Netball: Southern Steel claim Super Club title

Steel player Jhaniele Fowler-Reid rips the ball away from Mystics player Anna Harrison. Photo / Photosport

The Southern Steel have completed their double dose of perfection by claiming the inaugural Super Club netball tournament in Nelson tonight.

The Steel backed up their unbeaten ANZ Premiership campaign by claiming the Super Club in a similarly undefeated fashion, toppling their closest New Zealand rivals once more on their way to the title.

In the final, they dispatched the Northern Mystics 79-58, once again overcoming an initial challenge before eventually coasting to victory.

The Mystics had put together an impressive tournament, beating the Central Pulse in the group stage before hammering the New South Wales Institute of Sport by 18 goals in the semifinal.

They continued that form early on against the Steel, with an excellent offensive start giving them a chance at being the first side to beat the southerners in 2017.

After falling into an early 6-2 hole, the Mystics reeled off a streak of quality execution, going on a 10-3 run to take the lead. Their shooting duo of Bailey Mes and Maria Tutaia went 14 minutes without missing a shot, and built on that in the second quarter as they battled their way into a 34-32 halftime lead.

Hampering the Steel's progress was a non-contact injury to captain Wendy Frew. Frew hobbled off and was in a moon boot and on crutches post-match, putting her availability for Silver Ferns trials - and a potential international recall - in serious doubt.

With goal attack Te Paea Selby-Rickit also only playing half the encounter, the Steel's depth was tested, but they responded superbly.

A rampant 21-12 third quarter gave the Steel the ascendancy as they turned up the defensive pressure. Their swarming defence - and some poor Mystics passing - caused eight Mystics turnovers, and the Steel converted six of them into goals.

A 9-2 run to close out the quarter gave the Steel a seven goal lead with a quarter remaining, and they pulled away from there. A 26-12 final quarter turned the game into a rout, with unstoppable goal shoot Jhaniele Fowler-Reid finishing with 65 goals.

The New South Wales Institute of Sport claimed third place, beating the Central Pulse 48-46 in a game overshadowed by a similarly serious-looking knee injury to Pulse shooter Catherine Tuivaiti.