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 A Word from Wenz
So tonight I will notch up my 150th national league game. Wow. It’s fair to say when I joined the ranks of the Ascot Park Hotel Southern Sting in 2002, racking up a milestone like this wasn’t given a second thought. As an eager teenager, my focus was to just get the nod from coach Rob Broughton to actually be on the court, let alone doing it so many times!
To step onto the court against the Northern Stars in Auckland knowing it’s my 150th time doing so at this level will be a surreal experience. It’s humbling to reflect on the games I’ve played and, most importantly, all those players, coaches, management personnel, fans and my incredible family who have contributed to my netball career to date.
I’ve been asked a few times this week to pick a highlight and the fact I struggle to do that speaks volumes about how special each and every game has been for various reasons. Tonight’s will be no different.
We’re anticipating a tough battle against the ANZ Premiership’s newest franchise. The Stars are stacked with talent of international calibre and, while we took the honours in the opening round, they have continued to evolve their combinations since and present an element of the unknown.
For us, the emphasis is on improvement. Setting three new competition records against the Tactix last week felt pretty awesome but we aren’t resting on our laurels. Every game and every opposition presents new challenges and we have to be ready for whatever gets thrown at us.
An intense 11 days is looming with four ANZ Premiership games to tackle, including a double header for Super Sunday this weekend followed by the Pulse just 26 hours later. Then it’s off to Dunedin for our first home game in the city for 2017 on Sunday, May 7 – we sold out there last season and are certainly hoping our Otago Steel family is out in force again.
Despite the exhausting schedule, playing on home turf is fantastic because we know we will have a parochial, energetic Steel crowd to fuel us! Make sure you’re courtside and bring your loudest mates!
Cheers,
Wenz
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Who Knew?!
The teams met in the very first ANZ Premiership match in Round 1, with the Steel beating the Stars 75-57 in Hamilton.
The Steel remain undefeated after four rounds with four wins and sit on top of the ANZ Premiership ladder.
The Steel’s 90 goals against the Tactix in Round 4 in Christchurch bettered the highest score of the former Trans-Tasman Netball League of 84-goals, also set by the Steel against the Tactix in 2015.
Steel captain Wendy Frew will play her 150th National League match in Round 5 against the Stars. Frew played 39 matches in the former New Zealand National League (2002-2007), 106 in the former Trans-Tasman Netball League (2008-11 & 2013-16) and has played in all four matches for the Steel in the ANZ Premiership this season.
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Northern Stars v Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel
When: 7.30pm, Wednesday 26 April
Where: Vodafone Events Centre, Manukau
Broadcast: SKY Sport 1 (NZ), FanPass (NZ), Facebook (outside NZ)
#STAvSTE | #ANZP
Umpires: Paul Smith, Angela Armstrong-Lush and Marise Stuart (Reserve)
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Thanks to our family of sponsors
• Allied Concrete • The Southland Times • Creation Signs • McCallums Group • Rothbury Insurance Brokers • World Health and Fitness • Dianne Manson - Nationwide Images New Zealand • Strawberry Sound Hire • Roslyn Physiotherapy • Splash Palace - Invercargill • Unichem Waikiwi Pharmacy • NZHealth.delivery • Impress Clothing and Accessories • Fusion Fitness South • Road Safety Southland • LeppinSport • Lee’s Therapeutic Massage
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Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel - PO Box 6034, Invercargill North, Invercargill 9841 NEW ZEALAND Telephone + 64 3 219 9350
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