Northern Mystics: Auckland’s ANZ Premiership Netball Team

The Northern Mystics are a professional netball franchise from Auckland and one of the six teams in the ANZ Premiership, New Zealand’s elite domestic league. Representing the Netball Northern zone, which covers Auckland and the Northland region, the club has grown from an early contender into the most successful team of the ANZ Premiership era, winning the championship four times. This guide explains where the team came from, how New Zealand netball’s league structure changed around it, its full honours record and the players who shaped its identity.

A “franchise” in this context simply means a professional club licensed to play in the national league, drawing its players from a defined region rather than a single town. For the Mystics, that region is the top of the North Island, and the team is run under the Netball Northern umbrella.

Club origins and how the league changed

The Northern Mystics were formed in 2007 through the merger of two rival Auckland-area teams, the Northern Force and the Auckland Diamonds, which had previously competed in the National Bank Cup — New Zealand’s domestic league at the time. The new combined franchise was built to represent the wider northern region at the highest level.

Understanding the Mystics means understanding three separate eras of top-level netball in this part of the world, which the original version of this article blurred together:

• National Bank Cup (to 2007): New Zealand’s domestic league, and the competition the Mystics’ two predecessor teams came from.
• ANZ Championship (2008–2016): a trans-Tasman league featuring five New Zealand and five Australian franchises. The Mystics were a founding member and played every season.
• ANZ Premiership (2017–present): a New Zealand-only league created after the trans-Tasman competition ended. It was not a merger of the National Bank Cup and the ANZ Championship; it is a separate domestic competition launched in 2017.

When the ANZ Premiership began in 2017 it had six founding New Zealand franchises: the Northern Mystics, the Northern Stars, the Central Pulse, the Mainland Tactix, the Southern Steel and the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic. The Mystics have competed in every season of all three eras under the Netball Northern banner.

History in the ANZ Championship (2008–2016)

The Mystics made their ANZ Championship debut in 2008 and gradually built into a finals team. Their strongest trans-Tasman campaign came in 2011, when head coach Debbie Fuller and captain Temepara George guided the side to the grand final for the first time in the club’s history. After finishing fourth in the regular season, the Mystics won through the finals series — including their first win on Australian soil, a 56–54 result over the West Coast Fever — before losing the decider to an undefeated Queensland Firebirds side, 57–44, to finish as runners-up.

The 2012 season is remembered less for its result than for a single moment of invention. In a Round 8 match against the Melbourne Vixens, the Mystics unveiled the now-famous “Harrison Hoist”: defender Anna Harrison was lifted into the air by teammates Kayla Cullen and Jessica Moulds to block shots at goal, in a move reminiscent of a rugby lineout. Harrison made several crucial blocks and the Mystics won 49–45. The tactic became one of the most talked-about innovations in the sport’s modern history.

In 2015 the Mystics topped the New Zealand Conference as minor premiers but could not convert that regular-season strength into a title, exiting the finals without reaching the grand final. The trans-Tasman ANZ Championship was discontinued after the 2016 season, ending the era of New Zealand and Australian clubs competing in the same league and setting the stage for a new domestic competition.

Across the ANZ Championship years the Mystics built a reputation as an attacking, forward-thinking side. They were among the New Zealand teams to lean heavily on zone defence — a system in which defenders guard areas of the court rather than marking a single opponent — and favoured a fast transition game that moved the ball quickly from defence into the shooting circle. That style, more than any single result, became the club’s long-running identity.

ANZ Premiership success: a record four titles

The ANZ Premiership era is where the Mystics turned consistent contention into silverware. The team has now won the competition four times, the most of any franchise in the league’s history. The honours table below summarises every grand final the club has reached in this era.

2021: the breakthrough title

Under head coach Helene Wilson, the Mystics finished the 2021 regular season as minor premiers and went on to win the club’s first ANZ Premiership title, beating the Mainland Tactix 61–59 in a one-goal grand final at Auckland’s Spark Arena. The season was defined by young goal shooter Grace Nweke, who set a league scoring record with 852 goals.

2023: back on top under Winikerei

Tia Winikerei took over as head coach and led the Mystics to the 2023 title in her early tenure. The team again finished as minor premiers and won the grand final convincingly, defeating the crosstown Northern Stars 74–56.

2024: back-to-back from third

The 2024 campaign was tighter. The Mystics finished third in the regular season but peaked in the finals, edging the Central Pulse 54–53 in a one-goal grand final to claim back-to-back championships — proof the club could win from outside the top seeding.

2025: minor premiers, grand-final heartbreak

In 2025 the Mystics were the dominant regular-season team, topping the table as minor premiers. They could not complete the job at home, however, losing the grand final 46–58 to the Mainland Tactix at The Trusts Arena. That defeat became the motivation for the following season.

2026: a record fourth championship

The 2026 grand final saw the Mystics beat the Southern Steel 56–46 at The Trusts Arena to claim a record fourth ANZ Premiership title, making them the most successful team of the era. Captained by Michaela Sokolich-Beatson, the side absorbed a difficult season for injuries — Silver Ferns defender Catherine Hall was ruled out after an ankle injury in round five — yet still finished the job. The win also made coach Tia Winikerei the most decorated coach in ANZ Premiership history.

The 2026 squad that delivered the title leaned on continuity, with one of the least-changed line-ups in the league. Shooters Maia Wilson, Filda Vui and Sophia Lafaiali’i led the attack, a midcourt of Peta Toeava, Tayla Earle, Katie Te Ao and captain Michaela Sokolich-Beatson drove the ball forward, and defenders Catherine Hall, Charlotte Manley and Phoenix Karaka anchored the back third. That stability, built over several seasons, is a large part of why the franchise has stayed at the top of the table rather than rebuilding year to year.

Home venue and region

The Mystics play their home matches at The Trusts Arena in Henderson, West Auckland, a multi-sport venue that has hosted several of the club’s recent grand finals. The franchise draws its player base from the Netball Northern zone, the busiest part of the New Zealand game, which also feeds into Auckland’s high-performance pathway and neighbouring associations. You can follow fixtures and club news on the official Northern Mystics website.

Because Auckland is New Zealand’s most populous region, the Mystics recruit from an unusually deep talent pool. School and club netball in the north feeds into representative age-group teams, which in turn feed the franchise — a structured ladder that gives emerging players a clear route toward professional netball and, for a handful, selection for the national side.

Rivalries

The Mystics’ sharpest modern rivalry is the crosstown clash with the Northern Stars, the other Auckland-based ANZ Premiership franchise, which they beat in the 2023 grand final. The Central Pulse and Mainland Tactix have also featured in Mystics grand finals — the Pulse in 2024 and the Tactix in both 2021 (a Mystics win) and 2025 (a Mystics loss) — giving the club a competitive history against most of the league.

Notable players

The Mystics have developed and attracted some of New Zealand netball’s most recognisable names across both league eras. Each left a distinct mark on the franchise.

Temepara George

A midcourt leader who captained the Mystics to their first ANZ Championship grand final in 2011. George is regarded as one of the most influential centre-court players of her generation and a foundational figure in the club’s early identity.

Maria Tutaia

A goal attack and shooter known for exceptional long-range accuracy, Tutaia — who later competed as Maria Folau — played for the Mystics across the ANZ Championship era and captained the side from 2013. She remains one of the most prolific shooters the franchise has fielded.

Kayla Cullen

A versatile, athletic defender who joined as a young player in 2010 and became a fan favourite. Cullen represented New Zealand at international level and was part of the teammate pairing that executed the Harrison Hoist in 2012.

Anna Harrison

A multi-position defender celebrated for her athleticism, Harrison gives her name to the “Harrison Hoist,” the lifted-block tactic she executed in 2012. She played for the Mystics in both the ANZ Championship and early ANZ Premiership years.

Grace Nweke

A towering modern goal shooter who set an ANZ Premiership scoring record of 852 goals in the 2021 title season. Nweke was central to the club’s first two Premiership titles before moving to Australia’s Suncorp Super Netball with the New South Wales Swifts from 2025.

Michaela Sokolich-Beatson

A defender who has captained the Mystics since 2024 and led the side to its record fourth title in 2026, anchoring the team through an injury-hit championship campaign.

Who the Mystics are for

For fans, the Mystics offer the most title-rich story in the ANZ Premiership and a strong Auckland-and-Northland identity. For young players in the north, the franchise sits at the top of a clear development pathway, giving regional and school netballers a visible professional goal. And for anyone new to New Zealand netball, the club is a useful case study in how a well-run franchise turns consistent finals appearances into sustained silverware.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

How many ANZ Premiership titles have the Northern Mystics won?

The Mystics have won four ANZ Premiership titles, in 2021, 2023, 2024 and 2026. That is the most of any team in the league’s history, making them the most successful franchise of the ANZ Premiership era.

Where do the Northern Mystics play their home games?

The Mystics play their home matches at The Trusts Arena in Henderson, West Auckland. The venue has also hosted several of the club’s recent grand finals, including the 2026 decider.

When were the Northern Mystics formed?

The franchise was formed in 2007 from the merger of two National Bank Cup teams, the Northern Force and the Auckland Diamonds. It became a founding member of the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship in 2008 and has played in the ANZ Premiership since 2017.

What is the Harrison Hoist?

The Harrison Hoist is a defensive move the Mystics introduced in 2012, in which defender Anna Harrison was lifted into the air by teammates to block shots at goal. It was first used in a Round 8 win over the Melbourne Vixens and became one of netball’s best-known innovations.

Who coaches the Northern Mystics?

Tia Winikerei is the head coach. She led the team to titles in 2023, 2024 and 2026, which makes her the most decorated coach in ANZ Premiership history.