Tiana Metuarau’s confidence has soared over the past month.
The entire Southern Steel team’s has, for that matter, but the goal attack in particular attracted attention for her top form of late.
She took the mantle of experienced shooter while George Fisher was out with a concussion.
Since then she has barely put a foot wrong and has been key in the Steel’s run of form — having won six of their past seven games.
While she admits she is happy with how she has been playing, she does not feel she has done much different.
She has shot the ball more, certainly, but aside from that she felt she was doing much the same as she normally does, particularly when she paired with replacement goal shoot Grace Namana.
"It’s interesting because all I did was shoot more," she said.
"Everything else I did on court, I’ve done all season. It’s just interesting that perception the public can have in that there’s an improvement in your performance, when really all I did was shoot the ball more. Which is critical and it is crucial to a goal attack’s role, especially when our top shooter’s out.
"But Grace did so well, she’s so good. She was nervous but I trusted her and I had full faith she could do her job really well and it showed in the result in the end."
Monday’s game against the Northern Stars in Auckland shapes as pivotal in the Steel’s season.
While the team has exceeded so many expectations in winning nine matches already, it has the chance to go one better.
A win would lock in a playoff spot.
The Steel are tied for third on 27 points. The Stars are two points back in fourth.
A win would put the Steel beyond the three points the Stars would need to catch it in next week’s final round.
The Steel has lost both its games against the Stars so far this year.
The team was playing with plenty of confidence.
"I think it’s a mix of nervousness and excitement, but there is this kind of hunger I think," Metuarau said.
"There’s a really strong confidence, not to confuse it with arrogance. We’re just in that confident position where we don’t have anything to lose.
"There’s probably more pressure on [the Stars], being the top seed for the majority of the competition. I think they’re in fourth now.
"But it doesn’t take away form the fact they’re a really strong quality side. We just need to keep playing the simple netball we know how to play. If we do the small things right we should be able to get a win out of that."
