What a great opening to what’s anticipated to be the most competitive season with a showdown between two quality sides touted as top four contenders. The Vixens and Mystics faced off last month in a pre-season hit-out in Tasmania – but no doubt each coach would have kept some tricks up their sleeves in anticipation of this clash. The Mystics endured a torrid season in 2013, decimated by injuries to key players and loss of form that saw them reach the Finals the previous two years. But the addition of Laura Langman – arguably the best centres in the world – to their midcourt immediately makes them a more potent side.

Shooter Cathrine Latu has publically stated she’s fitter than ever and her combination with Maria Tutaia is sure to provide an early test to the Vixens’ international defenders Bianca Chatfield and Geva Mentor. The Vixens have been title contenders the past two seasons and last year’s fadeout provided coach Simone McKinnis and her squad with plenty of motivation over the summer to contend once again. The Vixens lost four of their last five games to bow out in the Preliminary Final after finishing runners up the previous season. Last season, the Vixens were the No.1 ranked defensive side in the regular rounds but had the third lowest attack end behind the NSW Swifts and – surprisingly – the Adelaide Thunderbirds.

The arrival of Catherine Cox in Melbourne, her third ANZ Championship franchise, will take a lot of scoring pressure off Karyn Bailey and Tegan Caldwell, who both still had career-best seasons in 2013.