Netball: Winning tight games the key: Dehn

If Steel captain Megan Dehn has learned anything in the past year, it is that you have to make the most of your opportunities when they come along.

Twelve months ago it looked as though the former Australian shooter's career was over.

Netball New Zealand stopped the 35-year-old from playing for the Invercargill-based team in 2009, claiming the move would block the pathway for local talent.

But when star shooter Daneka Wipiiti pulled out because of pregnancy, the national body relaxed its earlier stance.

Dehn made an immediate impact.

Her combination with fellow shooter Donna Wilkins and wing attack Adine Wilson gave the Steel attack a more dynamic balance and helped propel the franchise into the play-offs.

But both Wilkins and Wilson are unavailable this season, and with the retirement of experienced goal keep Megan Hutton and the transfer of Silver Ferns defender Katrina Grant to the Pulse, the Steel has been shorn of some key personnel.

While replacing the likes of Wilson and Wilkins was difficult, Dehn said their absence would also provide opportunities for others to shine.

"It is really hard," Dehn acknowledged.

"We've got a lot of skilful players in the team but it is their experience and their cool heads under pressure we'll miss.

They knew when to force the ball and when to hold it up, and how to cope with the change of pace.

"It took a while for the team to gel after Southland and Otago combined in the first year.

But I think last season was really good in terms of that.

"Everyone stepped up and, now that we've got a couple of younger players, they need to learn to step up as well.

Everyone believes we can be in the top four and that's the main thing we learned from last year.

We really need to take our chances this year and win those tight games."

And there should be plenty of tight games.

Most franchises have been busy in the off-season recruiting talent to bolster their squads.

The Steel has signed former Magic defender Leana de Bruin.

De Bruin has played more than 30 tests for the Silver Ferns and is a welcome addition, especially with the departures of Grant and Hutton.

Dehn is the only other marquee signing.

The under-achieving Northern Mystics have made eight personnel changes after finishing eighth in 2009.

Silver Ferns Maria Tutaia, Joline Henry and Larrissa Willcox, veteran midcourter Jenny-May Coffin and Jamaican international Althea Byfield join the exodus north.

Add survivors Temepara George and Cathrine Latu into the mix and the Mystics, arguably, have the most impressive line-up of any of the New Zealand teams.

The Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic has lost key personnel with Tutaia and Henry heading north and de Bruin linking up with the Steel.

But former Silver Ferns shooter Jodi Brown and former Australian defender Peta Scholz add their vast experience to the campaign, and the Magic still has the competition's leading shooter and defender.

Irene van Dyk landed 463 of her 495 attempts and Casey Williams was the leading rebounder and took 27 more intercepts than any other player.

The Canterbury Tactix have been hurt by defections, with Brown (Magic), Sonia Mkoloma (Swifts) and Willcox (Magic) departing and evergreen midcourter Julie Seymour retiring.

The Tactix will structure their game around a useful midcourt of Maree Bowden and Phillipa Finch and promising defender Charlotte Kight, but they do not look to have the personnel to push for the play-offs.

The Pulse has a more complete side with Grant and England international Ama Agbeze stiffening the defence and Adelaide Thunderbirds shooter Jane Alschwager joining Silver Fern Paula Griffin in the shooting circle.

Centre Camilla Lees is another player to watch.

While the Pulse should improve, it is hard to see where its wins will come from.

It might have to wait until its home game against the Tactix in the 10th round to post a win.

Most pundits are predicting the top Australian sides, led by the defending champions, Melbourne Vixens, will set the pace again.

The Vixens lost just one game last year and have retained their top line-up.

Talisman and co-captain Sharelle McMahon leads an all-star cast including Australian defenders Bianca Chatfield and Julie Corletto and midcourt talents Renae Hallinan and Natasha Chokljat.

The Adelaide Thunderbirds, last year's beaten finalists, have lost some punch on attack with Australian shooter Natalie Medhurst signing with the Queensland Firebirds, but have signed former Jamaican shooter and basketballer Carla Borrego.

Mo'onia Gerrard and Geva Mentor are arguably the best defensive duo in the competition and, with centre Natalie von Bertouch linking the ends, the Thunderbirds have class in all areas of the court.

Perhaps the Firebirds will be the big movers.

In the past the Brisbane-based side has relied heavily on Jamaican import Romelda Aiken to do the scoring.

But with Medhurst joining the campaign, the Firebirds have a two-pronged attack for the first time.

Still, they will need good seasons from defender Laura Geitz and centre Lauren Nourse to match the top sides.

The New South Wales Swifts, the inaugural champions, had a dreadful season last year, finishing ninth, and will be looking to redeem themselves.

Their challenge will centre around veteran goal shoot and captain Catherine Cox and her combination with Susan Pratley.

England international Sonia Mkoloma joins Kimberley Smith and Rebecca Bulley in a useful back court.

The West Coast Fever, which opens its campaign against the Steel in Invercargill tomorrow night, will be tricky on its home court in Perth.

But the distance the Fever has to travel every other week is energy-sapping and makes winning away a real challenge.

Overcoming that hurdle is the biggest obstacle it faces in trying to reach the play-offs.