Magic seek to bend Steel
A testing run home can only benefit the Southern Steel, New Zealand’s strongest trans-Tasman netball hope this season.
The unbeaten Steel are in the box seat to push on after securing nine wins and a draw from their 10 games – their 19 points is the highest scored by a team in Australia or New Zealand this season.
Coach Noeline Taurua’s contenders have steadily gathered momentum this year, improving each week and profiting from a favourable draw.
The Steel did not play any of the strong Australian conference teams until their round five clash with the West Coast Fever, and also avoided travel across the ditch until their round six clash with the Adelaide Thunderbirds.
Now, already assured of a finals berth, the Steel hope to put the finishing touches on their play as the playoffs fast approach.
The Steel square off against the resurgent Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic, the second-placed New Zealand conference team who have won their past five matches, at Stadium Southland on Sunday. They then host the Melbourne Vixens, and must travel to Sydney to face the NSW Swifts in the final round.
Taurua believes that challenging stretch will allow her players to lift standards further and finals intensity.
‘‘We are up against some topquality sides and we are guaranteed a top-four placing in the competition,’’ she said. ‘‘For us to have some really hard games leading into that first semifinal can only be good for us.’’
Despite being slow out of the blocks this season, the Magic will be keen to continue their hot streak after beating the Tactix and Mystics twice, and the Central Pulse.
Sunday’s match between the top two Kiwi teams shapes as a potential precursor to the conference final in July.
Taurua still feels there is plenty for her team to work on despite a comfortable 66-51 victory over the injury-hit defending champion Queensland Firebirds combination last week.
‘‘Coming out of the Firebirds game, the scoreboard shows we won, but we probably weren’t a complete performance,’’ Taurua said. ‘‘There is a heck of a lot of room for us to improve.
‘‘We just have to keep going with our methods and our madness, our processes, and look this week to be better than last week.’’ prepare for