Cairns Netball: Sharks start title defence with win over Fierce
Sharks have made solid start to their Cairns Netball Association Senior Division 1 title defence with a 12-goal win over new club Phoenix Fierce.
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Sharks have made solid start to their Cairns Netball Association Senior Division 1 title defence with a 12-goal win over new club Phoenix Fierce.
Last year’s premiers were too strong for the Fierce as they finished the stronger side for a 49-37 win in the opening round of the new season at Cairns Netball’s Martyn St courts on Wednesday night.
Sharks dominated for most of the game and held the ball inside their forward half well, although competition newcomers the Fierce showed they would not just be making up the numbers in the top division with a strong second quarter to trail 22-18 at halftime.
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After halftime, the premiership-winning chemistry of Sharks’ core was on display as they won the second half 25-19.
Sharks club president and assistant coach Nic O’Donnell said it was a great result to open their 2020 campaign.
“Obviously a lot of the girls were blowing pretty hard out there, but they played very well and showed good composure,” he said.
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“Normally the composure would grow on you throughout the year, but there was really good composure for the first game and they were very calm under pressure.
“As the season develops, we’ll get faster, we’ll get quicker, their skills are just going to get better, so it’s a work in progress at the moment.”
O’Donnell said Sharks goal attack recruit Allessandra Smith “performed admirably” in her first game of Senior Division 1 netball.
> PREMIERSHIP-WINNING EXPERIENCE KEY TO PHOENIX’S RISE
“She shot well, she was moving quite well and she was very confident towards the end of the game. She’s going to have a big year ahead of her,” he said.
Sharks premiership-winning players Michaela Kadlecek and captain Amanda Barton were also impressive in the first game back.
Kadlecek, who usually plays in the midcourt, was shifted into the defence to mark the Fierce’s towering shooters, which included Australian Opal and Melbourne Boomer Cayla George.
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Fellow basketball convert and Cairns Dolphins’ player Jade Kennedy was one of the Fierce’s best, as they battled on without player-coach Naomi Moke and former Northern Rays player Akayla Peterson.
Moke suffered an Achilles injury at a weekend practice match, while Peterson was on the sidelines nursing a hamstring strain.
“They’re a new team this year, they’re very tall, and they’ve got some very good players,” O’Donnell said.
“The further the season goes in, the better they’re going to get.”
Originally published as Cairns Netball: Sharks start title defence with win over Fierce