Frew will get her first chance to test her troops at the annual Ōtaki preseason tournament, a key step in the build-up to the ANZ Premiership just over a month away.
The Steel will join the Northern Mystics, Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic, Central Pulse and the Mainland Tactix in Ōtaki. The Northern Stars are the only team skipping the tournament.
The Steel play the Pulse and Magic on Saturday and the Mystics on Sunday — the first chance to play the Auckland franchise since the addition of Australian Diamonds shooter Donnell Wallam.
Wallam, who played three seasons for the Queensland Firebirds, replaces Silver Ferns shooter Grace Nweke, who is now plying her trade with the NSW Swifts in Australia.
Frew is looking forward to seeing how her team progress throughout the tournament.
"Really excited to get up there and get some game time under our belt," Frew said.
"We haven’t had a lot in the environment yet, so it’ll be great to get a gauge of where we’re at.
"We’ve got five weeks until our first game, so it’ll be great to play some other ANZ teams, and just see where we’re tracking, and where we need to go for the next few weeks."
The Ōtaki tournament has always been a vital piece of preparation for the season, but it could prove to be more important than ever this year since the introduction of the two-point shot this season.
It will be the first time the Steel get to put their plans in action and see how other teams are approaching the change.
"It’s going to be really exciting to see how the two-point shot goes.
"I think for us in Ōtaki ... it’ll be really cool to see how other teams are putting tactics around it and how we can do it with how long on the clock.
"There’s so many fun elements that are going to come off the two-point shot which we’re really looking forward to challenging ourselves against."
The Steel will be without midcourters Kimiora Poi and Renee Savai’inaea and Australian defender Dakota Thomas, who are all carrying niggles. Training partner Grace Southby will travel with the team and a couple of others will join to plug the gaps.
"We’re actually three short which is a little bit disappointing, but for those players that aren’t coming it’s important for them to make sure they’re ready to go on the court and all the rehab boxes are ticked," Frew said.
After Ōtaki, the Steel, who have been on a tour of Central Otago recently, have a couple of preseason games against the Tactix in Christchurch then at home against the Southland men’s team.
"Three hit-outs — all really important to see combinations and see how we’re growing as a team.
"Hopefully by Christchurch we’ll be tracking to have the full squad there, which will be really cool to have everyone back together playing on court."
