Super Netball: Giants and Swifts prepare to face off in NSW

Sydney’s Super netballers can’t wait to strut their stuff in front of a home crowd after being forced to play their derby interstate in recent years.

(LtoR) Netballers April Brandley (Giants) and Helen Housby (Swifts).

After almost two years, the NSW Swifts and Giants will finally play their local derby on Sydney soil.

Last time they met, the rivals couldn’t be separated and drew 77-all inside Super Netball’s Queensland COVID bubble.

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Swifts shooter Helen Housby is expecting another thriller on Sunday at Ken Rosewall Arena.

“We see the Giants almost every day, at training, some of us are international teammates, it is a case of frenemies,” Housby said.

“But once that whistle goes, there‘s definitely no friends on court. You can see the way the two teams go at each other.”

Heading into Round 6, the Giants are on top of the ladder and the Swifts sit in third place.

Housby’s side snatched a strong win against Collingwood last weekend, during which Australian Diamonds goal keeper Sarah Klau was unstoppable. Housby believes the defender will be a point of difference against the Giants.

Helen Housby (Swifts) has backed a fellow Super netballer who called out online abuse.

“She’s always been athletically incredible. For her, it was just about backing herself and really trusting herself and she’s really started doing that the last couple of years,” Housby said.

The Swifts will also be boosted by the return of midcourt sensation Maddy Proud, who has been absent nursing a foot injury over recent rounds.

“Maddy gives it everything, she’s someone you want to follow. Against a team like the Giants, it comes down to your passion and energy and who wants the game more” Housby said.

Housby is also preparing to come up against her close friend and fellow English international, Jo Harten.

Housby praised Harten for calling out online abuse she received from “fans” after the Giants’ one-goal loss to the West Coast Fever earlier this week.

“I’ve had a chance to speak to her, she’s OK, she’s a tough cookie,” Housby said.

“Hats off to her for calling it out. In this day and age, it’s very easy to hide behind a screen and hide behind comments. People do forget that we are still human beings, normal people going about our jobs.

“Constructive criticism is fair, comments about game play. If someone’s not performing, that’s fair. But when it comes to death threats and personal things, nobody should be getting that.”

The Giants take on the NSW Swifts at 1pm on Sunday at Ken Rosewall Arena.