Adrian Seconi

Steel captain Jodi Brown was sporting a few new bruises after a physical encounter with the West Coast Fever at the Lion Foundation Arena on Saturday afternoon.

Experienced point guard Michael Fitchett may have come out of retirement to answer an SOS from the Otago Nuggets, but he has a lot of making-up to do with the franchise.

All Samuel-James Fisher wants to do is lace up his sneakers and play the game he loves.

Manawatu Jets centre Nick Horvath underlined his class with a powerhouse performance against the Otago Nuggets in Palmerston North last night.

You can go to the bank safe in the knowledge Steel defender Demelza McCloud is as tenacious a defender as there is in world netball.

Fantastic defence and some superb shooting helped the Steel seal a 55-53 win against the Canterbury Tactix in Christchurch last night.

Otago assistant coach Mohit Rao will travel to Hong Kong on Sunday - a temporary move he says is the next step in his coaching career.

If the Otago Nuggets' inspirational leader Mark Dickel had been able to hobble back into the action, the home side might have inflicted on the Hawkes Bay Hawks their first loss this season.

All Black and Highlanders hooker Andrew Hore turned up in Arrowtown on Saturday to help his club side, Maniototo, defeat the home side 34-29 in the White Horse Cup.

Tis time - Tisby's time, that is. Otago Nuggets centre Antoine Tisby has been in fantastic form for the franchise this season.

It is one of the first questions people ask Alison Shanks. And for the record: no, she will never get over the decision to drop the individual pursuit from the Olympic programme.

Steel shooter Donna Wilkins saw a new resolve in the Canterbury Tactix which she has not seen before and it could spell trouble for the combined Otago-Southland team.

Breakers forward BJ Anthony will have a scan on his troublesome ankle in the next "couple of days" but appears unlikely to feature in the ANBL finals against the Perth Wildcats.

The last time Alison Shanks returned to Dunedin wearing the world champion's rainbow jersey and with a gold medal draped around her neck, her grandfather, Watson Barkman, was there to greet her and he had not come empty-handed.

If it is meant to be a grudge match against the Central Pulse, then new Steel midcourter Phillipa Finch has not received the memo.

Otago strike bowler Neil Wagner and retiring Sparks spinner Tanya Morrison won the major prizes at the Otago Cricket Association awards at the University Oval last night.