Dame Noeline Taurua on Southern Steel’s horror start

Silver Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua. Photo / Photosport

Dame Noeline Taurua has weighed in on the Southern Steel’s horror start to the ANZ Premiership.

The 2018 champions have been trounced by the Mystics, Pulse and Stars and have failed to score more than 40 goals in a game over the opening two rounds.

Star shooter George Fisher suffered a season-ending ACL injury late in the pre-season, leaving their attacking end bereft of experience.

Taurua said they are clearly on the back foot without the English import.

”She’s a big scoring machine there and they haven’t quite been able to nail it in that shooting end which does put pressure on others. I think there are still players within the Steel who are very young.”

Taurua is calling for the struggling southerners to reflect and zero-in on improvement areas.

”This is an opportunity for them to really look at what things need a work on but also the character around the individual and the ability to keep tidy in your game.”

The Steel host the Mainland Tactix in Invercargill on Monday.

Coach Reinga Bloxham said it was difficult to bounce back from consecutive heavy losses.

”When you lose like that it kind of feels like a tsunami rushing at you. It’s really important to focus on the small, simple things such as trying to score our own centre passes, looking at the structures that are working and being able to do those things more consistently.

”The Steel have also been waiting on the return of Saviour Tui, who won a title with the Northern Mystics in 2021.”

Coupled with the untimely loss of Fisher, Bloxham has been cycling through her three remaining options: late call-up Eseta Autagavia, Georgia Heffernan and Jess Allan.

Heffernan, 23, - with less than 30 games - has the most ANZ Premiership experience.

Bloxham admits it has been a struggle to form a settled lineup.

”We’ve had very limited time with Eseta who’s come in. Also, Saviour Tui has only just done a full team training last week. So down there it is a little bit unknown and we don’t know what the best combination is going to be just yet.”

Tui has almost finished six months of recovery from surgery on a meniscus tear.

Bloxham said the 21-year-old has been working hard on rehab and could feature against the Tactix.

”Last week she played a little bit of netball for our NNL Blast team which is great. She’s come through that really well so now she’s able to get back on the court for us which is awesome.”

Bloxham believes the Steel will ultimately be stronger for the hardship of their horror start.”When you look at the games we’ve just had you’d probably write us off quite quickly but I never write us off. I think sometimes you have to be able to face things like this to build resilience.”

ANZ Premiership round three: Stars v Central Pulse, 2.10pm Sunday March 19, Auckland-Waikato BOP Magic v Northern Mystics, 4.10pm Sunday March 19, Hamilton-Southern Steel v Mainland Tactix, 7.35pm Monday March 20, Invercargill