5 Mar 2012

Firebirds the team to beat

7:31 am on 5 March 2012

The Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic captain, Laura Langman, says the defending champion Queensland Firebirds are in a class of their own and will be difficult to knock off their ANZ netball Championship perch.

The Firebirds went through last season unbeaten and were undefeated again on their way to winning the weekend's pre-season tournament in Tauranga, outclassing the Melbourne Vixens by 20 points in yesterday's final.

The Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic finished third after beating fellow New Zealanders the Northern Mystics but Langman concedes the other nine teams are a step behind the Queenslanders.

The ANZ Championship starts at the end of the month.