It is the nature of the ANZ Premiership.
Each team plays each other three times.
If they do the same thing all season, their opponents will have figured them out reasonably quickly.
Last weekend, the Steel had the first of its second meetings, against the Central Pulse in Porirua.
On Monday it will face the Mainland Tactix for the second time, in Invercargill.
The Steel won the last meeting, which at the time seemed an upset.
However, the Tactix is a changed team too.
It has notched two wins after losing its first three matches.
The Mainland side has had former Steel shooter Te Paea Selby-Rickit back for the past three weeks and that has made it a much more formidable team.
Steel coach Reinga Bloxham expected that to be a factor on Monday, although added the side would be looking to add to its game.
"I think you have to [change how you play]," she said.
"If you keep doing the same thing people will work you out reasonably quickly.
"I think the other thing about the Tactix [is] when we met them in round one they were without Te Paea.
"You have seen the difference she makes coming back into the side.
"She’s a really experienced player but she’s just brought confidence in all the players around her.
"And they’ve had a bit of time together to fine tune and tweak things.
"They’ve got a lot of experienced players who are now hitting their strides I suppose."
Both Ali Wilshier and Kate Heffernan sat out training yesterday.
Wilshier is still struggling with a knee injury and will not play on Monday.
Heffernan has been feeling unwell, although is expected to be fine to play.
That will be good news for the team, as the 21-year-old is coming off one of her best games in a Steel dress.
Heffernan has spent the past three years at wing defence for the Steel, but returned to her school position of centre this year.
That came due to Gina Crampton’s departure forcing a switch and Shannon Saunders moving one spot up the court.
Bloxham said the long-term vision had been she would likely end up back at centre and was pleased with how she was going.
"It’s like going home to her, but it’s a bit more intense I suppose.
"The last couple of seasons she’s been in that wing defence position, she’s done a stellar job of learning that role.
"It’s been about finding her feet going back into centre and at the weekend it all come together for her.
"I’m really excited about that.
"She works really hard, she’s really dogged, she’s really determined and she wants to get it right.
"So I think it was just about making sure we kept improving."
Monday’s game begins at 6.15pm.
