Super Netball: NSW, Victoria rivalry adds spice to Swifts first home game v Vixens
It’s one of netball’s longest and fiercest rivalries and it will form the backstory to the NSW Swift’s first Super Netball home game in more than a year. FULL DRAW REVEALED.
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Netball fans have waited patiently for more than a year to see the NSW Swifts on home turf and have been rewarded with a cracker of a match at a new venue.
The round three match between the Swifts and old rivals, the Vixens, will pit the premiers from the last two seasons of Super Netball against each other.
SWIFTS FIRST HOME GAME OF 2021
The two states have been battling for around 90 years in netball competitions with the NSW and Victorian rivalry one of the oldest and most intense.
Fans will see a by-product of this at Ken Rosewall Arena at Sydney Olympic Park.
“We haven’t been able to play a home game since the preliminary final in 2019 before going on to win the title so that clash against the Vixens in round 3 will be extra special,’’ said coach Briony Akle.
“The Vixens themselves have become premiers in the meantime so I can’t think of a better game to play in front of our members and fans for the first time at Ken Rosewall Arena.
NSW SWIFTS OPENING GAMES OF SUPER NETBALL 2021
The Swifts will return to their home-away-from-home in Queensland to open their campaign against the Firebirds in Brisbane on May 2.
The match will pit old teammates turned coaches Akle and Megan Anderson against each other.
“It feels like we are going back to our second home having spent so much time there last year in the Super Netball hub, but we are really excited - fingers crossed - about having a relatively normal home-and-away season in 2021,” Akle said.
“We have a brilliant rivalry with the Firebirds after all those famous clashes down the years and given what they showed last year I think it will be a huge test for us first up,” she said.
In round two they head to Perth to take on West Coast Fever on May 8.
“There is give and take with any draw and we have a lot of travel in the first few weeks, but every team will have similar challenges throughout the year,” coach Akle said.
SUPER NETBALL FINALS: HOW THEY WORK
The top four teams at the end of 14 rounds will contest the 2021 final series with the semi finals taking place on August 14 and 15 and the preliminary final set for August 22.
The 2021 grand final, which will be hosted by the winner of the major semi, takes place on Sunday 29 August.
“There are no easy games in Super Netball and playing the 2020 grand finalists across rounds two and three will also give us a really good indicator as to where we are at,’’ Akle said.
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NSW SWIFTS CHRISTENING KEN ROSEWALL ARENA
The Swifts will play the first-ever game of netball at Ken Rosewall Arena next Saturday when they host the NSW Men’s Open team (5.45pm) in a pre-season clash as part of the club’s 2021 Fan Day.
2021 NSW SWIFTS SUPER NETBALL DRAW, TV
Round 1 - Firebirds, 1pm, Sun 2 May (Nissan Arena, Brisbane). Broadcast: Ch 9
Round 2 - Fever. 8pm, Sat 8 May (RAC Arena, Perth).
Round 3 - Vixens, 1pm, Sun 16 May (Ken Rosewall Arena, Sydney). Broadcast: Ch 9.
Round 4 - Lightning, 1pm, Sun 23 May (USC Stadium, Sippy Downs). Broadcast: Ch 9.
Round 5 - Magpies, 3pm, Sun 30 May (Ken Rosewall Arena, Sydney).
Round 6 - Giants, 3pm, Sun 6 June (Ken Rosewall Arena, Sydney). Broadcast: Ch 9.
Round 7 - Thunderbirds, 7pm, Sat 12 June (Adelaide Entertainment Centre).
Round 8 - Firebirds, 3pm Sat 19 June (Ken Rosewall Arena, Sydney). Broadcast: Ch 9.
Round 9 - Fever, 3pm, Sat 3 July (Ken Rosewall Arena, Sydney). Broadcast: Ch9.
Round 10 - Vixens, 3pm, Sat 10 July (John Cain Arena, Melbourne). Broadcast: Ch 9.
Round 11 - Lightning, 1pm, Sun 18 July (Ken Rosewall Arena, Sydney). Broadcast: Ch 9.
Round 12 - Giants, 3pm, Sun 25 July (Ken Rosewall Arena, Sydney).
Round 13 - Magpies, 1pm, Sun 1 August (Silverdome, Launceston). Broadcast: Ch 9.
Round 14 - Thunderbirds, 7pm, Sat 7 August (Ken Rosewall Arena, Sydney).
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