The season may be six months away but plans have already started for the Netball South Beko team.
An 18-strong training squad has been named to prepare for next year's Beko Netball League.
The players were selected following trials last weekend and will now focus on off-season strength and conditioning. They will then be invited to participate in a second trial in February.
A final team of 12 will then be chosen to contest the national league against teams from the five other zones.
Southern Steel head coach Reinga Bloxham, one of six coaches tasked with selecting the squad, was impressed by the calibre of trialists.
``It was difficult to narrow the numbers down and when you're choosing a squad that's a good problem to have,'' she said.
``We have some really strong talent coming through the ranks in the southern region which bodes well for the future of both the Beko team and, ultimately, our Steel franchise.''
There are 13 players from Dunedin in the training squad, along with the promising Taneisha Fifita, of North Otago.
An emerging talent squad was also named, made up of players to benefit from additional strength and conditioning support as part of the organisation's performance pathway.
