Game changer from the Mystics

The Northern Mystics have produced a game changer for the sport of netball.

Several times during their 49-45 win over the Vixens in Melbourne, defender Anna Harrison was lifted in the shooting circle to reject shots.

Coach Debbie Fuller says Harrison is the perfect player to test the new technique.

"Anna's got a massive standing jump. We're just combining her time in the air with her standing jump and her physique.

"We're really lucky there's somebody like that, but also the person lifting, who has to get their timing right as well."

Fuller says there were a couple of players that thought they should have been doing the lifting because they're top in bench press for the team.

She says they've done a lot of work in training on perfecting the new manoeuvre.

"It's all about the timing, getting the timing right of the shot. We spend a lot of time looking at when shooters release the ball and counting how long it takes for the ball to get from their hands to the hoop and if you look at that and study that, then you can get your timing off that."

Fuller says blaming the trip across the Tasman as an excuse for losing in Australia is no longer an option.

"We knew going into this game that if we lost, it'd be chiseled in stone that we seem to choke in Australia so we're fed up with it just as much as netball fans in New Zealand are."

Former Silver Ferns coach Yvonne Willering can see the Mystics' innovative lifting moving down the other end of the court.

Willering says shooters lifting each other is the next step.

"I mean visualise this Romelda Aiken lifting Medhurst to do a slam dunk. I mean if you can do it on defence obviously it's got to be allowed to happen on attack as well."

Ms Willering said the move had been considered in the past.

"But in the past it has been deemed not in the spirit of the game, but really more importantly no one was prepared to try it," she says.

Speaking along the same lines, former Silver Ferns defender Tracey Fear is warning teams against overusing the new lifting technique in netball.

Fear says if it becomes too hard to score, the powers that be may be forced to rethink the rules.

"As a lover of the game, I wouldn't like to see defenders parked up under the post just using that as their only means of defence, but as a trick in their kit bag to bring out every now and then."

Tracey Fear is expecting lifting to become widespread in netball.

The Mystics are now second on the ANZ Championship table.

The Queensland Firebirds have clinched a 61-60 victory over the Southern Steel in Invercargill.

Firebirds shooter Romelda Aiken nailed a game high 37 from 42, with Donna Wilkins leading the way for the home side with 28 from 30.

Photo: The controversial lift (Getty Images)