It plays Waikato-Bay of Plenty in its season opener in Te Aroha tomorrow and knows that could be crucial in the competition’s final outcome.In the league — a development competition for the ANZ Premiership — each of the six teams plays the others home and away. It then goes to a straight final between the top two teams.
That straight final means there is little room for error, as the side found out a year ago.
Donna Wilkins, who had been involved with the team last year but was now a co-coach alongside Georgie Salter, said every game was like a final."Last year we ended up third. We lost our first-round game to Mainland and that kind of crushed us.
"The next time we played Mainland we beat them by 20 and that’s who got through to the final.
"So it just shows you how important every weekend is."
The side had two pre-season matches against Mainland last weekend — a win and a loss.
Wilkins said the team had been training well, although it was difficult to know exactly where it stood at until games began.
It was a young squad and for many of the players both the gameplay and the new environment had been a "big learning curve".
Twins Georgia and Kate Heffernan, as well as defender Taneisha Fifita, are coming back after spending the pre-season as training partners with the Southern Steel.
In that trio the Beko League side had a player in each area of the court.
However, with the Heffernans having just left school and Fifita still a year 12 pupil at Waitaki Girls’ High School, it was a lot to put on their shoulders.
Despite that Wilkins said it was clear the trio had improved with their time away, bringing more confidence than they did to the team last year.
"I think they really grew as individuals, which was the huge strength I’ve seen.
"They’ve got a bit more confidence about where they’re at ability-wise on the netball court.
"I guess last year it was a new experience for all three of them.
"They’ve really matured and you do notice a difference in them."
Players could be called into ANZ Premiership squads at any stage.
That was seen most recently in the Steel acquiring defender Courtney Elliott from the Beko League.
Two years ago, South won the inaugural competition.
