If you have got Pele in your team, you pass him the ball.
If Jonah Lomu is on the wing, you spin it wide.
If Jhaniele Fowler-Reid is waiting under the post, you throw her the ball.
If only it was that simple for the Steel.
The tactic, though, proved pretty successful last season. The 1.98m Jamaican international landed 666 of her 709 attempts - 93.9%. Not bad, and if you factor in her 30 rebounds for the season, then Fowler-Reid's actual effectiveness under the net climbs even higher.
But here is the problem. The Steel's game plan was about as clandestine as John Key's cup of tea with John Banks three years ago.
The Steel employed route one - chuck the ball to Fowler-Reid - as a matter of course. It was more of a commandment than a strategy - thou shall pass the ball to Jhaniele.
Everybody in the opposition knew what was coming and they did their best to intercept the ball before it got to the deadly shooter. In that sense, the Steel's great strength was also its great weakness.
The Steel seemed reluctant to go to plan B when route one was blocked.
But there were bigger problems. Its defence tried hard but struggled to create turnover ball. The team also had the alarming habit of taking a nap at critical stages.
Get those two things right and the Steel, sixth in 2013, should be a playoff force this season. Well, at least that is how coach Janine Southby sees it.
''We are aiming for that top four,'' she said.
''But we know it is a really tough competition and it looks really tight this year. And we know we have to be better than what we were last year.''
''We've been working really hard on growing different strategies within our defensive game. There were times when we were really effective on defence and we just didn't capitalise on the opportunities we created.
''We've also been working on our attacking links and having options to change our game plan which I felt we didn't do very well last year.''
Steel captain Jodi Brown played more like a wing attack than a goal attack, preferring to pass rather than shoot. It worked to an extent but fans can expect the Steel to employ more of a two-pronged attack this season.
That would help lift the pressure on Fowler-Reid in her second year with the franchise and also create some doubt in opposition defensive units.
''We have to because we know that defences in the other teams worked out ways of shutting that down. We have to be smarter about how we do that, so it is about growing Jhaniele's game and also about making sure all 12 of our squad can go on court and bring something different.''
The Steel opens its campaign against the Queensland Fire-birds at Stadium Southland in Invercargill tomorrow.
It is the first time the Steel has played at the venue since heavy snow caused the roof to collapse in September 2010.
Capacity has increased to 4400 and as of yesterday morning, 2600 tickets had been sold.
The Firebirds shape as tough opponents. They were beaten finalists last year and have won five of the six games between the teams.
''We're as ready as we can be,'' Southby said.
''It has been a challenging off-season in that we've had a few disruptions that we haven't had before around players out with international tours and a few niggly injuries.''
It will be interesting to see how the Firebirds operate without the silky skills of Natalie Medhurst. She has signed with the West Coast Fever and the Firebirds will have to find someone else to feed shooter Romelda Aiken.
''From what I managed to see of them [the Firebirds] in Melbourne they are looking sharp. Their defensive unit is certainly world-class . . . and they've got a young and very hungry midcourt.''
''And Romelda's game looks like it has grown.''
Southern Steel's season
Draw
v Firebirds, Invercargill, tomorrow
v Pulse, Wellington, March 8
v Magic, Hamilton, March 17
v Fever, Dunedin, March 22
v Thunderbirds, Adelaide, March 30
v Mystics, Invercargill, April 6
v Pulse, Invercargill, April 14
v Tactix, Christchurch, April 21
v Swifts, Canberra, April 25
v Mystics, Auckland, May 4
v Magic, Invercargill, May 12
v Tactix, Dunedin, May 25
v Vixens, Invercargill, May 31
Team details
2013: Sixth
Prospects: Scoring goals will not be a problem if Jhaniele Fowler-Reid recaptures her form from last season. Stopping them, though, will be another story. If the Steel can make more impact on defence then a place in the playoffs beckons. The key games will be the home-and-away fixtures against the Pulse and Mystics.
Key gain: 1.93m former Magic defender Erena Mikaere.
Key loss: Wing attack Courtney Tairi has transferred to the Magic.
Squad: Jodi Brown (captain), Gina Crampton, Phillipa Finch, Jhaniele Fowler-Reid, Shannon Francois, Wendy Frew, Phoenix Karaka, Erena Mikaere, Stacey Peters, Storm Purvis, Rachel Rasmussen, Te Paea Selby-Rickit.
Coach: Janine Southby (third year).
