The Illawarra Steelers proved their mettle under pressure with a come-from-behind victory in their high-stakes win against top-four rivals, the Cronulla Sharks, last weekend.
Their hopes of reaching the finals now depend on defeating the Wenty Magpies in the final game of the regular season at WIN Stadium on Saturday, as well as needing other results to go their way.
Head Coach Jamie Szczerbanik was cautiously optimistic about his team’s chances of making the final four.
“We can only control the performance we put on the field,” he said.
“Our focus is on controlling the controllables this week. The spirits were high at training, and the girls know what’s at stake.”
Turning Point
After two straight losses that saw their finals hopes take a nose-dive, Szczerbanik saw encouraging signs from his charges last week, pinpointing a crucial play that turned the tide against the Sharks and may well define their season.
“If I had to pick one moment, it would have been the one-on-one strip on our player and then the effort that the girls showed to turn and chase.
“Maddie ( Maddie Studdon) managed to knock the ball back out of the Sharks player’s hand to regain possession. That was probably the turning point of the game,” he said.
At halftime, the Steelers trailed but adjusted to counter Cronulla’s strengths.
“We knew we had to work harder around the ruck and put pressure on them from the inside out,” Szczerbanik explained.
“We’d spoken all week about Koffi Brookfield being crafty out of nine and their No. 7 having a strong kicking game.
“The message was simple: just complete our sets. To be four points behind with a completion rate under 50% showed we just needed to hold the ball, and with equal possession, we knew we could score points.”
For Steelers fullback Tayleah Handcock (pictured), last week’s win was about keeping belief in each other.
“It was one we had to win. Going into this week, we’ve still got the same mindset, bring everything we have, because we know we must win again,” Handcock said.
Handcock praised the team’s resilience in bouncing back after a tough first half.
“Our first halves this season haven’t been great, but we knew our season was on the line.
“Everyone had each other’s backs to lift in the second half,” she reflected.
Under Pressure
The 21-year-old has shown composure beyond her years this season, especially with the added pressure of goal-kicking duties.
“I just try to stay calm and go through the motions. If I miss one, I just wash it off and know I’ll get another chance during the game.”
For Handcock, the upcoming clash this week is all about keeping it simple.
“It’s all on the line for us, so we just need to go back to basics, defend hard, and turn up for each other.”
With one game left to decide their fate, the Steelers are determined to deliver a finals-worthy performance.
WIN Stadium | Saturday, 13 September
- Steelers v Magpies
- 10am Kickoff
Words | Angelina Raula
Images | Rob Sheeley