While the team has been seemingly cursed by injury in its shooting circle this season, two of its former stars have made fantastic starts in Australia.
Jamaica’s Jhaniele Fowler and South Africa’s Lenize Potgieter wore the Steel’s goal shooter bib for six of the past seven seasons between them.
They have been two of Super Netball’s top players through its first three rounds.
Fowler, who was a dominant force for the Steel from 2013 to 2017, has scored 163 goals.
They have come at an average of 54.3 a game for her West Coast Fever team and are 60 more than the next most by any individual after three games.
She has shot them at a typically high 92% accuracy rate too, although it is only 41% on her seven super goals — an innovation by the league in which a shot from beyond 1.9m is worth two goals.
Her 96 goals leave her fourth on the overall list, behind Cara Koenen (103) and Romelda Aiken (98).
But it is her 95% accuracy that is most impressive.
Both Fowler and Potgieter have scored more goals than the highest ranked Australian — Caitlin Bassett (83).
That both have been so dominant in such a strong league shows the quality the Steel has become accustomed to.
In contrast, this year’s Steel side has had some rotten luck in the shooting department.
Georgia Heffernan and Jennifer O’Connell both suffered season-ending knee injuries, while import Kalifa McCollin has nursed an ankle injury in recent weeks.
It left the side to call in two rookies in Kiana Pelasio and Grace Namana, as well as veteran Ellen Halpenny.
The side will not take the court on Sunday, its match against the Mainland Tactix in Dunedin having been cancelled following the change in Covid-19 alert levels.
