There was a sense of deja vu with her debut in netball’s top echelon back in 2018.
"It’s nice because obviously I started here with the Steel, so to be back to do my 50 is pretty special," Elliott said.
"I’ve enjoyed coming home. I don’t know why I say home but that’s kind of how it feels."
Elliott has earned the kudos at just 23, but her talent was clear from a young age when she was named New Zealand’s secondary schools player of the year in 2016.
"I think it’s gone rather quick, to be honest. It’s a bit crazy to think I’ve been on the court 50 times.
"It’s a cool milestone to bring up — just knowing you’ve been around to do so many games and have those experiences."
A member of the 2018 ANZ Premiership-winning Steel team, Elliott remained in the South in 2019 before joining the Mystics in 2020.
She headed across the Ditch to play in the semi-professional Queensland State League in 2021, then joined the Pulse as a replacement call-up last season.
"Every team has taught me something to add to my own game and really it’s the players. Everyone has their own strengths and it’s cool to learn from different ones and build on my own."
Elliott rejoined the Steel’s ranks as a replacement for Sarahpheinna Woulf and is embracing the opportunity to rekindle a defensive partnership with Kate Burley and captain Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit.
"It’s new and it’s still building.
"Kate’s really aerial and a strong player on our team, so its really good to build those new connections with her and Hoochie [Te Huinga] is just a netball mastermind to soak up knowledge from."
Last week’s 54-49 loss to the Magic was the Steel’s best performance this season and clinched a desperately-needed bonus point.
"Team-wise it was a good performance and I think we really built positively. From the start we were right in the hunt and we didn’t let it go.
"We trudged on and kept that bonus point so yes, while it’s not the win we wanted, its a better result," Elliott said.
"It’s a step forward so hopefully we just keep building from here.
The difference was honing in on their own strengths dictating terms more, instead of being reactive, she said.
"We came into this game knowing what we wanted to do with the intention of making them play the way we wanted them to, not just react to what they bring to the court so it definitely worked in our favour."
Now the side had to keep tracking "and get a win".
The Mystics loom as the next challenge in Dunedin on Saturday.
"We just need to focus on ourselves and play to our strengths, not worry about what they are going to do.
"We need to concentrate on how we are going to better our own performance."
