The Southern Steel are looking for an emphatic win over the Central Pulse today to kick-start what will be a tricky campaign over the next five weeks to secure a transtasman league finals berth.
For the past four rounds the ANZ Championship has become a quasi-domestic competition, with the New
Zealand sides all doing battle among themselves.
Across the Tasman the Australian teams have done the same thing.
With the competition among the New Zealand teams less intense than that in Australia, the nature of the draw has allowed the Steel to get themselves in a handy position on the ladder to challenge for a semifinals berth without ever really producing the form befitting a top-four contender.
Transtasman match-ups will resume next weekend which means the Steel, who are regarded as New Zealand's next best chance of making the semifinals behind the Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic, need to hit their straps now. The Southerners are looking to produce a complete and polished performance against the Pulse today to set them on the right course heading into a tough final run home, where four of their last five games will be against Australian sides.
Far from being daunted at the challenge facing her side, Steel captain Adine Wilson believes the tough draw may actually favour them.
"We are quite lucky in that respect that we are going to be constantly having those Aussie match-ups," she said.
"Definitely our goal as a team is to make that top four - I think we'd be bitterly disappointed if we didn't. We've still got the opportunity to do that.
"Yes, it's going to take some hard work and yes, it's going to take some wins against Australian teams, but if you don't get those wins you're not worth being in the top four anyway."
A stubborn calf injury may force Wilson to sit out the clash against the league stragglers in Wellington.
The slight tear to the muscle meant she missed the Steel's one-goal win over the Tactix in round seven, and the injury forced her off the court mid-way through the fourth quarter in last week's loss to the Magic.
She remains in doubt for today's game, with a decision on her availability expected to be made closer to game time.
Competition leaders the Melbourne Vixens host the Queensland Firebirds tomorrow as they look to stretch their unbeaten run this season. With the Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic having a bye this weekend, a win would allow the Vixens to take the outright lead heading into round 10, when the two table-topping sides meet in Tauranga.
The Northern Mystics take on the Canterbury Tactix in Auckland on Monday as both sides look to fight their way off the bottom of the table.
In the late game, the West Coast Fever play the Adelaide Thunderbirds in Perth.
ROUND NINE
Today: 2pm Central Pulse v Southern Steel, Wellington.
Tomorrow: 4.30pm Melbourne Vixens v Queensland Firebirds, Melbourne.
Monday: 7pm Northern Mystics v Canterbury Tactix, Auckland; 10pm West Coast Fever v Adelaide Thunderbirds, Perth.
BYE: Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic, NSW Swifts.
Steel captain Adine Wilson believes the tough draw may favour them. Photo / Supplied
The Southern Steel are looking for an emphatic win over the Central Pulse today to kick-start what will be a tricky campaign over the next five weeks to secure a transtasman league finals berth.
For the past four rounds the ANZ Championship has become a quasi-domestic competition, with the New
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