Netball: Physio steeled for on-court action

Southern Steel physiotherapist Jenny Ferguson always hopes her services won't be required during a game.

She has extra reason to keep her fingers crossed that no Steel players are struck down by injury in today's ANZ Championship clash against the NSW Swifts, as she may be the one called upon to take the court.

Ferguson, who captained the Southern Sting in the former domestic competition, has been "roped in" to the Steel line-up as a late replacement for injured defender Sheryl Scanlan, who continues to struggle with a calf injury that has ruled her out of the past three games.

Today's final-round match is a must-win for the Steel, who are in a battle with the Queensland Firebirds for the one remaining playoff spot.

It is high-pressure stuff, but Ferguson doesn't expect to be thrust in to the cauldron.

She insists she is just there to make up numbers on the bench, with the primary care role her main focus.

"Sheryl can't do the warm-up so I'm just helping out with that really," the 30-year-old said.

"My main job is obviously the physio and hopefully everything will just run along as normal."

Ferguson said while it was unlikely that she would take the court, the team had a contingency plan in place.

"We'll organise a few things so everybody knows what the plan is and some people can help me out on court if it does look like a change needs to be made."

Today's match should be the first and only time Ferguson is named in the line-up. Speaking in her capacity as the team's physio, she said Scanlan was making progress in her recovery.

"It's progressing nicely. She had a nasty strain, so we're just being cautious if anything and making sure she's fully up to speed before she tries to get out and run and train with the girls again," she said.

"I'd hope that if we made the finals [Scanlan] will be there and available for that."

Also monitoring the situation closely is Silver Ferns coach Ruth Aitken, who can ill-afford to lose another experienced player for this year's campaign.

A flurry of pregnancies in the Ferns' squad is posing huge challenges for the New Zealand selectors as they look to fill the gaps left by Leana de Bruin, Daneka Wipiiti and Julie Seymour.

However, Aitken is confident Scanlan will be available for selection.

"There's still six weeks until the test team is announced so we're pretty confident that within that time she'll be back able to play fully and that's what she's working towards," she said.

It is understood that privately Silver Ferns management are disappointed with the Steel's handling of Scanlan's injury and were forced to intervene to ensure the 32-year-old wasn't rushed back into action.

Scanlan tweaked her calf muscle in the match against the Fever and then exacerbated the problem by returning to training too soon. There is strong feeling among Netball NZ insiders that the damage to the calf wouldn't have been as serious had the Steel had taken a more prudent approach, but Aitken was yesterday playing down such assertions.

The Steel need to win and win well against the Swifts today if Scanlan is to have any chance of playing for the Southern franchise again this season. The Steel's play-off hopes will then hinge on the outcome of Monday night's game between the Firebirds and Fever.

In today's other match-up, the Melbourne Vixens will be chasing a big win against the Central Pulse to boost their chances of claiming the minor premiership. The Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic are also in the hunt for the top spot, but have a much tougher assignment against the Adelaide Thunderbirds tomorrow.

The Canterbury Tactix host the Northern Mystics on Monday night in the only match of the round that doesn't have play-off repercussions.

NETBALL

ROUND 14
Today: 2pm Southern Steel v NSW Swifts, Invercargill; 4pm Melbourne Vixens v Central Pulse, Melbourne.

Tomorrow: 4:30pm Adelaide Thunderbirds v Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic, Adelaide.

Monday: 7pm Canterbury Tactix v Northern Mystics, Christchurch.