The Northern Stars were given a tough lesson by the Southern Steel on what it takes to be a contender in the ANZ Premiership being thrashed 73-51 at the Vodafone Events Centre in Manukau.

This was the fifth straight win for the unbeaten Steel and they had too much class in every department for the Stars to cope with. It took just three seconds for the Steel's Jhaniele Fowler-Reid to score the opening goal of the game and it was cruise control from then on.