NSW derby highlights Swifts dominance for season 2025 while the Lightning add to Vixens woes
The Melbourne Vixens’ shaky 2025 campaign has been further dampened at the hands of the Sunshine Coast Lightning, while the Swifts’ stellar run continued at the NSW derby.
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Melbourne Vixens are searching for answers to their “lifeless” form after the shaky start to their Super Netball season continued with a heavy loss at home to the Sunshine Coast Lightning.
As their coach Simone McKinnis made the shock announcement post-match she would not continue as head coach beyond this season, the Vixens slumped to a 2-4 record after their 62-50 loss at John Cain Arena, while the Lightning solidified their spot near the top of the ladder.
The Vixens now face a critical clash against the Queensland Firebirds on the road next week to stay in touch with the top four.
Led by a top shooting performance from Reilley Batcheldor (48/52 including two super shots) and an unforgiving defence of Tara Hinchliffe and Courtney Bruce, the Lightning outmuscled Vixens on their home turf to take their season record to 4-2.
The loss leaves the Vixens in seventh position on the ladder and they have now lost to all of the teams sitting in the top four.
McKinnis was not hitting the panic butting just yet, but said the team needed to find some answers for its “flat” play.
“I’m not worried, but I’m not happy, not comfortable (with where we are),” Vixens’ coach McKinnis said post-match.
“It just seems a bit flat, somewhat lifeless I guess is a way of putting it. Maybe we just need to go to the pub.
“We’ve just got to find a way.”
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The Lightning dominated across the court, but will face a greater test against the undefeated NSW Swifts next week.
“We knew the significance of this win that it would take us to second on the ladder,” Lightning coach Belinda Reynolds said.
“We know that we have the talent to win this thing this year, but we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves .... but there is a real confidence that we can take it to any team.”
Sophie Garbin top-scored for the Vixens with 22/26, while Kiera Austin finished with 10/14 after being replaced at the start of the second half.
MOVING PIECES
After Sunshine Coast pushed out to an eight-point lead late in the second quarter, McKinnis moved the magnets around the board in a bid to halt the Lightning momentum.
The Vixens switched up their defence and midcourt, moving Jo Weston into goal keeper in place of Rudi Ellis and Kate Eddy into goal defence.
Zara Walters came on at wing attack, while Hannah Mundy moved into centre and captain Kate Moloney into wing defence on her former co-captain Liz Watson.
There were more changes for the start of the second half with young goaler Lily Graham replacing Kiera Austin at goal attack.
Graham (11/13 including four super shots) made an immediate impact on the scoreboard, nailing three super shots in the third quarter.
Ellis returned to goal keeper in the final quarter, while Austin was injected back into the game at goal shooter in the final super shot period.
SUNSHINE SHOOTER
Reilley Batcheldor got her first starting nod at goal shooter for the season in place of Cara Koenen and made sure she made the most of the opportunity, scoring all but one of the Lightning’s goals in the first quarter.
She shot at 100 per cent for the opening period, including one super shot. The 23-year-old played out the full match in goal shooter, dominating the scoring for the Lightning alongside Steph Fretwell (11/13).
“That’s the first time she has started this season and she did a fantastic job, she has got a really vast tool-kit that she can go to on the move, on the hold, she can shoot from range,” Reynolds said.
“I just love that she backed herself with her shots tonight and I think she has been growing in confidence this season and we absolutely have confidence in her and so does the team.
“Reilley has been playing well and I think she deserved the start tonight.”
Reynolds said Koenen had a “little foot niggle” and had been managed as a precaution, but expected her to be available for selection next week.
Swifts reach season high in NSW derby win
Their last clash was a battle to avoid the wooden spoon but the NSW derby has underlined the dominance of the NSW Swifts in season 2025.
The Swifts poured in a season-high 82 points in a 13-point victory over the Giants that maintained their unbeaten record this season and helped them retain the Carol Sykes Memorial Trophy.
A runaway 22-13 third quarter gave them an 82-69 win, with the final scoreline no real indication of how close the unrelenting physical battle was.
The Swifts won every quarter but their edge for the first, second and fourth terms combined was only four points, with only the disastrous third term - when the Giants committed six of their 16 turnovers for the match and had a previously firing Jo Harten subbed out and head up the tunnel before taking no further part in the match - turning the game.
While 16 of their 18 previous derby matches had been decided by single digits - and the last game by a solitary goal - the Swifts showed why they’re already considered premiership favourites this season with a dominant performance.
The Giants came into the match on the bottom of the ladder but belied their position with an outstanding effort in the first half.
The match started at a frenetic pace, with the teams going goal for goal in the opening 10 minutes, even when there was turnover ball - the Giants winning the ball back before the Swifts could capitalise - until Jo Harten finally missed an attempt during the super shot period at 12-12.
Just one point separated the teams at the opening break and three at halftime, with the Swifts in the lead but the Giants clinging on desperately after arguably their best half of netball this season.
But the Swifts took the match away from their rivals with a 22-13 term, Grace Nweke scoring 18 goals in the third quarter alone and Helen Housby putting a couple of nails in the coffin with a pair of super shots.
MIDCOURT BATTLE
The Swifts started Verity Simmons and Maddie Hay with Paige Hadley in the midcourt after battling with their full court transition against the Vixens a week earlier.
But it was the battle in the middle between Hadley and her Diamonds teammate Jamie-Lee Price that dominated proceedings.
In a physical encounter, the pair went hammer and tongs at each other, with Price taking points in an opening half during which both wore the centre bib.
Hadley said it was a battle she loved.
“I’m never going to beat her physically, she loves being on the body, she loves to push and shove but for me it’s about bringing my skill set really well,” Hadley said.
“But you always love the battle coming up against a Diamond.”
Hadley was switched to wing attack in the second half and dominated, creating outstanding opportunities and angles for her shooters, with Price switched to wing defence in a bid to shut her down again.
The Giants’ middies were exceptional at times but their lack of depth and experience told at times, with Hope White’s injection in the third term in place of Maddie Hay not paying dividends, while for the Swifts, Allie Smith and Sharni Lambden entered the game seamlessly for Verity Simmons and Maddy Turner.
SWIFTS DEFENCE ON SONG
Just as they rotated their midcourt, the Swifts’ depth in defence was on full show, with Teigan O’Shannassy switched to goalkeeper just before halftime and snaring MVP honours with five gains, including four intercepts.
Sarah Klau, who snared player of the match honours the previous week against the Vixens, started in the GK bib against Harten but with the former England Roses shooter leading by example and keeping her team in the game, the switch was made, with the taller O’Shannassy pushed back to ‘keeper, allowing Klau to hunt out in front, with Turner also used at goal defence.
The injection of Aussie Kelpies men’s captain Dylan Nexhip as an assistant focusing on defence has been an overlooked component of the Swifts’ dominance this season and his input was again pivotal in Sunday’s derby.
WHERE TO FOR GIANTS
Things get no easier for the Giants, who host the West Coast Fever on Saturday to finish the opening round of fixtures.
With just one win under their belts, pressure is mounting on players and coaching staff, with questions over the future of veterans Julie Fitzgerald and Harten, who are both off contract at the end of the season.
Harten’s co-captain Jamie-Lee Price is contracted until the end of 2026 but her recent comments that “It’s just a matter of when I go to Melbourne” to join long-term partner and Collingwood AFL player Harry Perryman could also be destabilising.
Price though was outstanding for the Giants on Sunday and her efforts cannot be questioned, while Harten, one of the smartest players in the league, has also turned in a couple of vintage performances in her last two outings, although she is no longer a 60-minute option at full throttle.
NSW SWIFTS 82 (Nweke 64, Housby 16, Whyte 2)
GIANTS NETBALL 69 (Harten 29, Letherbarrow 21, Dwyer 19)
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