In front of a capacity crowd of 5000 at the Westpac Centre, the Steel put in its best performance to beat the previously undefeated Tactix 51-42.
The Otago-Southland combined side was well-beaten by the NSW Swifts in its opening match of the ANZ Championship, and escaped with a narrow win in extra time against the struggling Central Pulse last week.
Its form saw it go into the southern derby, arguably, as underdog. But from the moment Jenny-May Coffin speared a half-court pass into Daneka Wipiiti perched under the goal, it was apparent the Steel meant business and had a real advantage which it exploited superbly.
Steel coach Robyn Broughton made two crucial changes. She opted for the extra centimetres in the defensive circle giving Silver Ferns squad member Katrina Grant her first start this season, and she switched wing attack Liana Barrett-Chase to centre and Coffin to wing attack.
Both moves paid divendends with Coffin providing Wipiiti and Dehn good service, and Grant's combination with Megan Hutton giving the Steel an advantage in the rebound steaks.
The Steel dominated the aerial exchanges. Tactix goal keep Victoria Smith struggled to contain the 1.94m tall Wipiiti, who slotted 39 goals from 51 attempts.
While the Steel was superb, the Tactics had its moments. Underrated midcourter Phillip Finch grabbed a couple of crucial intercepts for her side in the first period, and Silver Ferns' midcourt combo of Maree Bowden and Julie Seymour whistled in some good ball.
Megan Hutton was penalised late in the quarter for constant infringements and was forced to the sideline until the next goal was scored. But her team scored a brace of goals to take a small lead into the first break.
The Steel built on its two goals but a five-goal unanswered run eroded most of the good work.
Barrett-Chase stayed busy and got her side back on track with some superb linking work, and goal attack Megan Dehn, who had been quiet in the first period, landed seven of her eight attempts to help the Steel stretch the margin to five by half-time.
Tactix coach Helen Mahon-Stroud jettisoned her tallest player when she replaced former Australian international Demelza Fellowes with Elizabeth Manu at goal defence.
A questionable move which seemed to play into the Steel's hands.
Wipiiti shot well and never baulked when faced with putting up a shot from the deep in the circle.
The final quarter was frenetic with both sides moving the ball up court with pace.
Mahon-Stroud finally conceded her defensive circle was not working and put Fellowes back at goal keep to mark Wipiiti. She made life tougher for Wipiiti, but as time ticked away the Tactics were forced into making too many errors and were unable to make a significant dent.
Southern Steel 51 (Daneka Wipiiti 39 from 51, Megan Dehn 12/15), Canterbury Tactix 42 ( Jodi Brown 30/36, Anna Thompson 8/13, Hayley Stockman). Quarter 14-12, half-time 27-22, three-quarters 40-31.
