Back on court — ready or not.
The Southern Steel will get its turn to explore uncharted territory tonight when it makes a return to the ANZ Premiership to play the Tactix in Invercargill.
It is the Steel’s first game in 17 days — an eternity when you are a professional team used to gaining momentum every week during the season — thanks to Covid-19 ripping through the squad.
Coach Reinga Bloxham knows she and her coaching team will have to earn their chips tonight, especially as three of the 10 contracted Steel players are still not ready to play.
"We’re coming through the other end of it, which is great, and players are improving each day," she said yesterday.
"I suppose what we are learning is that you have to treat each of them individually, that you can’t sort of go, ‘oh, this is what happened to the last person so this is what will happen to the next one’.
"You have to really look at it case by case, see how they’re presenting each day, look at their symptoms, and also look to see how they are recovering after exercise.
"That’s a really big factor to determine how they go into the next piece of the puzzle."
Expectations are usually high at this level of netball. Players simply have to turn up in sharp condition or they will not last long in a Steel bib.
But Bloxham acknowledges there might have to be some relaxation of the demands on players if they look in rusty nick.
"I think there could be some netball players looking a bit sluggish.
"Last week, we had three or four players who had come back after a week and a-half off, and that looked a little bit ugly.
"But over the past couple of days, we’ve been able to ramp up what we’ve been doing.
"There are definitely going to be rusty patches but hopefully we can look for some consistency, and we’re still hoping to play a quality brand of netball.
"Your body might not be where it was, but you have to make sure your mind is ready for the challenge."
It could be that players post-Covid would be more measured in some of their movements, leading to a slightly slower-paced game that actually suited the Steel, Bloxham said.
Her big challenge is shoring up a Steel defensive end with gaping holes.
Circle defenders Sarahpheinna Woulf and Kate Burley, along with regular wing defence Renee Savai’inaea, are all unavailable tonight.
Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit can hold down one spot at the defensive end, and either Kate Heffernan or Shannon Saunders can easily slide back to wing defence, but goal defence shapes as an issue.
It seems likely 18-year-old Losa Fifita will start in the bib, though a wildcard is former Steel defender Abby Erwood, who has just started a job as a shepherd near Wanaka but has answered an SOS to help her old team.
Midcourters Kate Hartley and Ivari Christie and goal attack Jess Allan will also be part of the squad tonight.
These are crazy times but Bloxham is rolling with the punches.
"I’ve talked to other coaches and there’s definitely nothing like this in the coaching manual.
"We’re all learning as we go, and the good thing is that the coaches meet and discuss how we are working through Covid and the protocols, so we’re drawing on each other’s experience.
"You just kind of have to go with it and take what’s presented to you each day.
"The girls are starting to get really excited again, back in an environment and doing what they love.
"I think that fire and passion is very much still there. We just need to get bodies up to speed so we can contest that title."
ANZ Premiership
Invercargill, tonight, 7.10
Steel: Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit, Kate Heffernan, Shannon Saunders, Georgia Heffernan, George Fisher, Ali Wilshier, Saviour Tui, Losa Fifita, Kate Hartley, Ivari Christie, Abby Erwood, Jess Allan.
