Steel defender Carys Stythe (centre) celebrates reaching the ANZ Premiership final with the team’s Invercargill crowd. The final is will be against her old team, the Northern Mystics, on Saturday. PHOTO: MICHAEL BRADLEY PHOTOGRAPHY Carys Stythe had some week. The Southern Steel defender booked her spot for the Commonwealth Games, celebrated her 23rd birthday and helped her side storm into the ANZ Premiership final. ‘‘Everyone’s like, ‘what do you want for your birthday?’, and I’m like, ‘I want to win this game’,’’ Stythe said after winning Sunday’s elimination final. ‘‘I got the present I wanted. Now I’m more motivated.’’ Stythe was impeccable against the Mainland Tactix, finishing with 12 gains, seven deflections, five intercepts and five rebounds. But you will not catch the goal keep taking the accolades for herself. She deflects the praise to fellow defenders Khayne-Lii’ Munro-Nonoa and Renee Savai’inaea, who do all the little things that do not show up in the statistics. ‘‘They really back our game plan and they are the grinders,’’ Stythe said. ‘‘I feel bad for them because everyone goes, ‘oh my gosh that’s amazing’ and I always say it’s because of them. ‘‘If you watch one of them the whole game, you’ll see that they do a mountain of work just for me to get the glory at the back. ‘‘They’re amazing, and me and Khayns have such a good connection in the circle and it’s just growing.’’ Many athletes at the top level forget to enjoy themselves, but Stythe always finds the joy in her game with a cheeky smile or a little giggle when the time calls for it. ‘‘I just get too nervous if I don’t have fun. ‘‘I just have to bring myself into the game . . . otherwise I wouldn’t be good, I wouldn’t play my game. ‘‘Having fun is part of it. I like to dance. I like to just move, sing a lot . . . so I’m going to keep doing that — it’s just me.’’ She is the first to bring the crowd into the game and offer the Steel fans a wave or a fist pump. They were electric at the sold-out Stadium Southland during the elimination final and gave the Steel the extra push they needed to make their first final in eight years. ‘‘Every time we come in from the changing room after halftime, they’re all cheering us on. ‘‘I always like giving them waves, and clapping, and jumping, including them because they actually are the eighth member of our team.’’ Stythe will have plenty of extra fans for the Steel when she returns home to Auckland to meet the Northern Mystics in the final on Saturday. She won the ANZ Premiership in 2023 and 2024 with the Mystics before joining the Steel last year. The Mystics have been classy all year, winning eight of their 10 games to qualify straight for the final. ‘‘That’s my old team so I always want to beat them.’’ Stythe made her Silver Ferns debut against Scotland at the end of last year. The two-test international was delighted to make the Commonwealth Games squad, especially for her mother, Sara, who has bowel cancer. ‘‘I wasn’t expecting it. ‘‘Obviously I was hoping for it but I just thought, I don’t know if it’ll happen this year, but I kept telling myself the whole year . . . I am young, I’ve got time. ‘‘But to make it now, I think it’s really special, especially for my mum.’’ Her sister and partner are heading to Glasgow, while the rest of her family will watch on from home. ‘‘They’ll be watching on TV. They’re the best supporters ever.’’
