Net Gains: Sophie Fawns’ sweet moment of vindication in NSW Swifts one-point thriller

Just a year ago, NSW Swifts shooter Sophie Fawns shouldered much of the blame for her team missing the Super Netball finals. With Saturday’s win, she writes a new chapter.

The seeds for Sophie Fawns’ nerveless display in Saturday’s Super Netball grand final qualifier were sewn 12 months ago in the NSW Swifts’ heartbreaking single goal loss to the West Coast Fever.

Fawns iced the game for the Swifts on Saturday night, sinking three super shots in the final quarter and landing the goal that gave her team a matchwinning lead three seconds from full-time and sank the Fever’s hopes of defending their title.

🤯🤯🤯

Sophie Fawns slots the winning goal in a WILD finish to the prelim final, earning our @Suncorp Moment of the Match👏 pic.twitter.com/PiAkV7uPrD

— Fox Netball (@fox_netball) July 1, 2023

Twelve months ago though, many blamed a then 18-year-old Fawns for the Swifts loss – essentially the result that pushed the Swifts out of fourth place and a finals spot after they eventually missed the playoffs on percentage by a single goal.

In a thrilling final quarter that was almost a carbon copy of the weekend’s preliminary final, the Swifts clawed their way back into the match, drawing level inside the final minute thanks to a Helen Housby super shot.

Jhaniele Fowler put the Fever back in front with a successful shot less than 30 seconds from time before the Swifts worked the ball back down to their circle.

Housby missed a super shot that would have sealed the match but Fawns pulled in the rebound.

But with just seconds on the clock, Fawns rejected the idea of going for the single goal that would have tied the match and sent it to overtime, firing the ball out to Housby, who again missed a super shot attempt.

Fawns and Housby celebrate Fawns’ winning goal. Picture: Jenny Evans/Getty Images

Housby was not worried about the critics, or about to chastise Fawns, who, like the star shooter, was playing for the win.

“You always back yourself to go for the win,” Housby said at the time.

“Whether or not the going to the one point was the right decision or the wrong decision, anything could have happened in extra time anyway.

“I called for the ball. I wanted the ball … I think the minute that you don’t want to take that shot or you don’t want to put yourself under that pressure, that’s when you’ve probably lost already.

“It’s good to just put yourself in that position and leave it up to fate.”

Fast forward 12 months and Fawns was still holding her nerve and going for the win.

Fawns held her nerve to seal the Swifts’ victory. Picture: Jenny Evans/Getty Images

With Housby’s radar slightly off the mark that made her the most successful shooter from long range this season, Fawns slotted seven of her 11 super shot attempts against the Fever – including three in the last quarter – and a crucial single three seconds from time that handed the Swifts a 65-64 victory and a spot in the grand final.

It was a massive moment in the 19-year-old’s career and to see her celebrating with international mentors Housby, Sam Wallace and Romelda Aiken George, as well as Swifts assistant coach and former Diamonds goaler Natalie Avelino following the match was the ultimate masters and apprentice moment.

Fawns was promoted to the main list as a temporary replacement player last year after Trinidad and Tobago goaler Wallace suffered a major knee injury in the opening round of the season.

Sophie Fawns is my hero

— Helen Housby (@Helenhousby1) July 1, 2023

And she has had Wallace in her corner since – for moments both on and off the court.

Fawns lost her mother to cancer just months before she made her Super Netball debut and Wallace was one of the first people she called when she learnt she had won a call-up to the main squad.

Almost two seasons on, Wallace is still one of her greatest advocates and was among the first to celebrate Saturday’s success, embracing Fawns in a massive bear hug.

Aiken George – off the court in the final stages of the match as Fawns took the spotlight – was another to laud her efforts, the 34-year-old Jamaican taking the teen’s face in her hands and telling her: “I’m so proud of you”.

Actually, there may have been a descriptor in there as well, as 10,000 fans at Qudos Bank Arena erupted after Fawns led a frenzied and unlikely comeback in the dying moments.

Housby too was ecstatic, not just in the moment but hours after the match, tweeting “Sophie Fawns is my hero”.

Originally published as Net Gains: Sophie Fawns’ sweet moment of vindication in NSW Swifts one-point thriller