Silver Ferns shooter Daneka Wipiiti has not broken any bones but will be sidelined for at least the next two weeks as she recovers from a badly sprained ankle.
Wipiiti twisted her ankle in the last three of four minutes of the Steel's pre-season game against the Canterbury Tactix on Sunday and was taken to hospital for an X-ray.
Initially, there were fears she may have suffered a fracture but Steel physiotherapist Jenny Ferguson had some good news for the Otago Daily Times yesterday.
"Well, there is no fracture," a relieved-sounding Ferguson said.
"So it is very good news."
Wipiiti's ankle was put in plaster to immobalise the joint and keep it supported.
But with the specialist confident there is no fracture the cast will come off today.
When the swelling goes down Ferguson will reassess the injury and put together a rehabilitation plan.
However, Wipiiti is likely to be sidelined for two to four weeks.
"I don't like to put a time frame on it because it is a hard one.
"Anyone who has injured their ankle before knows hard incredibly painful it can be.
"Sometimes you just have to give the ankle rest and time and see what is comfortable.
"The other thing is Daneka has had previous ankle injuries and does tape her ankles.
"So sometimes they can settle down a lot faster than if it was a first-time sprain."
The Steel will open its ANZ campaign against the Northern Mystics in Auckland on February 14.
Wipiiti will struggle to win the race to be fit in time which will mean 19-year-old Otago shooter Te Paea Selby-Rickit could be in line to make her ANZ Championship debut.
Selby-Rickit gave a good account of herself during the pre-season tournament but it is a big step up for the teenager.
The promising shooter scored a perfect game for Otago last year but is still honing her craft and needs to work on her mobility.
Wipiiti's injury has highlight an area where the Steel is vulnerable.
A season-ending injury to Wipiiti or former Silver Ferns shooter Paula Griffin would leave the franchise exposed.
