The team’s die-hard fans are never shy about vocalising their support and cheering on their favourite side at Stadium Southland.
And after a difficult start to the ANZ Premiership season, the Steel is looking forward to finally putting on a performance it can be proud of in front of home fans.
The Steel has played its first three games on the road — including last week’s double-header — and that, combined with some pretty hefty losses, has hurt.
Coach Reinga Bloxham said it was good to be back at home on Monday to play the Mainland Tactix.
"It’s been a tough couple of weeks for us being away from home and ... losing like that," Bloxham said.
"It’s nice to return home." Everyone was looking forward to being able to play "in front of our fans, and our support people, and improve our performance, really".
Big losses to the Pulse, Stars and Mystics have not changed the Steel’s processes but it has made it think about what else it could be doing.
There were good structures and routines within the southern camp, but players needed to execute them consistently on and off the court, and make they did them better than the week before.
"That’s been our motto.
"It’s about looking at those small improvements whether its on the court or off the court. It doesn’t change — it just gets ramped up."
The southern derby against the Tactix is always tense and Tactix players will be hurting after losing to the Mystics last week.
Many have tipped the Tactix to win the competition — with new recruits Aliyah Dunn, Laura Malcolm and the return of Jane Watson — but it struggled, similar to the Steel, to find its entry to the circle last week.
Steel players lost their connections recently, and if they can get them humming again, while taking the positives from games, the team would be more settled.
"Everyone sort of needs to put their hand up and make sure they do their job first and we don’t go into help out mode."
Players have been guilty of trying to do too much in the first three games but it was a "double-edged" sword, Bloxham said.
The southern team is known for retaining posession, and working the ball around to get the shooters closer to the post.
But doing that for an entire game become exhausting, so players needed to use their structures to get to the ball in the circle earlier, she said.
There is good news in the form of Saviour Tui. The shooter is expected to be available for part of Monday’s night game, after working her way back from a knee injury.
"I’m really happy for her because she’s worked extremely hard to get to this point."
ANZ Premiership
Invercargill, 7.30pm Monday
Southern Steel: Eseta Autagavaia, Georgia Heffernan, Saviout Tui, Sam Winders, Ivari Christie, Kate Heffernan, Renee Savai’inaea, Kate Burley, Courtney Elliott, Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit.
Mainland Tactix: Aliyah Dunn, Te Paea Selby-Rickit, Vika Koloto, Laura Malcolm, Kimiora Poi, Parris Petera, Greer Sinclair, Jane Watson, Karin Burger, Kate Llyod.
