The Southern Steel has been in close matches before this season and it will not panic if things get tight in the New Zealand conference final against the Magic in Invercargill tomorrow, vice-captain Shannon Francois says.
The Steel will play at home in a finals match for the first time at Stadium Southland tomorrow, after securing home advantage with an unprecedented season.
It has not lost a game but that does not mean it has always been smooth sailing, and there have been times when the side has had to come from behind or work overtime to break a deadlock.
With so much riding on tomorrow's game, and the Magic finally back to full strength, there is a chance the match could be close and not be a repeat of the Steel's two 10-goal victories earlier this year.
But Francois said if that was the case, the side would remain calm.
"A lot of us haven't been in this situation before so we are a little bit nervous, but I think it's good nerves.
"Throughout the year we've had some pretty close games so we're used to tight situations.''
It seems a long time ago now, but the Steel opened its season by scoring five unanswered goals to snatch a dramatic round one victory against the Mystics in Auckland, before stumbling to a 58-58 draw with the Tactix in Invercargill a week later.
There were few signs at that point the Steel would go on to carve out the competition's third undefeated campaign, but it grew with confidence and started to hit its straps.
It earned a week off last weekend, and played an Otago and Southland men's side in an effort to keep the ball rolling, while the Magic beat the Mystics in the New Zealand conference elimination final.
The Steel was scratchy initially, when it came back from a bye in the regular season and will be hoping it can hit the ground running tomorrow.
"Everyone's pretty excited and we're just pumped to get out on court and let rip,'' Francois said.
"There have been a few nerves around so everyone's pretty eager to get back into it.
"It's a big game. Having a home semifinal [next week] can make all the difference. Having that crowd behind you is like having an eighth player and the crowd down in Invercargill is insane.''
Finals netball is nothing new for Steel coach Noeline Taurua and Francois said the former Magic coach had prepared the side well for the big match.
The visiting side was almost at full strength when the Steel won 64-54 in Invercargill the last time the two sides met.
It was missing only defender Kristiana Manu'a following the return from injury of veterans Leana de Bruin and Grace Rasmussen.
But Francois felt those injuries had disrupted the Magic's season and it was peaking at the right time.
That theory, though, could just be a way for the Steel to ensure it does not drop its guard, given the Magic was thrashed 71-47 by the Firebirds in Hamilton only three weeks ago.
In reality, the Steel has been a class above the other New Zealand sides all season and it would be a surprise if it did not come out on top tomorrow.
Meanwhile, defender Storm Purvis is still not a certainty to play following a battle with illness.
She has been out for several weeks and posted on her Twitter account on Thursday she was being treated for sinusitis and tonsillitis.
A decision on her availability will be made tomorrow.
There were about 200 tickets left for the match yesterday afternoon.
Five reasons for the Steel's success
Noeline Taurua
There is still a school of thought around that some sporting teams do not even require a coach but there are certain people whose impact on teams simply cannot be denied.
Noeline Taurua's ANZ Championship record speaks for itself and the importance of the Steel gaining the services of the master coach cannot be overlooked.
Taurua steered the Magic to six finals series in a row, and the title in 2012, and has a winning percentage of 71% from 105 matches, the second-best of the current coaches.
Perhaps her biggest influence on the side is the belief she has instilled that it needs to get past viewing itself as a side with potential, and instead as a side which can beat anyone.
Coming of age
There is no doubt the Steel has been building for the past few years and players such as Gina Crampton, Te Paea Selby-Rickit and Jane Watson, in particular, have really come of age this year.
These players were far from unheralded - Crampton was named in this year's Silver Ferns squad and Selby-Rickit was named in the development squad - but they have really taken this tournament by the scruff of the neck.
Selby-Rickit has taken it upon herself to shoot more, though Jhaniele Fowler-Reid has still been a colossus, while Crampton, who has now played 33 games, has been one of the best feeders and centre pass receivers of the competition.
Strong finishes
Last season, the Steel had a habit of losing close games. This year, it has not lost a close one and in many cases has pulled away from the opposition in the second half.
There is an old adage that a winning team always wins the close ones and the Steel has found a way to avoid defeat so far this season.
But it has often been in the second half when it has lifted to another level after the halftime oranges and left the opposition in its wake.
Vice-captain Shannon Francois put that down to fitness, while another theory is the side simply has not always played as well in the first half as well as it is capable of.
The draw
There is no such thing as an easy game and many New Zealand sides would have been seen as threats at the beginning of the season, but the netball Gods have smiled on the Steel.
It played the four New Zealand sides before it had to take on an Australian side, and that was the Fever, at homein Invercargill.
It then played the lowly Thunderbirds away, in one of just two matches across the Tasman, and had already found its rhythm when it faced three Australian sides in four weeks at the back end of the season.
The bye also came at the right time, in the seventh round.
The old stagers
Every successful side has some experienced campaigners and the Steel has a few gems in its ranks.
Captain Wendy Frew has played more than 100 ANZ Championship matches, Francois has now played more than 60 and Fowler-Reid has played more than 50.
These players may not have much finals experience but they certainly know what it takes to perform at this level and have been able to link with the rising stars to create a formidable team.
