Slam Rock win highlight for Steam Rollers'

A "brilliant" team effort led the Sulphur City Steam Rollers' Motley Crew to a decisive win over the Hellmilton Roller Ghouls' Raggedy Angst at Slam Rock 2017.

Chairwoman Layla Robinson said the team were "stoked" by the 185-116 win at the Sportsdome Rotorua on Saturday night.

"Slam Rock is the highlight of [our] year, we put in so much effort to put the event on and to win is gold. We have won all four Slam Rocks."

She said the team started on the back foot until they figured out what was not working and made changes.

"It was really close until the second half when we started pulling away ... I'm definitely happy with how it all went. All our players are strong now, we're a really strong, defensive team."

It was a "fast and physical game," Mrs Robinson said.

"We were expecting it to be challenging, as Hamilton are a good team, but not that fast."

Co-captain Natalie Calder agreed it was a hard start, but the team stepped it up and played brilliantly.

Mrs Robinson said it was an enthusiastic crowd that came to watch the game.

"It was a good crowd, definitely around the 500 mark. Lots of people were dressed up as it was a rock star theme ... We had awesome support from the home crowd."

She said it was a family-friendly event with "heaps" of kids, and free face painting, a lolly scramble and air guitar competition.

It was a fast and physical game between the Steam Rollers and Hamilton. Photo/Stephen Parker

Slam Rock is the team's annual fundraiser and this year the money raised will go towards the team's costs, such as accommodation, in competing in the New Zealand Top 10 Roller Derby Championship.

"We raised a good amount of money [last night], it'll take the pressure off the players. They can concentrate on the game and not have to think about where the money is coming from," Mrs Robinson said.

While the Steam Rollers' are not ranked in the top 10, currently sitting at 14, they were
invited to take part in the competition because other teams could not make it.

The championship starts in July and finishes in November, and involves two pools with five teams in each.

The Steam Rollers' will play in Palmerston North twice, once in Wellington, as well as a home game versus the Northland Nightmares Hell's Wives in October.

Mrs Calder said every game the Steam Rollers' play gains them a bit more experience.

"We're working on strategies and how we can build and grow. We've got the making of a really great team. We're going [into the championship] as underdogs but our team work is good."