The Steel's 65-58 win against the defending champion in Invercargill on Saturday has seen the side move back into the top four.
But to stay in playoff contention, it has to keep winning and it has some tough fixtures ahead.
There is a return game against the Magic in Rotorua early next month that could prove crucial. And next Monday, the Steel plays the Melbourne Vixens across the Tasman.
The Steel has never won an ANZ Championship match on Australian soil but it has never had a shooter quite like Jhaniele Fowler, either.
She was instrumental in the Saturday win with 44 goals from 46. However, captain Jodi Brown's effort was every bit as vital. She lifted her efforts in the shooting circle and carried more scoring load than she has had to do in previous matches.
The midcourt pairing of Phillipa Finch and Courtney Tairi provided some wonderful service and Rachel Rasmussen and Sulu Tone-Fitzpatrick created pressure through tenacious defence. Wing defence Wendy Frew followed on from her excellent performance last week with another sterling effort.
It really was a complete team effort and Southby believes the win has given the Steel the confidence to break its duck in Australia.
''We know we have a tough one next week,'' Southby said.
''I'm pleased with the way we played but we've got to keep working away and getting better.
''I think we have [the team to win in Australia]. We've learnt what works for us and we know that we can do it. That is the belief that is coming through with the players. Even though the Magic came back at us, we didn't capitulate, which we did earlier in the season, so I think the growth of the team, from that perspective, has been huge.''
For the first time this season, Fowler did not have it all her own way in the shooting circle. Silver Ferns and Magic defensive combination Casey Kopua and Leana de Bruin made sure of that, with the Jamaican international having to use every inch of her 1.98m frame to pull in the high balls.
Brown was quick to realise she would need to shoulder more of the scoring load. She had been keeping her shooting game up her sleeve. With Fowler scoring about 50-odd goals most games, there had been no need to go to plan B.
Brown drilled some shots from deep in the circle and rather upset the Magic's game plan.
''Jodi stepped up and did a lot of work in that attacking circle and that took a lot of pressure off J [Fowler] and opened her up a little bit.''
The Steel trailed 18-16 at the break but a five-goal run midway through the second period saw the momentum shift to the home team.
The Magic called a time-out but the break did little to wrest the initiative, with the Steel going on another scoring blitz. The lead ballooned to nine goals, with the Steel outscoring the Magic 22-11 - yes, 22-11.
The defending champion made six turnovers during the period and the Steel converted most of those opportunities.
The home side's ability to score goals rapidly is perhaps unparalleled in the league, but it was Rasmussen and Tone-Fitzpatrick's defensive effort that helped force errors and create extra scoring opportunities.
The Magic made two changes just before halftime, with Jodi Tod-Elliott replacing Elias Shadrock at wing defence and Khao Watts coming on for Jessica Tuki at wing attack. It helped, too, with the Magic adding six goals and clawing its way back into the contest.
But having fallen so far behind, every small mistake felt like another huge step back. The Steel was able to maintain a seven-goal buffer with 15min to play.
Magic coach Noeline Taurua shuffled her shooters, with Ellen Halpenny dropping to the bench and Jess Waitapu called in. Irene van Dyk shot another perfect game with 29 from 29, but damage done in the second quarter could not be fixed.
The Steel has now won four consecutive games, which equals the franchise record set in 2010.
ANZ Championship
The scores
Steel 65
Jhaniele Fowler 44 from 46, Jodi Brown 21/24
Magic 58
Irene van Dyk 29/29, Ellen Halpenny 22/31, Jess Waitapu 7/7
Quarter scores: 1st 16-18, 2nd 38-29, 3rd 50-43
