Stythe bringing the energy for Steel
May 15 2026
It feels impossible not to smile in the effervescent presence of Carys Stythe.
The Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel are certainly reaping the rewards of the infectious energy the formidable defender brings to the team environment – not to mention a few, ahem, funky dance moves.
“I always take a little Jump Jam session on game day,” Stythe chuckles.
“Everyone does it which is really cool because there’s some people in the team who aren’t the most comfortable dancers, especially my dancing. Hey, they still take it on and I think that shows what we are like as a team – just do whatever it takes for each other. It brings a bit of fun.”
On court, it’s a vastly different scenario with Stythe a serious threat to the opposition.
This Sunday the Te Wānanga o Raukawa Pulse shooters are an assignment she’s not taking lightly.
“They are all really strong. In our last game Ameliaranne (Ekenasio) really proved how good she is. She can just sink those two-point shots when her team needs her and she had a really high shooting volume so she’s very dangerous,” Stythe said.
“The other two shooters, Khiarna (Williams) is a really good holder and she’s got a good netball brain on her. And against Ine-Mari Venter, that was the hardest I’ve worked. She’s really tough to get around and has a solid hold so you just have to keep moving on her.
“Their midcourt is fast and gets them good ball so it will be a great game.”
She expected a grueling encounter if their recent round four clash is any indication.
“Their style is very man on … we will just have to deal with the physicality and not let it detract from playing our game,” Stythe said.
‘There are advantages and disadvantages to playing them twice so close together. Whatever we get advantage wise, they get it too. So, we’re treating it the same as facing any team ever. We just have to believe in our own game plan, know what we can do and stick to that.”
The 2026 ANZ Premiership was closely contested.
“Every game you don’t know what’s going to happen. Once you get out there, you can feel the flow building but it’s not until the final whistle that you truly know,” Stythe said.
Despite recently earning top spot on the competition ladder, the Steel remained focused on each round.
“The momentum we’ve developed definitely helps but every game we come to, we take it one at a time,” she said.
“We’re really stoked to be leading, especially given we are at the halfway mark now, but we spoke about it yesterday and as far as we’re concerned, we’re back to zero now. For us, it’s like there is no ladder and we are starting the season again and hopefully we can just keep building from here.
“We’re sticking to our structures and that connection piece goes a long way because we are learning to trust each other on and off the court.”
Consistently featured in the top three for deflections and defensive rebounds in the competition statistics, Stythe has racked up her share of MVP honours already.
“I do really think a lot of other people should have them but I will take it,” she said.
“I’m happy with it. This year compared to last year I think everyone is getting ball which is really cool – it’s not just me in the back. Our goal d’s are getting ball, our wing d’s are getting ball, Kimi (Poi) is getting a million balls in the midcourt … we’re sharing the load.
“We might not always be up there with the highest stats but our whole defence is getting heaps of ball.
“Some games Kimi gets the same amount of gains as me and I’m like ‘bro, I’m the goal keep, not you’. She’s doing so well.”
With Silver Ferns selection looming for the coveted Commonwealth Games squad, Stythe should rightly fancy her odds given the impressive performances she’s unleashed.
“I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t in the back of my mind, but honestly, at the moment, I am just focusing on the Steel because I think that’s all I can do. I can’t control what’s going to happen in the future. I just want to win with the girls this year because that would be amazing and then whatever comes after that, comes after that,” she said.
“My head is fully with the Steel right now. Obviously, I do think about what I can do to get there and improve my game a little bit, but nothing crazy.”
Head coach Wendy Frew is undoubtedly a fan of Stythe’s work.
“Carys is a real leader in our team. She’s always communicating and leading from the front on the defensive end,” she said.
“She has an outstanding knowledge of the game and works incredibly hard, doing her homework and analysing the opposition thoroughly.”
