End of season came too soon for Steel coach
The Southern Steel coach knows the potential her side possessed this season — and that they could have done even better had the ANZ Premiership not been slashed back to 10 rounds.
They wrapped up their season on Monday night to finish fourth, their highest finish since 2022, with five wins and five losses.
Preseason injuries stunted the Steel's preparation, and losing co-captain and Silver Fern Kate Heffernan for the early rounds was a big blow.
The Steel were slow out of the blocks, and lost three on the trot in the middle of the season, but they came home strongly, and there is a general feeling they are on the right path.
"We'd love another round," Frew said.
"You kind of look back and think you're that one win away from the top three.
"I feel like this group of players could have been really competitive in the top three, so that hurts us.
"But we'll learn from it and we'll be better off for that experience. Especially those players who haven't experienced just missing out.
"It'll grow them as players and just make them probably extremely hungry for the future."
There are always highs and lows from every campaign, but it is hard to look past the Steel beating the Central Pulse 58-57 in round seven as the moment of the season.
After getting a 25-point hiding earlier in the season, the bench erupted in pure ecstasy at the final whistle.
"The Pulse game was a biggie for us. After the game, you just see pure joy."
Several players flourished in their first season in the blue and pink.
Defender Carys Stythe took a "massive punt" leaving the premiership-winning Northern Mystics to join the Steel.
But she reached new heights in leading the competition for defensive rebounds (21) and ranking third for deflections (52) and intercepts (19), and was "exceptional", Frew said.
Aliyah Dunn returned home to Invercargill and was rock-solid under the hoop, finishing second in the league for shooting accuracy. She nailed 383 from 400 attempts in the one-point zone.
Her coach would not mind seeing her get an international recall.
"Oh, I'd love to see Aliyah in a Ferns dress," Frew said.
"That's up to the Ferns, and the Ferns selectors, but I think she's had a tremendous season."
Young Serina Daunakamakama stepped up at wing attack early in the season and Frew said she was one to watch for the future.
Daunakamakama, Summer Temu and Khayne-Lii Munro-Nonoa will all trial at the end of the month for the New Zealand under-21 side for the Netball World Youth Cup.
Frew has grown in the role of head coach in her first season at the helm.
The former Southern Steel captain has a proud history with the franchise — including being a centurion — and said there had been a lot to learn in her inaugural season.
"I think you learn on the spot.
"I've been really proud of the campaign I've put together, but there's always going to be work.
"For me, I'm just so extremely lucky to have La [assistant Liana Leota] by my side.
"She obviously had so much experience and she's guided me in ways where, as a new coach, I was trying to find my feet.
"I'll be forever grateful to her, and all of the management team, just having my back and ensuring we're working as a team."
Frew acknowledged the same 10 contracted players never returned to any franchise each year and many would get offers elsewhere.
But she backed the talent among the squad and would love nothing more than to have the core back hunting for that elusive title next year.
"It'd be great to keep the bulk of the squad.
"From what we've created, and how we've grown this year as a team, if we can push on and get a good majority of them back, it'll be an exciting season for next year."
kayla.hodge@odt.co.nz
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