The oil
The Northern Mystics, Southern Steel and Mainland Tactix are locked in for the playoffs. The Mystics are presently in the driver’s seat with seven wins, two losses and one bonus point for 22 points. They have a goal percentage of 110.9%. The Steel have the same win-loss record, but have no bonus points and are second with 21 points and a 109.1% goal percentage. The Tactix have six wins, three losses and two bonus points to sit third with 20 points and a 109.0% goal percentage.
The Mystics have the easier route: they play the bottom-of-the-table Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic tomorrow, having thumped them 57-37 earlier this season. On Sunday, the Steel host the Tactix, who they lost to 55-42 in the opening game of the round.
Scenario one
If the Mystics beat the Magic, they will get the week off and host the grand final in Auckland on June 27.
Whoever wins between the Tactix and the Steel will host the elimination final on June 21.
Scenario two
Here is where it gets tricky.
If the Magic beat the Mystics, whoever wins the Steel-Tactix game could host the final.
If the Magic win by more than five goals, they would deny the Mystics a bonus point and the Aucklanders would finish on 22 points and likely host the elimination final. But if the Magic beat the Mystics by five or less, the Mystics would receive a bonus point.
If the Tactix beat the Steel, the Tactix would get three points and would finish with 23 points, the same as the Mystics. It would come down to goal percentage/differential to decide who hosts the final and who hosts the elimination final.
If the Steel won and the Mystics got a bonus point, the Steel would finish on 24 points — one point ahead of the Mystics — and host the final.
But if the Steel lost and nabbed a bonus point, and the Mystics lose without a bonus point, they would both finish on 22 points and would require a calculator to be split.
If the Tactix lose, and the Mystics get a losing bonus point, the Tactix will finish on 20 points, and the Mystics on 23, so they would host the elimination final.
Simple, right? Fingers crossed for some big wins.
