Silver Ferns and Steel defender Katrina Grant has become the latest to leave the Invercargill-based team, joining departing marquee players Adine Wilson (pregnant), Megan Hutton (retired) and Donna Wilkins, who revealed she was unhappy with the Steel and would not play in Invercargill again.
Grant (22), who will link up with the Wellington-based Pulse next season, cited family reasons for the move north.
Her exit has stripped the Steel of four of its starting seven players.
A defensive Paterson told the Otago Daily Times the departures were not a sign the franchise was in trouble.
"We are sad to see Katrina go but the other players were not entirely unexpected," Paterson said.
"We always knew that Donna and Adine were not givens [for next season]. When you've got players who have come back from having families, it is always in the back of your head that they may want to extend their families and be looking at other opportunities. And we knew Megan was retiring."
That said, Wilkins and Wilson were the main contributors to an improved performance by the Steel this season and are a huge loss for a franchise that has not been able to build on the success of its predecessor, the Sting.
While the departures of Wilson and Hutton might not have come as a shock, Paterson was surprised with Wilkins' parting shots.
The new mother complained the franchise had not given her enough support and said she would not pull on a Steel bib again.
Wilkins played for the Sting for 10 seasons and was the Steel's assistant coach in 2008.
Grant's decision to sign with the Pulse must have came as a blow as well.
The 1.85m-tall goal defence is the second-most-capped Steel player, and, with Hutton also leaving, the combined Otago-Southland side would have been desperate to retain her services.
With the Steel needing to find at least four replacements, Paterson said she was busy shopping around for talent.
"We are flat out recruiting, there is no doubt about that.
And we hope to make some announcements in the very near future."
Pregnant shooter Daneka Wipiiti signed a two-year contract and will return next season.
And Paterson is confident that with future signings and the players waiting in the wings, the Steel will field a competitive unit.
• Southern Steel
A decimated team
- Megan Hutton (GK): Retired.
- Katrina Grant (GD): Signed for the Pulse.
- Wendy Telfer (WD): Signed for next season.
- Liana Barrett-Chase (C): Likely to return.
- Adine Wilson (WA): Pregnant with second child and will not return.
- Donna Wilkins (GA): Disenchanted with the franchise and says she will not return.
- Daneka Wipiiti (GS): First child due in December but expecting to play next season.
