. “Having been in the final of ANZ every year, the bar gets lifted a little higher.”

The Magic will battle the Vixens in Melbourne this afternoon in the fifth ANZ Championship grandfinal.

Watch the match live on Sky Sport 1 from 4pm (NZT) today.