Netball: Re-signings allow Steel to build momentum

Storm Purvis.
Storm Purvis.
The Southern Steel roster for next year's ANZ Championship season is taking shape.

Six more players from the past season signed on yesterday, joining captain Wendy Frew, vice-captain Shannon Francois and shooter Jhaniele Fowler-Reid.

In signing defender Storm Purvis, shooter Te Paea Selby-Rickit and midcourter Gina Crampton, who were all named in the New Zealand A team on Thursday, the Steel has locked up three of the more promising players in the country.

Defender Jane Watson, shooter Brooke Leaver and midcourter Stacey Peeters also signed on for the 2016 season, leaving room for just three more players.

Te Paea Selby-Rickit.
Te Paea Selby-Rickit.
The signings mean the Steel will have a largely similar squad to the one that won just three games this year but showed plenty of promise.

Only shooter Sophia Fenwick and midcourter Katarina Cooper have not yet signed on, while Silver Ferns defender Phoenix Karaka signed with the Central Pulse last week.

While losing Karaka after three years is a significant blow, the retention of Purvis and Watson at least gives the Steel two quality players at the defensive end.

Purvis formed a handy combination with Karaka the past season, while Watson appeared in 10 games and impressed in her first season in the South.

Gina Crampton.
Gina Crampton.
Purvis, who has made 42 appearances for the team the past four years, said ''loyalty was a big thing'' in sticking with the Steel.

''I didn't really have to think much about whether to come back and I suspect that was the case for a lot of the other girls as well,'' she said.

''I just love the culture, the franchise and what Janine [Southby] does as a coach.''

While the Steel won only three matches last season, it sneaked into the playoffs under the conference playoff system.

It was perhaps unlucky in losing the conference semifinal to the Magic, and Purvis felt the team was on the cusp of something special.

''There was always this feeling of, `We're on to something here, we're really close'.

''So we have the foundations. We just needed time this season to gel.''

The Steel made the decision to go with a youthful approach a year ago, and Southby told the Otago Daily Times during the season the team was capable of doing something special if the core was retained for next year.

Now that the majority have signed on, Southby said roster stability was ''extremely important''.

''They are just starting to show that belief in themselves, and when they do they are unstoppable,'' she said.

''We just need to keep building and growing that environment and challenging it tobe even greater.''

Minus Karaka, the Steel has signed all the players from its first-choice starting seven the past season.

There are now four midcourters, three shooters and two defenders on the roster for next year.

It is likely another shooter will be added, while at least one more defender will need to be signed.

The Steel, which hopes to have its roster finalised by the end of the month, carried only three specialist defenders this year, instead opting for five midcourters.

Add a Comment