Anna Harrison said farwell to netball last night but not without a parting gift.
The former Silver Fern is known for introducing the "Harrison Hoist" and last night the wily defender unveiled a new move.
The Mystics say goodbye to Anna Harrison. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
In the second quarter Harrison launched off team-mate Phoenix Karaka's thigh to propel herself high over Ameliaranne Ekenasio's shot at goal.
While she didn't block the shot, Ekenasio missed the attempt.
Harrison's career came to an end when the Northern Mystics' went down to the Central Pulse 55-48 in Wellington, but she will long be remembered for her innovation.
The retiring Harrison said it was a move she had thought about for some time.
"I remember my husband and I were at the beach one day I was like 'I wonder if this would work?' It's something I wanted to try for a while but everything's got to align but tonight was do or die, now was the time to try it. I'm stoked that we got to do it, Phoenix was on to it and let me do it," said Harrison.
Karaka fortunately had plenty of strength in her thighs to absorb the impact.
"There's some defenders I probably wouldn't try to jump off. You've got to aim high for the hip and make sure that you lock it in there. Phoenix seemed to be alright with it, she's probably got a shoe mark on her upper thigh though."
Pulse captain and Silver Ferns skipper Katrina Grant said Harrison had been cooking up the move for a while.
"I remember it from Ferns, we tried [when we were team-mates] to practice it a couple of times. She's been practicing that for a while so it's cool to see it come off in her last game, always from Anna you're going to get that, she's amazing," said Grant.
There are very few athletes who retire from a sport leaving tangible evidence behind that they once played.
When Harrison pulled off the hoist for the first time in 2012 during the Northern Mystics' round 8 ANZ match against the Melbourne Vixens, no one could predict what impact it might have on the game.
Some were sceptical that the audacious move would be adopted as an effective tool but little by little it has crept in to the game. The Harrison Hoist even has its own Wikipedia page.
Admittedly, others have been less elegant in executing the manoeuvre in which one defender lifts another during a jump in an attempt to deflect a shot.
The Harrison hoist (Anna Harrison). Photo: PHOTOSPORT
When Harrison first did it, she sometimes plucked the ball mid-air with two hands, at its highest point.
Kate Shimmin who plays in Australia's Super Netball competition has managed to win some ball with the move.
Pulse defenders Katrina Grant and Sulu Fitzpatrick have used it regularly this year; Jane Watson and Temalisi Fakahokotau of the Tactix use it on occasion too. It hasn't resulted in clean ball but in a game where shooters are getting taller, there is value in any tool that can put a shooter off their shot.
And that was Harrison's intention.
"Just trying to think of something new and how you can use your partner and you know there's such tall shooters around and accurate you've got to really try and think of something to put them off."
As Harrison contemplated the end of her career she said it was nice knowing she had made a lasting impact on the game.
"I guess I've never really thought about it that much but as people are starting and I'm reflecting on my career yeah I do feel really honoured that I can be remembered for being a little bit thinking outside the box and trying something new to put shooters off."
