Coming off a 80-44 thrashing of the Central Pulse on Wednesday, the Steel has a chance to claim a franchise record 11th consecutive win. That chance will come against the Northern Stars in Invercargill tomorrow, as it looks to eclipse the 10-game winning streak it put together last year.
It has been an impressive run and Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit, who has played more than 100 games at this level, thought a new mentality had been key to the success.
"I think this year, and last year, we’ve taken a different mindset. It’s more about how you approach games," the 28-year-old defender said.
"It’s not anything amazing. It’s quite simple.
"If you don’t throw the ball away you tend to win the game, it’s almost as simple as that.
"People sometimes say it’s boring, but if you have the ball the other team does not have it.
"So going for all these miracle passes and 50/50s, we’ve kind of tried to stop doing that, because it’s kind of almost a waste of time."
The team had been happy with its performance against the Pulse, Selby-Rickit calling it almost perfect.
She said the team was excited to play after its break between games and had almost shocked itself with how well it was going.
However, it was important to take the season one game at a time and she knew the Stars posed a real threat.
The premiership’s new franchise had started slowly, but has now beaten the Northern Mystics and Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic in consecutive games.‘‘We know they’ve been playing so well.
"We’ve watched their games, they’ve improved 100-fold.
"Hopefully we can lift another level and y take it to them from the first whistle.
"They’re confidence players. They get high off great intercepts and great shots and great passes.
"So for us I think it’s just limiting that and hitting them from the get go and just trying to quieten them down."
On a personal note, she had recovered from an early-season ankle injury. While having an achilles niggle, it was not stopping her.
She had been enjoying playing alongside defenders Jane Watson and Abby Erwood and trying out different ways of defending the circle.
"We’re quite realistic in our circle and when we come against some really strong shooters you are going to be held back.
"The ideal way is to come around that shooter. That’s what we want to happen.
"But some shooters are so good that you can’t and so for us it’s finding ways where one defender is out of play, or is getting held, and then the other one can kind of con an intercept.
"So pretend you’re going to someone and but really you’re looking for the ball from someone else.
"That’s what I love about netball, trying to find innovative ways or different ways to gain possession from the other team."
Southern Steel v Northern Stars, Invercargill, tomorrow, 2pm
Southern Steel: Wendy Frew (c), Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit, Abby Erwood, Jane Watson, Gina Crampton, Shannon Francois, Te Paea Selby-Rickit, Jhaniele Fowler-Reid, Jamie Hume, Jennifer O’Connell.
Northern Stars: Leana de Bruin, Kayla Cullen, Afa Rusivakula, Courtney Tairi, Emma Iversen, Fa’amu Ioane, Maia Wilson, Malia Vaka, Sulu Fitzpatrick, Christina Oscar, Jess Taane, Kate Burley.
