Steel training partners confirmed

February 11, 2025

A dynamic duo has been recruited by the Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel as official training partners for the 2025 ANZ Premiership netball season.

Attacker Grace Southby returns for her second season in the role, while defender Holly McRae has earned the callup after impressing for the Southern Blast in the National Netball League where she was awarded Most Improved Player last year.

The pair will be immersed in the Steel’s elite environment to further hone their skills and head coach Wendy Frew is excited about their potential.

“Grace is a strong, nuggety goal attack or wing attack who can seamlessly switch between both positions. She has excellent awareness of the centre pass structures,” she said.

“Holly is a very athletic defender who is fit and has great speed around the court. She reads the game incredibly well and makes some brilliant intercepts.”

Frew has high expectations for the partnership.

“The role of a training partner is incredibly important. It’s their job to push the contracted players to improve, provide valuable practice opportunities and help maintain high standards during training sessions while injecting fresh energy,” she said.

“I expect our Steel training partners are going to bring dedication, energy and professionalism and, in turn, we will focus on progressing their netball development and giving them a taste of the high-performance environment.

“They will gain valuable experience in improving their skills, understanding the game at a deeper level and enhancing their fitness. They'll learn how to work within a team dynamic, support their teammates and develop mental resilience. Additionally, they'll have the opportunity to receive feedback from coaches, improve their tactical awareness and build confidence in their ability to perform under pressure.”

While McRae, 19, made her debut for the Blast in 2024, Southby, 21, has been an integral member of the team for the past three years.

“I’m super excited to have two players who are from our region and it really reinforces the importance of the NNL pathway which has been developed,” Frew said.

Southby rated her excitement levels as “really high” for the 2025 campaign.

“I'm looking forward to training with this talented group of players and getting to build connections with them,” she said.

“I have been working hard over the summer so I'm keen to bring enthusiasm and help play my part in building the team connections.”

She was eager to soak up the knowledge.

“I'm looking forward to learning as much as I can from the players and coaches around me to grow my skillset and challenge myself, continuing to evolve my game. I want to be able to put myself in a good position so, if I'm required, I'm ready to go at the next level.”

McRae was equally motivated.

“I’m super excited to be a Steel training partner. It’s such an amazing opportunity to be able to work alongside such a skilled and determined team,” she said.

“My aim is to bring a solid work ethic that can help contribute to the driven atmosphere of the Steel environment.

“I’m looking forward to being able to support the team whilst gaining valuable experience that can help to grow my own game. My goals are to put in the work to become more consistent in my game and to build new learnings into habits.”