For the Southern Steel, though, that is exactly what coach Reinga Bloxham has dubbed the conundrum Monday night threw up.
The team’s brilliant comeback victory over the Central Pulse produced two perhaps unlikely stars in defender Sarahpheinna Woulf and shooter Georgia Heffernan.
Neither has been a starter, but both took their opportunities and were as influential as anyone on Monday night.
Woulf began coming up with turnover ball from everywhere, while Heffernan did not flinch as she sunk 15 of her 16 shots, including the clutch ones in the big moments.
Which leaves the question of what the team will opt for against the Northern Mystics in Invercargill tomorrow.
Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit is expected to be back after her Covid-19 layoff and would theoretically fill the spot Woulf occupied.
Whether they promote Heffernan, or continue to start Saviour Tui at goal attack, will also receive plenty of thought.
While it might make for a few selection headaches, they were headaches Bloxham welcomed.
"It’s an absolute pleasure of a problem to have when you have people put their hand up like that," she said.
"The selection headache is up to these players now to keep that momentum and keep that consistency in that performance, so that each week they can earn that bib.
"I think it is also nice knowing you’ve got players on your bench that can step up and deliver a performance like that."
She said Woulf had excelled given her limited court time over the past two years, while describing Heffernan as "cool as a cucumber".
Both are just 22 years old and have shown high levels of promise as young players.
Bloxham said it was great for them to deliver on that promise, particularly given the circumstances of the comeback win.
"I think as a team that sort of performance, to know you can start off really poorly and gather yourself and stay in the game, stick to your processes and structures, and come out with a win like that, it just gives everyone around you so much confidence.
"I think for them it gives them [Woulf and Heffernan] so much confidence in their own abilities going forward.
"Now they can see the potential that perhaps us coaches have always seen in them."
The table-topping Mystics lie in wait, a team which has proven too much for the Steel in their first two meetings.
Tomorrow will be third time in five weeks they have played each other, so the Steel knows the plan well at this stage.
Keeping the ball away from Grace Nweke would be huge.
The goal shoot has been virtually unstoppable this season and rather than getting into a jumping contest with her, stemming the attacking flow early would be the Steel’s focus.
Bloxham said Shannon Saunders’ 150th match and the Georgie Salter Memorial Trophy also gave the team added incentive this week.
Whether or not Bloxham will be there remains unclear.
She missed Monday night’s game, having initially been forced to isolate as a household contact, before testing positive for Covid-19 herself.
Her release day is Sunday and she hopes to be at the game, all going well.
While she was on the phone from her Invercargill home on Monday night, she said it was not an experience she wished to repeat.
"I felt quite nauseous from 4pm onwards. It was a horrible experience. I found it quite hard, so did Dayna [Kaio], our manager.
"You live every minute. I knew exactly what they were doing in their lead-up, when they were eating, when they were resting.
"You feel quite hopeless being so far away. A lot of what we do is about processes and routines, so I knew they would be fine. It was a tough experience not being there and not being able to feel the emotion of it."
ANZ Premiership
Invercargill, tomorrow, 4.10pm
Steel: Shannon Saunders, Kate Heffernan, Renee Savai’inaea, Ivari Christie, George Fisher, Georgia Heffernan, Saviour Tui, Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit, Kate Burley, Sarahpheinna Woulf.
Mystics: Sulu Fitzpatrick, Phoenix Karaka, Michaela Sokolich-Beatson, Claire O’Brien, Taylor Earle, Fa’amu Ioane, Elisapeta Toeava, Grace Nweke, Monica Falkner, Filda Vui.
