Jeremy Ward/Photosport
Sam Winders is coming south for the 2023 season.
International midcourt Sam Winders has been signed to Southern Steel for the 2023 season.
After nine years with the Splice Construction Magic, Winders, 27, is venturing south to connect with the Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel for next year’s ANZ Premiership and joining a formidable midcourt with Silver Ferns Shannon Saunders and Kate Heffernan along with the talented Renee Savai’inaea.
Head coach Reinga Bloxham expected fierce competition to earn bibs.
“Sam is a player who I believe has high standards and great professional habits. I hope she will bring that intensity and drive to our training environment to raise the bar for others. She will give an edge to our competitive midcourt Everyone will have to do their best to fight for those bibs. She is always up for a challenge and she will provide our midcourt versatility,” she said.
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“If you feel too comfortable you can relax sometimes and in a high performance environment you should feel challenged and feel a bit of constant tension. So I think there will be a lot of competition in midfield.”
Winders, who has 47 Silver Ferns tests to her name, is the only addition to the Steel squad. England international George Fisher leads the charge with gunmen Savior Tui and Georgia Heffernan, while Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit, Kate Burley and Sarahpheinna Woulf provide the defensive force.
“George’s return was an easy decision for us. She brings so much to our team on and off the field. She has embraced life here in the south and is very involved in the community. She always has something to contribute to our team meetings and is not afraid to share her thoughts. We have quite a few players who are quiet and George brings noise and spark to our team culture.”
Bloxham felt the team was bursting with potential.
“What I want is for us to show that every week as we improve our performance. It excites me to think we have so much more to give,” she said.
“It’s great to retain most of the team to help with momentum and growth. I felt that we found some good performances throughout the season and with more time together we will solidify those performances,” Bloxham said.
“In terms of knowing each other, it gives us a step ahead, but we also need to know how to get the best out of each other, what our next step will be. Our culture is always something we are proud of, so it helps to have those connections early.
“Having fixed combinations is something we’ve all had to deal with this season. With all the changes and adjustments it’s made us coaches think differently, so I’m fine with not having a ‘fixed combination’ as it allows us to have more depth, confidence and hunger to fight for the start.”
It was a case of “unfinished business”.
“2022 was a season like no other that I have experienced. There are moments in the season that I was happy about and achievements that we can all be very proud of, but our goal was to get to the top 3, so that doesn’t sit well with me,” Bloxham said.
“2023 will give us another chance to try and take it a step further and with most of the squad returning it feels like an unfinished business. I expect my players to go a step further now that they’ve had quite a bit of playing time.”
Bloxham paid tribute to hard-working midfielder Ali Wilshier, who has been a strong contributor to the team over the past two seasons.
“Recruitment is a time when some of the toughest decisions have to be made as a coach,” Bloxham said.
“What brought Ali to our Steel Whanau was her best self. She was an absolute beast at the gym. She never shied away from one of our strength and conditioning coach Mikey’s terrible sessions – in fact, she would rise to the challenge of showing him it could be done.”