Steel add four to roster for 2018

The Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel have announced the signings of the Te Paea and Te Huinga Selby-Rickit as well as Olivia Bates and Dani Gray for the 2018 ANZ Premiership.

Steel coach Reinga Bloxham said she was happy with the team emerging to take on the challenge of defending the inaugural title.

Boasting nearly 20 years’ Club experience between them, Bloxham believed retaining the Selby-Rickit sisters was pivotal to the Steel’s campaign.

“They are both a really crucial part of our team and to have that leadership at each end of the court is going to be really important going into next season,” Bloxham said.

“They aren’t ‘in-your-face’ leaders but they both inspire on and off the court. They look very relaxed in their approach but it’s all business when it comes to game time.

“The great thing about Te Paea is how consistent she is and the growth she has shown in that attack end leading others around her. I think Te Huinga is very underestimated but she’s such an important cog in our wheel.”

Bloxham was excited to see what Bates and Gray would achieve.

“Those two proved to us that they deserved a chance. Every time they came into our environment they took the opportunity and really immersed themselves in everything we did. There’s a huge amount of talent and netball nous there,” she said.

The quartet joins the midcourt trio of captain Wendy Frew and Silver Ferns Shannon Francois and Gina Crampton as confirmed for the 2018 season.