Return of stalwarts strengthens the resolve of Southern Steel

Bridget Tunnicliffe
Wellington, April 14, 2024

The Southern Steel are determined to return to winning ways this year with the help of old faces, including stalwart and former Silver Fern Shannon Saunders.

Saunders, who gave birth to her first child last February, said that her journey back to being fit enough to play ANZ Premiership Netball had not been too bad.

“I stayed very active throughout my entire pregnancy, which I think helped. And then you do a lot of walking when you have a newborn baby trying to get them to sleep so I found that got me pretty fit pretty quick,” he said.

The resolve to stay fit

“It has been good to seek out advice (on what to expect) but then also just trust in my instinct, and I kind of know my body best and what I need to kind of get back to ANZ level of fitness,” Ms Saunders said.

She will have to wait one more week for her return to court, as she gets over a very minor knee issue with the Steel taking a cautious approach for their first game against the Tactix on Monday (April 15, 2024).

Ms Saunders always had a reputation as one of the fittest players in the country and that put her in good stead.

“I have been very fortunate that I have not found it that hard getting back to kind of full fitness, but you have a lot less time to get things done, but it has made me much more efficient with my training. I think all those years of training, I do not need to do heaps anymore. Like my body kind of knows what to do and what it needs, so I am lucky,” he said.

The Steel had a miserable 2023 after losing strike shooter George Fisher to injury and went through the season without a win. It was a tough watch for 33-year-old Saunders, who joined the Steel in 2012.

“They had a tough season, so it has been nice to kind of get back in the environment and just hopefully help out and get some wins on the board this year.”

Smash-out Training

The 90-test Silver Fern is based in Nelson and will commute once a week down South where the team will “smash out” training over a few days. Named Vice-Captain, Ms Saunders will support new Captain Kate Heffernan.

Gina Crampton was the Silver Ferns starting wing attack until the end of last year’s World Cup when she headed overseas on a sabbatical.

Ms Saunders, who debuted for the Silver Ferns in 2013, was more than a handy backup to Crampton when the Silver Ferns needed impact.

How keen is she to get back into the national side?

“That is definitely a ‘to be confirmed’ thing at the moment. I am just juggling what it would be to commute, away from my daughter during the season. I will see how I play but I am looking forward to enjoying my season with the Steel,” she said.

Saunders went to a Silver Ferns camp in December last year and her time on the court.

“My daughter is my priority and I want to make sure that gets everything she needs. The main factor will probably be time away from her. I do not know if I can cope with weeks and weeks away from her, so that will probably be a big factor in my decision,” she said.

Ms Saunders is expected to slot mostly into wing attack for the Steel, while Silver Fern midcourter Kate Heffernan is likely to spend much of the season at centre.

About Shooter Jen O’Connell

Injury setback means that the the Southerners will be without Fisher again, but some familiar faces have returned to the Steel including Taneisha Fifita, Abby Erwood and shooter Jen O’Connell.

O’Connell, who was part of the title-winning side in 2017 and 2018, had a season-ending knee injury in 2020 but the 1.93 m tall shooter has been playing in basketball’s Tauihi League.

“She has come in excited and keen to stamp her mark at that goal shoot bib, and you think when we won the Premiership she was the goal shoot. She played amazing Netball. So I am excited to help her get back to that stage.”

“She is enjoying being back in the team environment and I think with everyone that has come back, they have had a few years away and matured, had some life experience and very grateful for the opportunity. It is exciting because it feels new but then it’s very familiar, like we’ve all played together before. But it is an easy group, everyone is self-sufficient and knows what we need to do perform, so I am excited to get started,” she said.

Ms Saunders has noticed the growth in Steel goal attack Georgia Heffernan, who took on a big workload last season and earned her Silver Ferns debut earlier this year.

“She had a massive year last year, and I am looking forward to this year hopefully to be able to take a bit of the load off and let her focus on performing. Last year, she was trying to do so much and help in so many areas down the attacking end and she did incredible, but it will be nice to try and kind of help ease her load.”

Dame Noeline Taurua was reappointed as Silver Ferns Coach last week.

Ms Saunders said that she was a huge asset to Netball in New Zealand.

“It is exciting, she has a young group with much potential and talent. It is scary to think where they going to get to in four years.”

The Steel play the Tactix in Christchurch on Monday (April 15).

Bridget Tunnicliffe is a Sports Journalist at Radio New Zealand. The above Report and pictures have been published under a special agreement with www.rnz.co.nz