Steel’s Covid layoff tells in loss to Tactix

Steel wing attack Shannon Saunders looks for options around Tactix wing defence Charlotte Elley at Stadium Southland last night. PHOTO: MICHAEL BRADLEY PHOTOGRAPHY

Some statistics spoke louder than others at Stadium Southland last night.

In a game that perhaps had a small asterisk next to it, given the circumstances, the Mainland Tactix beat the Covid-ravaged Southern Steel 63-52.

The Tactix reversed a 17-goal shellacking in the opening round with a fairly controlled display.

They shaded possession (52%), had 73 shots on goal to the Steel’s 60, and got big performances out of goal shoot Ellie Bird (92% shooting success) and goal defence Karin Burger (four intercepts).

Staggeringly, the Tactix won all four quarters for the first time in 85 games. Yes, 85.

But there was one number that really told the tale of this clash.

The Steel, operating on strict return-to-play protocols following a 17-day layoff, made no fewer than 27 changes during the game.

The Tactix made two, both with just 3min left in the game.

It was nearly impossible to tell from one minute to the next who was in which bib as players came and went in a virtual rolling substitution system designed to protect the players in the worst physical condition after their time off.

Only wing attack Shannon Saunders and goal attack Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit were able to play the whole game, and both put in immense shifts.

Naturally, the constant changes — not to mention the absence entirely of three leading defensive options — made it hard for the Steel to get much going.

But there is no statistic that measures heart, and the Steel showed plenty of ticker even as the game slipped away from their weary bodies over the three final quarters.

Saunders felt for the coaching staff, who must have had some sort of algorithm to guide them as they maintained a frantic pace with the substitutions.

"I think we knew that was always going to be a part of it," she told Sky Sport.

"It was a real juggling act for the coaches, trying to figure out who was going to play when, because we pretty much had the whole team on limited loads.

"We knew we really had to treasure possession, and we just didn’t really do that at crucial times."

Ironically, it was the visiting side that looked a little sluggish in the first stages of the game.

The Tactix, riding a three-game losing streak and having had its own 10-day layoff (not related to Covid), was one-dimensional, and looked laboured through the middle.

In contrast, centre Kate Heffernan started at a sizzling pace for the Steel, which grabbed an early 6-3 lead.

That was to be the biggest lead of the night for the Steel, as the flurry of substitutions started and the Tactix, with Kimiora Poi rattling around at great pace and Te Paea Selby-Rickit doing some clever work around the shooting circle, cribbed back the lead and had a 15-14 advantage at the first break.

The visitors pushed ahead by five goals as the Steel started to look tired, but Saviour Tui made a couple of big plays for the Steel as it fought back to trail by two.

Eventually, the sheer level of rustiness and lack of physical conditioning in the Steel caused by the Covid layoff became apparent.

The home team coughed up 13 turnovers in the first half, after which the Tactix led 31-27.

That is hardly an insurmountable lead but the contrast in energy levels was clear as the visitors eased to a 49-40 lead after three quarters.

They cruised home with victory in the bag, the Steel earning major kudos for refusing to wave the white flag in the final quarter.

The Steel players do not get a heap of time to prepare for their next game — they play the Pulse in Dunedin on Monday night — but every hour of recovery from the virus will be precious as they seek to reignite their campaign.