The Southern Steel have limped into the transtasman league's New Zealand conference finals, with only goal percentage separating them from the Central Pulse in the battle for third spot after both sides recorded heavy losses in Australia today.
The star-studded Pulse's underwhelming ANZ Championship came to an end with a62-51 loss to the Thunderbirds in Adelaide this afternoon. The result meant it would take about a 40-goal capitulation from the Steel against the Firebirds in the following game in Brisbane for the southerners to lose their place in the play-offs.
The Steel needed a lot more of that breathing room than they would have hoped. After a reasonably competitive opening half, the scoreline blew out in latter stages of the match as the in-form Firebirds side, well-led by star defender Laura Geitz, showed their class, taking out the match 66-50.
Regardless of whether it was the Steel or Pulse that advanced to the playoffs, the presence of a side that has just three wins from 13 outings this season, severely undermines the conference system introduced this year.
The Steel will now face the second-placed Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic in the New Zealand conference elimination final in Hamilton next Saturday. The loser of that match will be done for the season, while the winner will take on the Northern Mystics just two days later in Auckland to determine seedings heading into the semifinals.
In the Australian conference, the NSW Swifts and West Coast Fever face a sudden-death match in Sydney on Friday, with the winner to take on the Firebirds in Brisbane.
For the Pulse the review process will now commence, with a thorough and brutal examination needed if management are to get to the bottom of the side's awful season.
Given the talent in their line-up, this season has arguably been the Pulse's worst in the competition history.
The Pulse are expected to confirm this week former Silver Ferns defender Tanya Dearns as retiring coach Robyn Broughton's replacement. Dearns' immediate task will be trying to secure some of the Pulse's top international talent, including captain Katrina Grant.
After initially signalling this season would be her last, Silver Ferns shooting legend Irene van Dyk has also raised the possibility of returning next season.
The 42-year-old was thrown on in the second half of today's match, marking her first time on court in a month after she lost her starting spot to the improving Ameliaranne Wells. With the direction from Broughton to stay under the hoop and find her shooting range, van Dyk finished the game with 13 goals from 15 attempts in what may be her final appearance in the competition.
She was asked after the game about her future plans but she remained undecided. "I still love it out there but I haven't made my mind up," van Dyk said.
Broughton wasn't the only veteran coach farewelled in Adelaide today, with Thunderbirds mentor Jane Woodlands-Thompson signing off after eight seasons with the franchise.
Adelaide Thunderbirds 62 (Carla Borrego 42/47, Erin Bell 20/25) Central Pulse 51 (Jodi Brown 22/31, Ameliaranne Wells 16/16, Irene van Dyk 13/15)
