The Southern Steel emerged as the most successful New Zealand side but the Australian franchises took the overall honours in the ANZ Championship pre-season tournament in Sydney over the weekend.
The Otago-Southland combined side had five wins and three losses in the three-day tournament, which featured all 10 franchises that will contest the inaugural tournament starting next month.
The Australian teams had 14 wins and there was one draw, between the Northern Mystics and Adelaide Thunderbirds.
Assistant coach Donna Wilkins was encouraged by the way the Steel performed and has given her players a pass mark.
‘‘We've got a lot to work on but there were some good things as well,'' Wilkins said.
‘‘We tried to give everyone equal court time to see what does and doesn't work. It was a great opportunity for the girls to match themselves against each other and see where they are.''
Wilkins said the starting seven was beginning to firm and will be boosted once defender Megan Hutton returns from playing netball in the Super League in England.
‘‘It is going to be really tough for Robyn [Broughton] and I to pick a starting seven but there are a few who are putting their hand up.''
The Steel's losses came against the Northern Mystics (27-28), the New South Wales Swifts (25-28), and the Australian Institute of Sport (21-27).
The Steel had close wins over the Melbourne Vixens (24-22), Canterbury Tactix (22-19) and the Queensland Firebirds (29-27) and convincing victories over the West Coast Fever (34-25) and the Central Pulse (26-12).
Australian powerhouses the Swifts and Vixens had six wins apiece, while the Queensland Firebirds had five wins and unveiled their key signing, 1.96m Jamaican shooter Romelda Aitken.
Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic had three wins and three losses, the Canterbury Tactix three wins and four losses, the Mystics a win, five losses and a draw, and the Central Pulse a win and six losses.
The Noeline Taurua-coached Magic boasts the most powerful line-up on paper, with Silver Ferns shooter Irene van Dyk and fellow internationals Joline Henry, Casey Williams, Laura Langman and Maria Tutaia.
Taurua was content to rotate her players and gave her stars minimal court time as the Magic had two losses on day one then recovered to beat the Swifts 27-22, the AIS 25-10 and the Thunderbirds 25-20.
The Pulse unveiled its English import, defender Sonia Mkoloma, but looks set for a tough debut season. It notched its only win, 24-22, over the Mystics yesterday.
Mystics coach Yvonne Willering rested her international defenders Sheryl Scanlan and Leana de Bruin, both recovering from ankle injuries.
The Pulse hosts the Vixens in the ANZ Championship opener in Wellington on April 5.
