There is a sense of completion for Leana de Bruin with her move south from the Magic to the Steel this year.
Before the 32-year-old South African-born defender shifted to New Zealand in 2002, she had a season with the Steel's predecessor, the Sting, in 2001.
"I'm sort of back where I really started," de Bruin said.
"I came to New Zealand with a World Seven team in 2001 and I thought it would be quite cool to come and play for a season.
"That's how I basically ended up here."
The season for the Sting gave de Bruin some insight into how coach Robyn Broughton operates and she is also familiar with a lot of the players.
She played alongside Daneka Wipiiti, Megan Dehn and Sheryl Scanlan for the Force in the defunct National Bank Cup and had a season with shooter Jade Topia at the Mystics during the inaugural season of the ANZ Championship.
De Bruin gave birth to her first child, Caleb, on Labour Day (October 26) and will have the support of her mother, Hanna, who is coming out from South Africa to help look after the 3-month-old while she is busy during the netball season.
De Bruin, her husband, Quinton, and Caleb will move to Invercargill in late February but until then will commute between Cambridge and Invercargill.
Mother and son made their first trip south last week to attend a Steel training camp over the weekend.
But the pair will have to get use to spending time apart with the pre-season gearing up and the ANZ Championship opening round in less than two months.
"The travelling will be challenging but I've got a few practice runs coming up," she said.
"Next week we're in Christchurch and two weeks after that we're in Queenstown, and Caleb is not going with me.
"So we'll see how that goes but as long as he's happy and settled at home it's easier for all of us."
Part of the reason she decided to transfer to the Steel was because the franchise was supportive in helping her balance a young family and her netball commitments.
Wipiiti is also in a similar situation this season after giving birth to her first child late last year, and last season Adine Wilson and Donna Wilkins were also balancing family life and netball.
Wilkins said she would not play for the franchise again because she felt the Steel did not offer her enough support.
De Bruin, though, believes there will plenty off help on hand.
"Lots of girls have done it before and I can always ring up Adine.
"She has been helping me quite a bit with advice.
"So there is lots of support."
With Megan Hutton retiring and Katrina Grant moving north to the Pulse, the Steel will look to de Bruin to stiffen its defence.
With more than 30 caps for the Silver Ferns she has plenty of experience and her combination with Sheryl Scanlan at the back will be crucial for the Invercargill-based side.
"As long as I enjoy what I do and focus on what I need to do, that's what works for me.
"But I do know there is a lot of pressure and I do enjoy that as well because it brings the best out of me."
De Bruin played for the Magic until she was 5 months pregnant and has spent a lot of time in the pool maintaining her fitness.
While she expects to be "a bit rusty" on court, her fitness level are "better than expected".
The de Bruin file
Leana de BruinBorn: Bethlehem, South Africa
Age: 32
Height: 1.90m
Positions: GD, GK
Test caps: 33 (NZ)
