Southern Steel coach Robyn Broughton does not have a full roster but is hoping to get plenty of value out of the pre-season tournament in Queenstown this weekend.
The Steel faces five games over three days, and in all there are 15 games involving some of the world's best players for the Events Centre crowd to enjoy.
"It's a big weekend and it's a really good competition with some varied teams," Broughton told the Otago Daily Times yesterday.
"It's not life or death, whether you win or lose, so you get a chance to introduce people.
"That's very hard to do during the season.
"You need a good solid core of very experienced players once the competition starts."
Broughton has suffered an unexpected setback with the loss, for today's opening games, of captain Megan Dehn.
Dehn's grandmother died earlier this week and the experienced shooter flew home to be with family in Australia.
Dehn can't get to Queenstown until tomorrow morning, and with Jade Topia struggling with a back injury, the Steel has just two regular shooters, Daneka Wipiiti and Juliana Naoupu.
Wipiiti will play her first game since having daughter Kilani-Mae in December.
"It makes it tough but this will make some of the others stand up and be counted," Broughton said.
"It's a big weekend for Daneka but she's had a good taste of this level of netball and she knows what's expected.
"Her strength isn't there yet but we've got a month to go."
Wendy Frew will captain the Steel, with plenty of leadership support from Liana Barrett-Chase and Erika Burgess.
Broughton has called on Te Paea Selby-Rickit, younger sister of Steel defender Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit, to fill out the roster in Queenstown.
"I've had a lot to do with her and I quite rate her.
"She's nice and fresh and strong and tall, so we'll use her as well."
Broughton said former Silver Ferns defender Leana du Bruin, who has joined the Steel this year and is also a relatively new mother, was at full playing fitness and looking sharp.
She believes new Steel trainer Stephen Hill-Haas has had a significant impact on the team's fitness levels.
"He's a bit different and he's very strict and strong," Broughton said.
"I'm really interested in what he's doing in terms of the science.
"The girls have definitely had to step up and some of them are finding it really hard."
As well as being the first opportunity to see ANZ Championship teams in action, the pre-season event will be used to trial three modifications to the competition rules.
There will be no whistle after a goal is scored, coaching will be allowed during stoppages, and a full countdown clock will make it easier for fans to see when the game is ending.
Two weeks later, the Steel heads to Australia for another pre-season tournament.
Its first game in the ANZ Championship is against the West Coast Fever in Invercargill on March 21.
Queenstown tournament draw
Today: Southern Steel v Queensland Firebirds, 11am; Canterbury Tactix v Australian Institute of Sport, 1pm; Central Pulse v Northern Mystics, 3.30pm; Tactix v Firebirds, 5.30pm; Steel v Mystics, 7.30pm.
Tomorrow: Tactix v AIS, 9am; Steel v Pulse, 11am; Mystics v Firebirds, 1pm; Pulse v AIS, 3.30pm; Tactix v Mystics, 5.30pm; Steel v Firebirds, 7.30pm.
Sunday: Mystics v AIS, 8.30am; Pulse v Firebirds, 10.15am; Steel v AIS, noon; Tactix v Pulse, 1.45pm.
Stars to watch
- Defender Leana du Bruin is in her first season with the Steel and has come back from having her first child looking fit and dynamic.
- They call Romelda Aiken the next big thing in world netball. She is the key player in a Queensland Firebirds side missing its Australian internationals.
- After two years with the Magic, Silver Ferns shooter Maria Tutaia has joined a Northern Mystics squad that looks capable of anything.
- Another on the move is classy defender Katrina Grant, who has left the Steel to prop up the struggling Central Pulse.
