Grinding the Pulse to pulp in Wellington tonight will not make up for a series of disappointing performances.
But for Steel vice captain Wendy Frew it will prove a pleasant distraction.
The combative centre has had a enough of losing.
It does not sit well with the Southlander.
The Invercargill-born 25-year-old was raised on success.
The Sting won seven titles in 10 years and Frew shared in the spoils from 2002-04 and again in 2007.
The Sting and the Otago Rebels combined in 2008 to contest the ANZ Championship and success has been harder to come by.
The Australian teams have had the better of their New Zealand opponents.
The Steel has helped demonstrate the gulf in class between the teams on either side of the Tasman in recent weeks with heavy defeats to the Adelaide Thunderbirds and the Queensland Firebirds.
It is a touchy subject with Frew, but certainly not off limits.
She is aware the Steel has been off the pace and is keen to help the franchise atone.
"It's been a tough few weeks for the girls," Frew acknowledged.
"We're a competitive bunch and I really hate losing. I've been kicking myself for the last two weeks over the performances. But a good team bounces back and we need to show that we are a good side by coming back strong."
Frew said the Australian teams were playing well and have an edge at the moment.
But she maintains the Steel is capable of playing much better netball.
The team has shown flashes of promise but has struggled to sustain the intensity for 60min.
That was evident in the 17-goal loss to the Thunderbirds earlier this month.
The Thunderbirds outscored the Steel 19-5 in the final quarter in what was otherwise a very tight encounter.
"They've certainly got some great teams and are tough opposition.
But we've had good game plans and have not stuck to them."
It is no fun losing to the Australian teams but if the Steel can win its remaining matches against the New Zealand teams it will probably slip into the play-offs.
A win tonight and next week in Christchurch against the Tactix will leave the Invercargill-based franchise well-placed to push for a play-off spot.
The round eight match against the Northern Mystics in Invercargill and the return fixture in Auckland in round 13 shape as crucial to the Steel's prospects.
"To make the top four we can afford to lose to a few of the Aussie sides. But you pretty much have to beat most of the New Zealand sides. After going down to the Magic we have to target the Mystics and make sure we are striving to be the first or second New Zealand team in the comp."
While the Pulse are not in the same league as the likes of the Thunderbirds or Firebirds, Frew said they could be tricky opponents.
"The Pulse are a gritty side and we will certainly not be taking them lightly. They don't have anything to lose and will cause some upsets. So we need to go into the game and treat them like any other hard opposition."
That said, a loss would not be received well.
The Steel dispatched the Pulse 56-44 in round three in Dunedin and are expected to be too strong.
The Pulse has won just one ANZ Championship game in two and a-half years of trying.
Its last effort was an embarrassing 75-40 loss to the Thunderbirds.
The Mystics beat the Tactix 59-50 in the opening match of round six in Auckland on Saturday, and the Queensland Firebirds handed the defending champions the Melbourne Vixens their first loss, winning 63-41 in Brisbane yesterday.
