Steel unveil striking new look
The Southern Steel netball franchise is embarking on a fresh beginning, and at last night’s season launch unveiled a striking new dress to match their change in identity.
Steel have switched from last season’s powder-blue dress colour scheme to a bold cyan blue look with pink and black shades on the sides of the dress. The front and back of the dress features the tail of Steel’s star logo, which further adds to its effect.
With rookie co-coaches Janine Southby and Natalie Avellino taking over the reins at Steel this season and seven fresh faces in the squad, 2012 shapes as a new dawn for the combined Southland-otago team.
Steel’s Australian import Demelza Mccloud played for several teams during her top-level netball career and rated the new Steel dress highly.
‘‘The colour is fantastic. It stands out and is nice and strong. We feel bright and dynamic in it. It’s a really fresh style.’’
Former Silver Fern shooter Jodi Brown was announced as Steel’s captain for the upcoming ANZ Championship campaign last night, with Mccloud, Donna Wilkins and Sheryl Scanlan to assist as members of the team’s leadership group.
Brown has captaincy experience after leading the Otago Rebels in the former National Bank Cup competition and said it would be an honour to captain the Steel side. ‘‘It’s very exciting. I know there is so much history here with the Steel, the Rebels and the Sting. Steel are heading in a new direction and it’s going to be cool to be at the forefront of that moving forward.’’ Brown has played under some fine leaders during her elite netball career, including Tanya Dearns, Noeline Taurua, Belinda Colling, Julie Seymour and Adine Wilson, and said she would be looking to lead through her actions out on court.
‘‘We’ve talked about us all stepping up and being leaders.
‘‘I’ll probably lead by example more. Actions speak louder than words . . . I’ve got a great leadership group behind me.’’
The Ascot Park Hotel-sponsored Steel will compete in the ANZ Championship’s inaugural pre- season tournament, involving all 10 teams, in Tauranga from March 2-4. Their first competition game is against the Waikato-bay of Plenty Magic in Invercargill on April 2.