Carys Stythe (left) and Catherine Hall (right) Photo: Photosport
Analysis - An out of sorts Magic were punished 69-41 thanks to a near flawless performance by the Steel in Hamilton on Monday.
The Magic are a far better team than what they've shown in their two opening games of the ANZ Premiership season and they don't have much time to rectify it.
The Magic scored eight super shots to the Steel's three but it was nowhere enough to limit the damage.
Twenty seven turnovers cost the Magic dearly as they struggled to gain connections on attack. Silver Ferns wing attack Claire O'Brien, who is usually so assured, was benched at one point.
The Magic struggled to get enough shooting volume out of goal shooter Saviour Tui but she was put under enormous pressure by Steel goal keep Carys Stythe.
Aliyah Dunn for the Steel was magnificent, shooting 52 goals at 96 percent.
The Steel have had to call on replacement players with Silver Fern Kate Heffernan dealing with an injury, along with defenders Abby Lawson and Dakota Thomas.
Steel shooter Georgia Heffernan said it felt good to put out such a complete performance and said her twin sister Kate was glued to the TV.
"She's got the biggest FOMO right now. I think that's what we're so proud of, losing Kate before the first round and then Abby this week and then not having Dakota, we've had to adjust a lot and really trust that we've done the work and we can still be really strong out there and we showed that tonight," Heffernan said.
Young defenders thriving
Catherine Hall and Carys Stythe are two of the most exciting young defenders in the country.
The problem was, they also came from the same catchment area and started their elite careers with the Auckland-based Mystics.
Last year the pair shared a lot of court time with Hall getting her first full contract.
Stythe made a really smart decision to move to the Southern Steel where she was likely to get full games.
Hall and Stythe, both 21, are too good to be on the bench and both are thriving as starting players for their franchises.
Stythe has been sensational in her first two games for the Southern Steel, picking up back-to-back MVPs.
Hall has been in terrific form for the Mystics too.
It might not be long before the pair are in the Silver Ferns together.
Tall versus moving circle
Maia Wilson Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Since the birth of the Stars franchise in 2017, Maia Wilson has been the side's starting goal shooter.
Now, with the 196cm tall Charlie Bell at the back, the side has an out-and-out tall target.
The Australian import is the tallest-equal player in the competition and looks like a handy addition to the Stars, who upset the Tactix 57-52 in Auckland on Sunday after a challenging week.
Wilson has finally been able to take on the goal attack position, which could help her Silver Ferns prospects.
Not having to be responsible for the majority of the side's scoring has also taken some pressure off Wilson's shoulders.
"It definitely has, I think it's nice to be able to have a strong, tall target and it shows that we have so many different options to be able to throw out there. I think tonight she was really able to muscle it out so really proud of her to be able to come out here with a 60 minute performance," Wilson said.
It turns out that former Stars coach Kiri Wills, who is now in charge of the Queensland Firebirds, wanted to go down that track earlier.
When the 201cm shooter Mary Cholhok signed with the Queensland Firebirds for 2025, it was revealed that the Ugandan previously turned down two offers from Wills to play for the Stars.
Australian shooter shows her class
Donnell Wallam Photo: Bradley Kanaris
The Mystics did about as well as they possibly could when they had to fill the gaping hole left by Silver Fern Grace Nweke.
The defending champions had to act fast when Nweke announced she would be playing across the Tasman in 2025 and pulled off a real coup when they signed Australian Diamonds shooter Donnell Wallam.
Wallam had another commanding performance when the Mystics beat the Pulse 59-48 on Saturday.
But it should not come as a surprise given Wallam was second in Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) for total goals in 2023 and 2024, just behind the most prolific shooter in the world - Jamaican Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard.
It came as a shock to fans in Australia when the Queensland Firebirds let go of the 31-year-old after three seasons, instead signing Mary Cholhok.
Wallam is a late bloomer to netball and didn't make her Test debut until 2022. It's a little surprising that she has only played five tests for Australia since then.
After two rounds of ANZ Premiership, Wallam is the top goal scorer. Nweke is also the top goal scorer after six rounds of SSN.
But while Wallam is still able to represent Australia, Nweke is not eligible to play for the Ferns this year.
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