The oil
The Steel earned hosting rights for their first playoff game since 2021 after beating the Tactix 56-54 last week.
They finished by winning the final quarter 17-13, and can take confidence from that. It also snapped an 11-game losing streak against their South Island rivals, dating back to the opening round of 2022.
The Tactix, who are the defending champions, are now on a three-game losing streak and will be desperate to bounce back and have a shot at retaining their title.
The Steel and Tactix have met twice in the elimination final before: in 2018, where the Steel won and went on to win the ANZ Premiership, and in 2021, when the Tactix won but then lost the final.
Crunching the numbers
• Aliyah Dunn (Steel) is the most accurate shooter in the competition, having missed only 13 goals for 97%.
• Carys Stythe (Steel) leads all players with 62 deflections and is third in defensive rebounds (19) and fifth in intercepts (17).
• Serina Daunakamakama (Steel) is second with 328 feeds and third with 210 centre pass receives.
• Georgia Heffernan (Steel) is fifth for centre pass receives with 178.
• Charlie Bell (Tactix) is the fourth most accurate shooter, missing 23 goals for 92.7%.
• Ash Barnett (Tactix) leads with 22 defensive rebounds and sits third with 19 intercepts.
• Laura Balmer (Tactix) sits second with 50 deflections and sixth with 16 intercepts. She is the most penalised player with 174.
• Holly Mather (Tactix) sits fourth for feeds with 279.
Key match-ups
Georgia Heffernan v Laura Balmer
A physical pairing. Balmer did well forcing Heffernan wide last week. But if the Silver Ferns shooter can use her footwork and punch through the circle, it helps take the pressure off shooting partner Aliyah Dunn.
Renee Savai’inaea v Gina Crampton
Savai’inaea undoubtedly had her best game of the season for the Steel against former Southern stalwart Crampton last week. If she can shut down the veteran’s avenue to post, the Tactix will struggle.
Carys Stythe v Charlie Bell
Bell shot 45 from 45 in last week’s outing, but did not have it all her own way against Commonwealth Games-bound Stythe. If Stythe can get on top early, it will help squash Bell’s confidence.
Three keys for Steel
1. Eliminate the physicality. The Tactix defence unit is one of the toughest and most physical in the competition, keeping the Steel’s shooters covered on the opening second. But if the Steel attackers give the ball, nearly every time the call will come from the umpire.
2. Work as a unit. The Steel’s defensive unit has been a strength all season and now is not the time to drop off. Led by Stythe at the back, the under-rated Savai’inaea and workhorse Khayne-Li’ Munro-Nonoa capitalised off their box structures and allowed them to have a fly for the ball. That pushed the Tactix into the outer channels last week and helped the Steel to 12 gains, 16 deflections and eight intercepts.
3. Use the crowd. Teams fear playing at Stadium Southland in front of the most passionate netball crew in the country. The Steel need to use the ‘‘eighth player’’ to their advantage for the last time this season and feed off their support on the court.
