This weekend's Official Pre-Season Tournament in Sydney has given both Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel and Haier Central Pulse the competitive tests they want ahead of the start of the 2010 ANZ Championship on Saturday 20 March. Playing four ten-minute quarters instead of the usual 4 x 15-minute periods, and in some cases resting injured players, all seven teams at the SOPA Netball Cup tournament have made the most of the opportunity to test themselves and their opposition before the heat turns up in two weeks' time.
Click here for all SOPA Cup match scores.
The Hottest Game in Town Returns on Saturday 20 March - visit MyNetball's ANZ Championship page; and the official ANZ Championship website.
The two Kiwi sides met each other in Round 1 on Friday evening, and the result was a 35-31 win to Steel. The southerners dominated initially to lead by 21-15 at half-time, but Pulse struck back with an impressive defensive effort to limit Steel to four goals in the third quarter.
With a narrow 25-22 lead heading into the final spell, a strong performance by shooters Julianna Naoupu and captain Megan Dehn enabled Steel to keep their nose in front.
Steel followed up with a good win against 2009 Grand Finalists the Adelaide Thunderbirds, before their shooting let them down against NSW Swifts and West Coast Fever. They recovered to snatch a 32-all draw against the reigning champions, the Melbourne Vixens on Saturday afternoon, but lost to the Queensland Firebirds by 13 goals in their final match on Sunday morning. The Firebirds have gone through the Tournament unbeaten.
Steel will complete their pre-season campaign with games against Canterbury Tactix and the Otago Lois Muir Challenge team in Dunedin next Saturday 13 March.
Steel coach Broughton is pleased with her team's overall progress.
"We're alright. We just have to keep going and work on a few things. This tournament was really valuable from the point of view of identifying those things and getting them right," she said. "We still need to make our game more consistent, patient and controlled ... we've certainly got the speed but you have to use it wisely."
Broughton said the exposure to all five Australian teams, along with other aspects like rule interpretation, proved invaluable.
"It was well worthwhile - I wouldn't want to go into the ANZ Championship not having experienced all the Australian teams," she said.
And how are the five Australian teams shaping up? "Fast and mobile" according to Broughton. "Some of them haven't been using their Australian representative players - they only got back from tour two weeks ago and they're not on the court all the time."
Broughton relished the chance to trial various combinations, utilising every available player. Only defender Sheryl Scanlan and shooter Jade Topia were ruled out due to injury, with Steel training partner Kendall McMinn and NSW player Joanne Day enlisted to provide cover.
"Every player got on the court - they've all had a good taste of Australian netball," Broughton said. "Everyone is working really hard on their own game and their team game ... they all have goals they want to achieve."
Pulse recorded two single-goal losses to the Vixens and Thunderbirds, before going down by six and three goals to Fever and Swifts. However, the shooting combination between new Pulse captain Jane Altschwager and Silver Fern Paula Griffin continued to impress, especially against the Vixens who trailed Pulse by one goal at half-time.
Steel & Pulse results at the SOPA Cup Tournament were:
Steel 34 def Thunderbirds 23
Swifts 33 def Steel 23
Fever 39 def Steel 31
Steel 32 drew with Vixens 32
Queensland Firebirds 37 def Steel 24
Vixens 25 def Pulse 24
Thunderbirds 31 def Pulse 30
Fever 32 def Pulse 26
Swifts 28 def Pulse 25
Firebirds 38 def Pulse 31
The Queensland Firebirds, fifth in the 2009 ANZ Championship, won the SOPA Cup after going through the tournament unbeaten.
SLIDESHOW IMAGE: Southern Steel captain Megan Dehn retains the ball under pressure from Kara Richards (Melbourne Vixens).
(PHOTO: Michael Bradley)