Michaela Sokolich-Beatson: Mystics captain speaks ahead of ANZ Premiership Grand Final

After 10 rounds of action, the ANZ Premiership Grand Final is tonight and it's clear it's being contested by the two best teams this season. 

The Northern Mystics and the Southern Steel are facing off at The Trusts Arena in Auckland with hopes of being crowned the 2026 champion.

Michaela Sokolich-Beatson is the captain of the Mystics, she joined Adam to discuss

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the All Sport Breakfast podcast with Darcy
Waldegrave from News Talk ZEDB.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
The twenty twenty six A and Z Netball Premiership Final.
Mystics have been three time winners of this competition since
it began in twenty seventeen. Steele have won it twice,
but Steel certainly a long time since they lasted at
twenty eighteen. Mystics, of course, winners in twenty twenty three
and twenty twenty four before being runners up to the

(00:32):
Tactics last year. Let's head into the Mystics camp now
ahead of this big one tonight in Auckland defended Mikayla
Sokolch Beats and as well us. Morning to you. Mikayla, Well,
you had the weekend to watch a pretty exciting elimination
final play out between the Steel and the Tactics. Did
you enjoy watching that with a night well finding out
who you'll be playing tonight?

Speaker 3 (00:54):
Yeah, it didn't feel like we had the weekend off
because we still trained like we normally would. We play
the game on Saturday, so it felt like we really
started in the moment and tried to stay kind of
really on task. It was interesting watching the game year
because you just never really know how things are going
to go till you're in it. Se Yeah, I thought
that the Steel played a real clinical game and they

(01:15):
seemed really calm under pressure.

Speaker 2 (01:17):
How pleased were you with where the Mystics got to
by the end of the regular season? Of course top
spot straight through to tonight's final eight wins from ten
during the regular season, but also the nature of how
you secured some of those tight wins, as you say,
several came in pretty close fashion, didn't they.

Speaker 3 (01:34):
Yeah, Honestly, I couldn't be proud of this group the
way that we've just kind of got on was saying
we had a bit of a rocky start to the
season and we've lost Catherine, and we've just had our
training partners and our apprentice training partners really to step up,
And I think for me, I'm just super proud of that.
Like some of these girls have never touched the names
they caught before and then so to see them get

(01:56):
out there and give it a really good crack has
just been really cool to know that, you know, we're
building some really awesome netballers.

Speaker 2 (02:04):
See You've had a good look at the Steel on
TV over the past week, and that's elimination final win
for them. You've had a win and a loss against
them during the season. What do you feel like you'll
need to look out for as they make the trip
up to Auckland tonight.

Speaker 3 (02:18):
I think for us, it's just enjoying the moment, staying
and present and not getting too wrapped up on what
could be or should be, and just playing freely.

Speaker 2 (02:29):
You've been a part of winning Mystics teams in the past,
of course, how similar have those environments been across the
years You've had some success with your current team at the.

Speaker 3 (02:38):
Moment, Yeah, I feel really fortunate that a core group
of us have been here for all of Mystics wins
and a miss six round final loss, so we know
how it feels to be on the end of boat
and we also know what it takes in the moment.
So I think that that's really awesome for us, and
that also comes with its challenges because you try to

(02:59):
maybe replicate things or do things. Saying that, the group
also changes slightly. So I think for us it's just
about playing to our strength and yeah, just enjoying being there.
Not everyone gets to play in a grand frontal the.

Speaker 2 (03:13):
Very experienced Maya Wilson joined the Mystics at the start
of this season. She's shot at ninety three percent for
the Mystics this year. How nice has it been looking
down at the other end of the court and having
Maya in the same team uniform as you.

Speaker 3 (03:27):
Honestly, I've really enjoyed having her in our team. She's
such an anchor for us down the attacking end, and
she just brings like because she's been the captain at
the Stars for years, so she brings so much leadership,
but she almost seems as if she just had this
weight lifted off her shoulders. And yeah, her energy and
her commitment to our values and our standards and our

(03:49):
way we want to perform has just been unreal. And
she's really kind of driven that attacking end along with Pete,
and it's been really nice to just kind of see.

Speaker 2 (03:57):
Her flourish and nice for you. I'm sure to not
have to mark her this year when you've played the
Stars as well.

Speaker 3 (04:03):
Yeah, that's also bonus brilliant.

Speaker 2 (04:05):
Support for neitball has been strong right around the country
this year. I feel some regular sellout crowds, I'm sure
be of a crowd heading up from the deep South
of this one tonight as well. So how important is
it for your home fans that have helped you got
to this point to be making lots of noise tonight
to ensure you can capitalize on the home court advantage.

Speaker 3 (04:25):
Yeah, it's huge. Our crowd is great. One thing I
really do love about our Miss six Nation is they
just love knitball, Like even if the other team does
something really good, they all cheer and get amongst it,
and they bring their energy and their vibes and their
signs and they dress up and yeah, they're just such
a cool bunch. But the Steel as well have very

(04:46):
staunch supporters, so I can imagine some of them will
make the trip. And some of those girls that play
in that Steel team of from Auckland, so they'll bring
it all their friends and their family, So I think
they'll have a pretty big pocket of supporter So if
our Miss six Nation can kind of overpower them, that'll
be great.

Speaker 2 (05:03):
It has been well documented, I guess the uncertainty around
the future of this competition, the future of netball in
the country in general. Michaela as well, has it been
hard putting aside all the worries and chatter around this
year or a is focusing on actually what's happening on
the court, being easy enough through a successful season so far.

Speaker 3 (05:22):
Yeah, honestly, what you said, I just put it to
one side. I think my whole team's pretty good at
doing that. And because things are so uncertain, it's like
control what you can control, and at the moment, we're
not in control of a lot of that stuff. So
for us, it's just again and enjoying the moment and
just doing what we can and just also rewarding our
fans as well, because they have shown up in force

(05:45):
for the whole season across all of the zones and franchises.
So yeah, just hopefully putting out a good product that
people can enjoy watching.

Speaker 2 (05:53):
Great, And how are you on Finals Day? Usually you've
had a few over the years. Do you treat them
any differently in the lead up? Do you have a
few extra nerves on game day heading into tonight?

Speaker 3 (06:02):
Yeah, I've been here before, so I know what to expect.
I've got my routines pretty set, so I know that.
I just if I want to play how I've played
all Yeah, I just got to stick to what I
know and what I do and then I'll be fine.

Speaker 2 (06:17):
Great well, Mcartha, congratulations on another fantastic season so far
and all the very best with getting the job done tonight.
Thanks for your time here on the All Sport Breakfast.

Speaker 3 (06:26):
Awesome, Thank you very much.

Speaker 1 (06:28):
For more from The All Sport Breakfast with Darcy Watergrave,
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