But in all reality, its season effectively ended with a meek effort in the fourth quarter against the Pulse in Invercargill last night.
The Pulse has won the last six encounters between the teams and its 62-54 win lifted it into the top four.
But for 40 minutes the Steel matched the visitor for intensity and maintained a narrow lead. For once it was not the defensive end which gave it away, but rather the much-vaunted attack.
The Steel trailed by three goals with 15 minutes remaining and its sense of calm was replaced with something more closely resembling panic.
Patience was suddenly in short supply. Passes were pushed. Judgement was tested.
The season was on the line and the Steel flinched, losing the last quarter 14-9.
Wily Pulse goal attack Donna Wilkins felt her side's three goal run at the end of the third quarter was the turning point in the match.
''We knew we had to ride it out with them and we got our break towards the end of that third quarter and in the fourth quarter,'' Wilkins told the Sky commentary team.
''We're really, really pleased because it is hard to come down here and play.''
The Steel opted to make a change at the defence end, with Erena Mikaere starting ahead of Phoenix Karaka at goal keep, and midcourter Phillipa Finch made a speedy recovery from a calf injury which prevented her taking her spot last week.
The sides traded goals in a tidy opening stanza.
Steel goal defence Rachel Rasmussen created the first opportunity when she used her away hand to disrupt possession.
Pulse captain Katrina Grant won possession back, though, with a timely intercept at the other end.
The first break did not come until the 10 minute mark, when Mikaere got a mitt to the ball and slapped it back in court to a waiting team-mate.
It was good reward for the home side, which had put the Pulse under an enormous amount of defensive pressure.
The Steel had worked hard for its 16-14 and, early in the second period, Mikaere timed a leap perfectly and swatted away a shot from Wilkins.
The ball fell nicely for the Pulse, but it was an indication the Steel's criticised defensive unit was a little more motivated than usual.
Rasmussen made the pass of the game - a bullet to Jhaniele Fowler-Reid, who used every centimetre of her 1.98m frame to haul it in and calmly slotted the goal.
But it was the visitor which finished the half stronger.
It posted three consecutive goals to level the score 31-31 at halftime.
The Steel used route one - the long pass to Fowler-Reid - for most of the opening 30 minutes.
Brown had put up just five shots for three goals.
If there was an area the home side could improve, that was it. And the Steel had given away too many penalties.
Once again the Pulse finished the quarter with a three goal run and led 48-45.
Steel coach Janine Southby took positive action in face of a mounting penalty count, replacing Mikaere with Storm Purvis.
The Pulse had the centre pass, so its three goal lead quickly became four.
Having got a buffer, the Pulse worked overtime to keep it, passing the ball around and sometimes taking three times as many passes as the Steel before making a shot.
It is coach Robyn Broughton's trademark and the Pulse executed that part of the game plan brilliantly.
The Steel no longer had the luxury of time. It had to play catch-up netball, especially after Grant got a tip and the lead grew to six.
All the previous good work was undone with a poor finish.
Championship
The scores
Pulse 62
Irene van Dyk 35 from 36, Donna Wilkins 27/30
Steel 54
Jhaniele Fowler-Reid 47/49, Jodi Brown 7/11
Quarter scores: 14-16, 31-31, 48-45
