It's not quite the 'Last Dance' but Steelers skipper Keeley Davis says her side is well aware of the fact that this year may be the last chance for an all-Illawarra side to claim a premiership.
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Currently sitting in fourth spot on the ladder with three games remaining, the Steelers are looking to cap a remarkable inaugural season with a NSW Women's Premiership crown.
The long-awaited maiden campaign saw Illawarra-produced Jillaroos and NRLW stars flock back to Wollongong to be part of a squad made up almost entirely of local products.
Davis headed the list that also included Kezie Apps, Emma Tonegato, Rachael Pearson and newly-minted Wollongong local Taliah Fuimaono.
It seemed a logical home for the stacked cluster of Dragons NRLW stars, but a mass exodus will see all of them depart the Dragons ahead of the new season.
With NRLW contracts expected to align with club pathways in future, it could spell the end of the star crop's time in the scarlet and white.
Davis has every intention of remaining a Steeler long-term, but said her side is awake to reality that this season could well be their best crack at it as a local crop.
"I definitely hope to be back here next year but, knowing that there's a lot of movement with NRLW, there's definitely going be girls going for other opportunities elsewhere," Davis said.
"Some are probably going to have to relocate and play in those [NRLW] feeder clubs. I'm very hopeful that this will [stay] all the local girls, but it's probably a unique season.
"I don't know what next year will look like, if we will be playing Harvey Norman [comp], or if it will be a second tier [NRLW] comp.
"I definitely feel we're very lucky we have all the local girls here this year and we get to play the whole season. I do feel like it's a pretty unique year and I want to make the most of it for sure."
The Steelers take on the sixth-placed Sharks at Collegians on Monday night, with their following two games coming against sides below them on the ladder.
Davis and Tonegato came up huge down the stretch in a 22-12 win over Mounties last week, a solid bounce back effort from a 32-12 drubbing at the hands of the Bears a week earlier.
"We learned a lot from the North Sydney game," Davis said.
"We were really disappointed with how we played, and probably some areas that have crept in over the last few weeks.
"I think [Mounties are] pretty similar in the way that they play, they're super strong through the middle. We drew a line in the sand and the most pleasing thing is that we did improve from that North Sydney game.
"There was those areas [of concern] that came up in the Mounties game that we pushed through, so I think that was really pleasing.
"Overall, we could definitely play better, but it was a really pleasing win and proved to us that we do deserve to be in this top four."
The win over perennial finalists Mounties saw Alicia Hawke's side go 2-1 over a tough three-week stretch against top-four opposition.
Barring a poor second half, while depleted, against North Sydney, Davis says it's been an affirming run.
"Ideally would have liked to win all of them, but I think the fact we're just getting better each week and are able to implement what the coaches are doing, is the most pleasing thing," Davis said.
"We have such a young group so our goal is just to keep adding little bits each week. I think we're doing that so far.
"I think it's really a credit to the coaches that everybody in the team's improving and playing towards the top end of their ability.
"In rugby league, obviously you need every single player on the field, but also in your 25 or whatever we have to be doing their job. They've done that
"No matter who gets put where each week, they're stepping up to the challenge. That's a really big credit to the coaches and the staff."
The game on Monday will complete a mixed bag of results for the club over the weekend, with Aaron McDonald's Harold Matthews side tumbling out of the finals race with a 12-8 loss to the Sharks.
A belated finals pitch from Russ Aitken's SG Ball side also fell short, with back-to-back wins over previously unbeaten Canberra and a 30-8 win over the Sharks not enough to sneak into the top six.
Courtney Crawford's Tarsha Gale Cup squad will see finals action despite a 10-4 defeat, with differential enough to progress to the post-season.
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Mitch Jennings
Sports writer. Sport is my passion, rugby league my first love.
Sports writer. Sport is my passion, rugby league my first love.
