Scoring quickly
This team scores a lot of goals and it can score them quickly. It often takes just three or four passes to find its shooters and can feed from long range. That enables it to close a deficit quickly, or open a large score gap in a matter of minutes.
Well connected
While the other teams had several changes in their squads from last year, the Steel remained largely the same. That allowed it to build on already developed connections from the start. It shows in the speed it plays at, making it such a tough team to defend.
Making no mistake
As a result of those strong connections, the error rate of this team is low compared with that of the others. It is not easy to get the ball off, allowing it to make its possession count on the scoreboard.
Jane Watson.
Jhaniele Fowler-Reid
Whatever way you look at it, having the premiership’s most dominant player at goal shoot helps. Fowler-Reid’s size and strength makes her tough to stop getting a position close to the hoop and provides an easy target for her feeders. If she misses, she more often than not gets the rebound and finishes on the second chance.
Talent throughout
Take nothing away from the rest of the team. There is quality all over the court and there is hardly a weakness for other teams to exploit, while the Steel exploits weaknesses in its opponent.
Killer instinct
The mentality of the Steel is such that it always looks to improve. It regularly speaks of aiming for a consistent 60-minute performance, ensuring that even when it is winning big, it is never going to ease up.
Winning in different ways
It can be easy to look good when everything is going well and the Steel has run up its share of big scores this year. But it has also shown it can grind out a close win under pressure, which could be key in a one-off final.
Disruptive defence
The Steel scores prolifically and its defence has created plenty of those opportunities. Jane Watson has been a menace in terms of intercepts and deflections and she combines well with Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit. As a duo, they do a great job of keeping the ball away from the opposition shooters.
Keeping the culture
It might be the most overused word in sports, but it is one relevant here. This team has clearly created a winning culture and one that the players enjoy being partof. When that side of thingsis taken care of, it makes itso much easier to focus onwhat is happening on thecourt.
Lack of opposition?
Is the Steel just that good, or is it simply beating down on teams in a weak competition? There is no doubt the competition is not as strong without the Australian teams. But who is to say the Steel would not have still been the team to beat if they were still in it? Unfortunately, that is a question that will remain unanswered.
