Chance to reflect after elimination final loss
Some games you expect to win, and don’t.
Last night was one of those for the Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel.
Take nothing away from a Northern Stars team that looked odds on for yet another substantial loss after giving up a couple of early breaks to Kate Heffernan in the opening minutes. They fought back and they just kept on scrapping.
The experience of Leana de Bruin and Temepara Bailey was fundamental. The youngsters in the Stars team fed off that determination and assurance, growing in stature as the game progressed. Steel’s first half performance was an odd mix of very good flow and faulty connections, like a cellphone call which comes in and out of reception.
Photo: Southern Steel wing defence Kate Heffernan was a standout. Pic: Dianne Manson/Michael Bradly Photography
Just how much of that was down to pressure from the Stars, and how much was just a bad night out for the Steel, will be picked apart by the team and fans over the next couple of days.
Most will tune in on Monday night for the ANZ Premiership final between the Stars and the Central Pulse with a feeling of ‘what might have been’.
To be honest, you could probably just hand the Pulse the trophy now.
Sport is like that, there are countless examples of teams failing to back up after winning upset results to make it into finals.
Most netball followers would agree that the Steel had the best shot at rewriting the Pulse’s 2019 redemption song.
However, they weren’t good enough last night to give themselves that opportunity.
The Stars will do well to get within 15 goals of the home team at Te Rauparaha Arena.
Positives? Last night was a statement performance from Kate Heffernan at wing defence. In a position where it’s really hard to stand out, she stood out, and would have been a lay down proposition for MVP if Steel had won the game.
After two seasons of success, the Steel have been given a great hook to reflect on over the offseason.
Photo: The Southern Steel will have the chance to review and reflect after a couple of seasons of success. Pic: Dianne Manson/Michael Bradley Photography
How the players, and the franchise as a whole, respond will be a measure of the systems and process which have been put in place over the past couple of years.
Official Result and Stats:
Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel:53
Northern Stars:56
Shooting Stats - Steel:
Lenize Potgieter 39/42 (93%)
Te Paea Selby-Rickit 11/18 (61%)
Jennifer O'Connell 3/5 (60%)
Shooting Stats - Stars:
Maia Wilson 43/45 (96%)
Charlee Hodges 13/18 (72%)
MVP: Maia Wilson (Stars)
