KEY POINTS:
Life gets no easier for the Southern Steel, who are battling to stay afloat in the trans-Tasman netball league.
Successive losses at home in Invercargill have left coach Robyn Broughton scratching her head as the Steel prepare for their toughest challenge to date.
They play Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic, easily New Zealand's best team in the ANZ Championship, in Hamilton on Monday night.
The twin shooting threats of Irene van Dyk and Maria Tutaia have helped lift the Magic to the joint lead with the Queensland Firebirds after six rounds
Ever the realist, Broughton knows the Magic's double-barrelled shooting armoury is incredibly difficult to dismantle because of their quality midcourt led by international Laura Langman.
She told NZPA there were no secrets to the Magic's success.
"They are well above the rest of us (New Zealand teams) but so they should be with five Silver Ferns and another ex-Silver Fern.
"They rely on Irene in the goal circle and she's got a good shooting partner now to take a share of the load. They've also got good circle defence at the other end. Nothing has changed.
"They are strong, but the way they play is predictable."
That, of course, does not make the Steel's task any easier, with Broughton acknowledging the enormity of the task awaiting them after posting just two wins in their opening six matches.
Steel goalkeep Megan Hutton has previously unsettled van Dyk, who has hit her straps in recent matches as her partnership with the younger Tutaia continues to flourish.
"She seems to have good games against Irene and hopefully she can do that again."
While Hutton is a certainty, Broughton is tempted to tinker with her combination in the defensive circle.
She has two solid defenders in Katrina Grant and Erica Burgess while the younger Te Huinga Reo-Selby-Rickit is a goalkeep still awaiting a chance to shine.
Whether to risk making changes against such a formidable outfit as the Magic has been occupying Broughton's mind.
"We are looking to change things around a bit and start using different combinations," Broughton said.
"I'm hoping we can start doing it but I know it's a hot bed to start these sort of things. But if we don't start doing it we will never know."
The Steel were not treated kindly by the draw, which gave them four away games before they played in front of their home crowd against Northern Mystics and Canterbury Tactix.
Both of those games were dropped, leaving the Steel with just two victories - over Central Pulse and away to the Tactix - to show for their efforts.
A desperate Mystics team overcame an eight-goal deficit midway through the third quarter to post their only win of the season while the Tactix prevailed 51-48 in another tight tussle last Saturday.
The latter result upset Broughton, who said her players paid a high price for their errors.
"I expected to do better against the Tactix, and it was only in the last few minutes that our fortunes changed.
"We need to learn how to hang on to leads. You can't afford to throw away good possession and we gave their shooter Jodi Brown too much licence.
"It is part of sport at this level. You have to take your chances, if you don't you are going to suffer for it."
Expect those words to be ringing in the ears of the Steel players when they take to the court on Monday.
- NZPA
