Netball: Steel thumped in old-fashioned hiding

ANZ CHAMPIONSHIP
Melbourne Vixens 48
Southern Steel 31

Southern Steel suffered the heaviest defeat in their transtasman netball league history, crushed 48-31 by the Vixens in Melbourne yesterday.

It was a performance that confirms the unbeaten Vixens as the best of the Australian sides, while the highly rated Steel clearly have work to do to match the best teams in the competition.

The attacking duo of Daneka Wipiiti and Donna Wilkins, so fluent in last weekend's defeat of the Tactix, had no answer to the suffocating defence of Bianca Chatfield and Julie Corletto, while the Vixens' attack grew in confidence after a sluggish start.

Some physical work from the New Zealanders knocked the slick Vixens off their stride in the opening exchanges as they opened up a 9-6 lead. However, the hosts adjusted and went on an 18-4 run that killed any contest.

The first quarter lead was 14-11, while that advantage extended to 29-19 at halftime and 40-24 at the three-quarter mark.

Steel captain Adine Wilson didn't hide from the scale of the loss.

"We really back ourselves and we were really disappointed. It was a good, old-fashioned hiding out there," she said. "We know next time we cross the Tasman, we've just got to be exceptionally tough."

Momentum had already swung Melbourne's way when Wipiiti hyper-extended her knee early in the second quarter. The key goal shoot struggled for the remainder of the game although she remained on court, the Steel clearly confident the injury won't affect her over coming weeks.

A hobbling Wipiiti did well to shoot 21 from 30, while Wilkins, who was frustrated all game with the close attention, was restricted to 10 from 16.

There was no such difficulties at the Melbourne attacking end, where Australian centre Natasha Chokljat fed outstandingly. Goal attack Sharelle McMahon was at her clever best, shooting 21 from 28, while more stationary goal shoot Caitlin Thwaites managed 27 from 35, mainly from close range.

Coach Robyn Broughton made just one change at halftime, injecting Erika Burgess for Wendy Telfer at wing defence.

The Steel's previous biggest loss was by 13 to the Adelaide Thunderbirds in round four last year.