Two years ago, the Steel made the controversial decision to advertise for a coach, alienating long-serving coach Robyn Broughton.
Broughton was free to apply but she was smart enough to understand the franchise wanted to move in a new direction. She popped up in Wellington and has transformed the Pulse, a former easy beat, into a competitive unit.
But Broughton has not done it alone. She took two Steel players (Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit and Paula Griffin) with her. A third, Liana Leota, joined the Pulse this season after a year in the United Kingdom.
When you consider Katrina Grant and Donna Wilkins have also played for the Steel, it is tempting to draw the conclusion the new Pulse is the old Steel, in a different uniform.
Had Broughton not left in 2011, perhaps the Steel line-up would have had a very similar look to the Pulse.
Tomorrow's match is, in that sense, a sliding door. A what-if game.
But, win or lose, the Steel season should be considered a reasonable success. Janine Southby's team has made some significant progress. The team's slim playoff prospects disappeared with the 68-56 loss to the Fever in Perth on Monday night. But six wins from 12 games is a satisfactory return from a team very much in a rebuilding phase.
If the Steel can hold on to its core group of players, it should be well placed to push for the playoffs next year.
Confirmation Jamaican international Jhaniele Fowler is to return is a good start. She is the leading shooter in the competition and the major reason the Steel has performed beyond expectations.
Next on the list will be retaining the services of experienced duo Jodi Brown and Grace Rasmussen, while Wendy Frew and Phillipa Finch have had terrific seasons.
The younger brigade of Shannon Francois, Courtney Tairi and Sulu Tone-Fitzpatrick have made pleasing progress. Bench defender Phoenix Karaka has outstanding athleticism and looks a fine long-term prospect.
Back-ups Storm Purvis and Te Paea Selby-Rickit have rarely been sighted but are still young and their time will come. There is room, though, for a quality defender, and some extra height in the midcourt would not go astray. Otherwise, the Steel looks in good shape.
It is doubtful a bad game could see one of the regular starters play her way out of a contract offer for next year. But it is always best to end on a good note.
The Steel squandered an opportunity to beat the Pulse in Palmerston North in April. It had got into a strong position by halftime but took a 10-minute nap during the third quarter and was out-scored 13-3. It proved decisive, with the Pulse winning 59-56.
While a bitter pill to swallow at the time, the Steel learned from the defeat and went on a four-game winning streak.
The Pulse will not lack for motivation. Broughton has always coached the winning team of this fixture. It is a proud record and her side still retains the slimmest mathematical chance of scraping into the top four.
