Match Report Steel vs Tactix
April 11, 2026
It was a brutal start to the 2026 ANZ Premiership for the Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel, beaten 55-42 by the VIP Frame & Trusses Mainland Tactix in Christchurch.
On the backfoot from the outset, there’s no denying the Steel had its fair share of opportunities throughout the encounter to reel in the deficit but ultimately failed to capitalise with an uncharacteristic sub-par performance.
A staggering four years have passed since Steel last won the southern showdown and the hoodoo remains – a statistic which will disappoint a determined squad which proudly demands high standards of itself.
In an opening game plagued by turnovers, the Steel simply battled to find its rhythm. In stark contrast, the Tactix were more connected than many pundits predicted given their roster was decimated in the off-season shenanigans.
Initial jitters on attack proved costly as the Steel struggled to combat a feisty Tactix outfit delivering smothering defence. While spearheaded by Australian import Ashlee Barnett, kudos is deserved across the court as their relentless efforts forced numerous mistakes from the Steel.
The 9-3 intercept stats speak volumes and the Tactix defenders were credited with 21 gains and 13 deflections.
As the unprecedented turnover count racked up, the Steel were forced to dig deep and can be commended for a resilient final quarter, along with bursts of the prowess expected which proved the potential waiting to be truly unleashed.
Shooter Josie Bingham was pragmatic in her post-match interview on TVNZ.
“Ultimately, they were just a little bit hungrier than us today. We did fight all the way to the end which was positive. It was just finding a few of those connections which we will go back to the drawing board and have a look at this week,” she said.
The reigning ANZ Premiership champions made a statement in the high energy match and their highly changed roster didn’t impact their dominance, with new faces making their mark on the Kiwi competition.
The Steel were clearly missing former captain Kate Heffernan, who signed for the Adelaide Thunderbirds in Australia’s Suncorp Super Netball this year, leaving big shoes to fill in the midcourt. Coach Wendy Frew tried various combinations throughout the court, but none seemed to gel, the side committing 26 turnovers in the match.
In comparison, the Tactix didn’t make a single change until five minutes into the final quarter, resting centre Holly Mather for Taiana Day, and then bringing on Josie Seymour in the final two minutes. The Steel clawed back a 14-goal deficit in the fourth quarter to draw within nine goals, but couldn’t stop the dominance of the Tactix.
Bookending the Tactix team, Australians Charlie Bell and Barnett were magnets for the ball. Bell is the tallest player in the ANZ Premiership, standing at 197cm and found no trouble breaking free from the Steel’s Carys Stythe - one of the standout defenders last season.
Bell had a massive 51 attempts, scoring 41 of them, and playing all 60 minutes alongside goal attack Amorangi Malesala. Barnett played a full match at goal keep, finishing with a massive 12 gains, four intercepts and seven rebounds.
As the Tactix continued to pile on the goals and extend their lead, Frew told her players to play for pride in their dress, and the Steel showed their Southern heart, never giving up and almost winning the final quarter but just falling short.
Throughout the match, the Steel had no answers to the Tactix attack, but were their own worst enemy in their attacking third, throwing possession away under the pressure of the Tactix defence. The Steel scored from only 53 percent of their centre passes, which will be disappointing for the inaugural champs nine years ago.
Shooting at just 70 percent accuracy, veterans Aliyah Dunn and Georgia Heffernan struggled under the Tactix defence, with rookie Ella Southby joining the duo in the circle to try and provide something different. Captain Kimiora Poi had a low error rate, but couldn’t find support and consistency in the midcourt, despite playing alongside younger sister Ashleigh.
For winning the match between the two southern teams, the Tactix were awarded the Hutton Family Trophy, to honour Megan and Kelly Hutton. Kelly passed in 2023 from ovarian cancer, and was a beloved member of the Canterbury netball family.
