Match Report Steel v Pulse – Rd 4
May 2, 2026
You’d expect that would have earned a wry smile from the legendary Robyn Broughton.
The Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel kept its winning streak firmly intact with a 54-47 win over the Te Wānanga o Raukawa Pulse on Saturday night, with it securing the coveted Robyn Broughton Legacy Trophy.
It also claimed the Steel second spot on the ANZ Premiership ladder, only goal percentage giving the VIP Frames & Trusses Tactix the edge.
The Steel will be ruing the chance to cement top spot had it not let the Pulse win the final quarter.
The Pulse reinforced its reputation for man-on defence from the outset, forcing the Steel to muscle up and grind it out under relentless physical pressure.
Steel snatched the upper-hand to dominate the second quarter, the bonus possession hard earned through seven deflections which ignited an ILT Stadium Southland packed with the southern faithful.
Realistically, everyone in Steel kit was worthy of praise as it headed into halftime ahead by eight.
Defenders Carys Stythe and Khanye-Lii Munro-Noanoa racked up some noteworthy stats, Renee Savai’inaea was a menacing presence and midcourt dynamos Kimiora Poi and Serina Daunakamakama were instrumental on attack.
Shooters Aliyah Dunn and Georgia Heffernan continued their strong partnership under the post, benefiting from some silky feeds.
The Pulse struggled to penetrate on attack and were forced to battle for every scrap and often flirting with time on the pass.
Steel composure was ruffled in the final stanza as the visitors pounced on any error to venture back within seven – spurred on by a couple of supershots from South African international Ine-Mari Venter.
Head coach Wendy Frew had mixed feelings at the final whistle.
“We’ve won the trophy and that’s a really nice feeling, and we denied them a bonus point, but we’re feeling a bit funny about the performance to be honest,” she said.
“We had a really good first half and then I think they outplayed us in the second, especially in that last quarter when we didn’t really fire.
“I think that’s a good position to be in though. We’ve obviously had three wins on the trot but it’s a good time to really look at things and see where we can improve.
“It’s great to move up the table but we’ve still got a lot of work ahead of us. We’re really just getting started. I’m proud of our efforts but we’ve just got to stay grounded, stay humble and continue to work hard.”
She was particularly impressed by Daunakamakama.
“She crushed it. She’s such a remarkable player and she’s got such a good awareness of the game. She’s had some good outings and that was one of her best. She had a couple of wing d’s to contend with and she really brought it,” Frew said.
“And as a D unit in that first half we were really working for each other and creating so much ball. They are hungry that’s for sure.”
Well in control when leading by 12 heading into the last quarter, the Steel showed their renowned southern grit and tenacity to hold off an improving Pulse, but the visitors, despite winning the last stanza, left their run far too late.
After a tight opening and closing, the Steel held all the cards through the middle two quarters where they held the Pulse at arms-length through a stifling defensive effort backed up by accuracy and strong finishing on attack. Denying the Pulse on attack provided numerous opportunities for the Steel of which they took full advantage.
Holding their breath for the closing minutes after losing influential shooter Dunn to injury, it wasn’t enough to deny a well-deserved win for the southerners.
There were no surprises in either starting line-up, with Savai’inaea, working her way back from injury, and Munro-Nonoa, forming the wing and goal defence combination.
For the Pulse, Australian import, Lili Gorman-Brown, got her second start of the campaign to line up at wing attack after also overcoming an early season injury.
Both teams delivered a free-flowing entertaining spectacle in the opening quarter in a goal-for-goal exchange. The Steel had an easier passage to goal in the earlier exchanges with Dunn, notching a 41 from 43 return for the game, providing the space and accuracy.
Once in the groove, the Pulse played in similar fashion while both sets of defences had their moments. Defensive turnovers helped the visitors get back on level terms while the Steel’s in-circle defensive duo of Munro-Nonoa and Stythe kept the Pulse shooters honest.
It was a buzzer-time goal that gave the Steel a narrow 14-13 lead at the first break.
The impasse continued momentarily on the resumption before the Steel gained the upper hand through their impressive full-court defence. Munro-Nonoa and Stythe were a menacing pairing in creating hesitancy in the Pulse attacking line while leaving the shooters unable to get clean ball.
Captain Poi was an influential figure at both ends and through the middle with her devastating speed and nose for an intercept while working effortlessly in tandem with fellow attacker Daunakamakama.
Parris Mason got her hands to some timely turnovers for the Pulse but fast running out of options on attack and with the Steel growing in confidence through court, the home side turned on a slick exhibition on attack.
Losing out in the possession stakes, the Pulse were soon on the back foot, the Steel stamping their credentials at the scoring end through the reliability of Dunn under the hoop to take a handy 28-20 lead into the main break.
Competing on more even terms during most of the third stanza, the Pulse squandered rare opportunities as the relentless Steel showed no signs of slacking off. Co-captains Mason and Ameliaranne Ekenasio were solid toilers for the struggling visitors who were not given any leeway by a focussed, positive and energetic Steel side.
Fed perfectly by the slick pairing of Poi and Daunakamakama, shooters Dunn and Heffernan held the upper hand in the circle while at the other end, the defensive wall and individual abilities of Stythe, denied the Pulse any flow while adding to their growing frustration. That left the Steel heading into the last break well-placed when leading 45-33.
