The 2018 Southern Steel season saw the Southern Steel netball team compete in the 2018 ANZ Premiership and the 2018 Netball New Zealand Super Club. With a team coached by Reinga Bloxham, captained by Wendy Frew and featuring Gina Crampton, Shannon Francois, Te Paea Selby-Rickit and Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit, Steel retained the ANZ Premiership title, winning their second consecutive premiership after defeating Central Pulse 54–53 in the grand final. In the Super Club tournament, Steel finished third.
Players
Player movements + Gains and losses Gains Losses Jess Allan (Netball South) Courtney Elliott (Waikato NNL) Taneisha Fifita (Netball South) Georgia Heffernan (Netball South) Kate Heffernan (Netball South) Malysha Kelly (Adelaide Thunderbirds) Kendall McMinn (Netball South) Aliyah Dunn (Central Pulse) Jamie Hume (Northern Mystics) Jhaniele Fowler-Reid (West Coast Fever) Malysha Kelly Jane Watson (Mainland Tactix)
Notes Malysha Kelly was injured during pre-season.
2018 roster
Notes Georgia Heffernan, Taneisha Fifita, Jess Allan and Kendall McMinn were included in the extended squad for the Super Club.
Debuts Kendall McMinn made her senior debut for Steel in Round 3 against Northern Mystics. Kate Heffernan and Taneisha Fifita made their senior debut for Steel in Round 6 against Mainland Tactix.
Pre-season Sunshine Coast Lightning series In March 2018, Steel played a two match series against the 2017 Suncorp Super Netball premiers, Sunshine Coast Lightning.
Pre-Season Tournament Steel also participated in the official pre-season tournament at Te Wānanga o Raukawa in Otaki from 20 to 22 April.
ANZ Premiership regular season
Fixtures and results Round 1 Steel's unbeaten run in competitive matches continued into the 2018 season. However, after defeating Northern Mystics in their opening match, they were beaten 62–51 by Central Pulse, ending a 22–match win streak. The streak included 17 ANZ Premiership matches and five Super Club matches.
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Round 5
Round 6
Round 7
Round 8
Round 9
Round 10
Round 11
Round 12
Round 13
Final standings
ANZ Premiership Finals Series
Elimination final
Grand final
Netball New Zealand Super Club
Group stage
Final ladder Group A 1 Southern Steel 3 2 0 1 207 168 123.2 1 7 2 Mainland Tactix 3 2 0 1 201 153 131.4 0 6 3 Gauteng Jaguars 3 2 0 1 173 172 100.6 0 6 4 Sneakers 3 0 0 3 150 238 63.0 0 0
1st/4th Play offs
Third place play-off
Award winners
Team of the season Two Southern Steel players were named in Brendon Egan's Stuff Seven team of the season.
Position PlayerGATe Paea Selby-RickitWAGina Crampton
References