Medhurst: Why Super Netball’s momentum-killing split round could make-or-break campaigns
It’s been done to accommodate the Easter and Anzac Day long weekends, but the momentum-sapping bye so early in the season could make - or break - Super Netball finals hopes of every club, says NAT MEDHURST. Find out why.
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It’s a big call this early, but could the split round 3 end up being a pivotal moment in season 2025?
The scheduling of matches over this fortnight has made allowances for the Easter and Anzac long weekends but would have been seen as a blessing, or a curse, for the teams depending on their circumstances.
Results over the four games in what is just a 14-match regular season, could be particularly telling on the momentum of each of the teams.
The Firebirds have shocked me with the way they’ve started the season and you’d imagine coach Kiri Wills would have love to have rolled into this weekend’s Queensland derby on the back of that momentum.
The energy around that group is pretty up at the moment. Two from two and with a team fired up, it would be great to keep that winning feeling going before you feel like you actually need a chop out and a small break from the season.
That’s how they would have loved to face the Sunshine Coast Lightning, who would have gone back to the drawing board after their loss to the Thunderbirds. They’ve had 13 days to dissect that now though and having not lost to their Queensland rivals since 2022, you’d imagine would go in refreshed and confident now.
Unfortunately, some clubs barely got into third gear before they had to change down again ahead of the bye. The conversations coaches have had with their strength and conditioning teams around loading and how they approach the bye weekend – are they resting players or holding intense match simulation practice during that time?
The Fever trained, although suffered a massive injury blow when Ruth Aryang ruptured her achilles, an injury that will sideline her for the rest of the season. She’s such a good kid and can’t catch a break.
The break may have come at a good time for the Fever though, with Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard having served the four weeks’ notice she needed to give before returning to work and now needing just to reach the required training load and gain a medical clearance before lining up again.
Dan Ryan and his players would have been reeling after two successive losses and it would seem that the break for the Fever would have been welcome – or is it too a speed hump?
Fowler-Nembhard’s value on court would be an enormous boost for the club, especially against the Vixens, who would head in as massive favourites on Sunday if she is still out.
I think there are certain players that have been exposed for the Fever without Jhaniele there. They don’t have that “Get out of jail” long ball that they’ve been so used to being able to use to their 198cm target for so many years.
They’re struggling to penetrate through that goal third, especially with opposition defenders able to put more pressure on a Shanice Beckford or Olivia Wilkinson because they’re not doubling back on Fowler-Nembhard.
The teams that played through the first three weeks would also be looking at this weekend’s bye differently.
After their win over the Thunderbirds, the NSW Swifts have now won three games in a row and would probably love to keep rolling with the momentum they have, while the Mavericks, who broke through for their first win of the season against the Giants on Sunday, suddenly have to stop for a week and then try to get their mojo back and go again.
Romelda Aiken-George seemed to pick up a bit of a cork early in that match and Shamera Sterling-Humphrey was a little below her best after starting the season with a calf strain.
So the break might have come at the right time for them although after their first home loss in more than a year, coach Tania Obst might have preferred them to play on rather than stew on the loss.
Full credit to the Swifts in their ability to fight back too. They started finding Grace Nweke a hell of a lot earlier in the second half – and I think the Silver Ferns shooter is probably is a good match-up against Sterling-Humphrey.
But also, Shamera’s human, she’s going to have an off game every now and again, so you have to give her a bit of leeway every now and again.
And it’s not just it’s not just on her. That whole comeback from the Swifts doesn’t rely on Sterling-Humphrey’s performance, that’s for sure.
At the other end of the ladder, the Mavericks – and probably the Giants, even though they’re still without a win – would probably have loved to just keep playing.
Mavericks, for me, are going to be really interesting, particularly in the second half of the season when they’re back at full strength. Even though they lost in the first two rounds, you could see a real growth from last season with how they were playing.
The way in which Jok and Palavi played at the weekend was really impressive and I think their defenders are exciting – they just go out and have a crack at the ball, playing the way Nicole Richardson teaches all her defenders to play, they are just that dogged.
The Giants are interesting in that I don’t see much about how their game strategy changes or develops, which makes it easy for opposition side to know what they’re doing, break it down and tear it apart.
Unfortunately now, they have a fortnight to stew on their loss and next clash, against a Thunderbirds side that will be reeling from their first loss and ready to make amends.
Originally published as Medhurst: Why Super Netball’s momentum-killing split round could make-or-break campaigns
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