Familiar territory for Tactix trio

The Tactix defensive trio are no strangers to ILT Stadium Southland. In fact, it’s a place they used to call home.

Demelza Fellowes, Louise Thayer and Hayley Saunders all featured in the Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel team of 2012. Raised in Gore, Saunders made her ANZ Championship debut for the Steel in 2010 and spent three years with the franchise before joining the Mystics in 2013 as a replacement player. Thayer headed north to the Tactix in 2013 while Fellowes (formerly McCloud) spend two years with the Queensland Firebirds.

Player movement certainly isn’t one-way traffic – Steel shooter Sophia Fenwick and defender Jane Watson both ventured south this year after a three-year stint with the Tactix.

The players themselves may be familiar, but the recruitment of Australian coach Sue Hawkins has added a degree of the unknown to the Tactix. Determined to avoid the competition’s wooden spoon for a fifth year, you can bet the franchise will utilise its international flair to maximum potential – particularly in the form of dynamic Malawi shooter Mwai Kumwenda.

The task of mitigating Kumwenda’s unorthodox style will fall to Steel’s formidable defensive duo of Phoenix Karaka and Storm Purvis – and you can bet they will relish the challenge.

Steel launched its 2015 campaign last Sunday with a tenacious performance against the highly-rated NSW Swifts with the visitor’s only managing to snatch victory in the dying stages. With many touting the experienced Swifts as leading title contenders in 2015, our young Steel side can take plenty of confidence out of the clash.

While only Steel captain Wendy Frew has racked up over 40 games in the league (with a total of 78), the Swifts boasted Susan Pettit (98), Kimberlee Green (96), Caitlin Thwaites (94), Julie Corletto (85), Sharni Layton (68) and Jade Clarke (48). And that’s not even adding on their international Test caps.

With a combined total of just 284 ANZ Championship matches to their credit, the Steel is the most inexperienced team in the ANZ Championship but we’re determined to counteract that with passion, commitment and an unwavering commitment to being the epitome of our Made of Steel tagline. And let’s face it, the only numbers which really counts are the ones on the scoreboard when that final whistle blows.

ANZ Championship caps per franchise:
Pulse 624, Mystics 547, Fever 542, Swifts 536, Firebirds 511, Thunderbirds 493, Magic 489, Vixens 464, Tactix 358, Steel 284

Steel yourself for Round 2

Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel v Tactix  - Saturday 7 March, 4.10pm ILT Stadium Southland, Invercargill 
Umpires: Kristie Simpson & Fay Meiklejohn Reserve: Jono Bredin

The Facts:

LAST MEETING: Round 13, 2014: Steel 64 defeated Tactix 60, Dunedin

The Steel leads the Tactix 11-3 in 14 previous meetings.
This will be the fourth meeting between the sides in Invercargill. The Steel has a record of two wins and a loss against the Tactix in Invercargill. The Tactix only win over the Steel in Invercargill was the first meeting between the sides in 2008.
The Steel has won the past four meetings between the sides, in fact they have won six of the past seven matches.
Gemma Hazeldine made her ANZ Championship debut when she started at goal attack for the Tactix against the Mystics in Round 1. Hazeldine was a member of the Pulse last season but didn’t see any court time.
Sue Hawkins becomes the 25th person to coach an ANZ Championship team in Round 1 when she led the Tactix on Monday night.

Dress up time!

Kit yourself out in the latest Steel supporters gear! We have a great range of merchandise available at our home games or from the Netball South offices at ILT Stadium Southland.

We think the players look incredibly sharp in their Scody uniforms and now you can wear it too!

Replica clothing is available online at http://www.scody.com.au/event-merchandise/event_362/southern-steel/official-merchandise/

Simon Jones is our
Man of Steel

In my debut as a columnist last week I mentioned there has been a marked improvement in the professionalism of netball. Gone are the days of a cool post-game sauvignon or lager with the opposition each week and a bit of “see you on Tuesday for our next practice”.

I thought an insight into our post game protocols would help to show the extra lengths we go to, all designed to optimise performance. Click Here to read more

Vote for your E Hayes STEEL PLAYER OF THE YEAR

It's time to stand behind your favourite team and get behind your favourite players.
Right throughout the 2015 season you can vote online for your choice for the Steel Player of the Year and go into the end-of-season draw to win a $500 GIFT CARD from E Hayes and Sons, Proud Supporters of the Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel.

The winner of the Player of the Year Trophy, as well as the winner of our Prize Draw, will be announced at a special end-of-season function in our store, details to be announced soon. Vote carefully though as you can only vote ONCE!

Allied Concrete, The Southland Times, Creation Signs, McCallums Drycleaning, Rothbury Insurance Brokers, World Heath and Fitness, Select Recruitment, Southern Sports Podiatry, Aart on St Andrew, Dianne Manson – Nationwide Images New Zealand, Strawberry Sound, Kinetic Health, Don Street Physiotherapy, Roslyn Physiotherapy, Coats and Schuck Jewellers, Ricoh South, ILT Stadium Southland, Splash Palace, Moana Pool

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Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel - PO Box 6034, Invercargill North, Invercargill 9841 NEW ZEALAND Telephone + 64 3 217 1303