Super Netball Round 11: Vixens extend lead atop the ladder, Lightning firm spot in finals
The Sunshine Coast Lightning have survived a Giant surge to go one game clear of a final berth with three rounds to go of the SSN season, winning a nailbiter led by superstar Liz Watson.
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It is crunch time in the 2024 Super Netball season with just four rounds to go until the post-season.
While the top four looks set, those at the bottom will undoubtedly be out to cause an upset to improve their chances of sneaking in.
Here’s how the teams are shaping up for Round 11, and who our expert tipsters believe will get the job done.
LIGHTNING STRIKES GIANTS IN TIGHT CONTEST
Not even a Julie Fitzgerald rev up late in the game could help Giants Netball topple Sunshine Coast Lightning. With the Giants trailing by just four points in the third quarter and sensing an upset, the Giants coach laid down the law to her players. She said, “Every single ball is covered. If your teammate is working her backside off to cover her player, don’t let them have a free one.”
It wasn’t to be, however, and Lightning now have one hand on a Super Netball finals berth after winning 71 to 66. Sitting in fourth place but clear by one game and superior percentage over their next closest rivals, Lightning are finally showing the form that had pre-season pundits tipping they’d be grand finalists.
With Courtney Bruce still on limited minutes as she recovers from a calf injury, Ash Ervin was given the starting goal keeper bib for Lightning. The newly minted Diamonds squad member seized the opportunity and threw down the challenge to World Cup champions and incumbent goal keepers Bruce and Sarah Klau.
Within the first ten minutes of match play, the 192cm defender had monstered her way to five gains. Across her 51 minutes of play, she hauled in nine gains, including five intercepts in an MVP performance, which she shared with teammate Liz Watson.
Speaking post match, Lightning coach Belinda Reynolds acknowledged Ervin’s great performance but cited the longevity as the reason for limiting her minutes. “She was so good in the first two quarters. It is just the long game focus and building all of our combinations. It is what we are going to need for the back end of the season.”
For today’s match, Watson flew under the radar as she went about her business, putting in 39 feeds including 27 goal assists.
Despite Ervin’s heroics, Lightning found themselves trailing at the first break by three, but came out firing in the second quarter. Four great pickups by Ervin and Ava Black, who’s recently returned from injury, gave them momentum and after several moments of ill-discipline by Giants, the Lightning found themselves edging to the front.
A period of slaughter commenced as the Lightning pushed out to a 23 - 12 quarter, taking a comfortable eight-goal lead into the main break.
Giants captain Jo Harten spoke to the broadcast at halftime and was open with her frustration at the service she was receiving from her feeders. “I think we started well,” she said. “But we technically couldn’t execute our game plan. We gave so much ball to Ash and credit to her. She gobbled it up. There is a bit of a hesitation. We have to be smarter.”
For her part, Harten was the best on for the Giants. Her efforts in the second half revitalised the visitors and kept them in the hunt. She ended the game with 25 from 28 including six supershots.
In scenes reminiscent of their Round 5 clash, the scores were edging closer to drawn in the closing minutes of the match. However, Lightning had learned a valuable lesson from their previous clash and continued to attack the post with super shots to run away with a comfortable five-goal win.
TWO-POINT PRINCESSES
Despite being largely regarded as the most prevalent side at the two-point game, Giants don’t actually hold the title for the most goals scored in the supershot zone in 2024. That status is held by the Swifts who top score at 105/170 at 62 per cent. Giants come in at second with 90/161 at 56 per cent.
VIXENS EXTEND LEAD ATOP LADDER
The Melbourne Vixens have moved two wins clear on top of the Super Netball ladder as they cruised to a 69 to 49 victory against rivals the NSW Swifts at a sold-out John Cain Arena.
Vixens captain Kate Moloney inspired her side to win back the Sargeant-McKinnis Cup with a best on court performance in a physical clash.
From centre, Moloney led the match for goal assists (19), feeds (34) and intercepts (3) and was delighted with her side’s consistency.
“It sure was (a tough game). We’ve got so much respect for the Swifts,” she said.
“I know they’ve had a tough couple of games the last few weeks but we knew they were going to come out fighting. They’ve got stars all across the court so really proud of the four quarter performances today by the girls.
“We’re playing some really good netball out there. It’s allowing me to really focus on my defence.
“I think our comms in defence have picked up so much over the past couple of years. We’ve played together for a long time and we’ve freshened up our attack end and it’s coming together.”
Vixens shooters Sophie Garbin (36 of 45 attempts including two super shots) and Kiera Austin (25 of 29 including four super shots) - who was winded late in the game and left the court - continued their stunning form as they made the Swifts pay for their overzealous defending.
Swifts defensive duo Maddy Turner and Sarah Klau brought the physicality to try to frazzle their opponents and their intensity resulted in them combining for 16 deflections but they gave away 36 penalties between them.
The discrepancy in turnovers was also costly as the Swifts coughed up the ball on 10 more occasions to slump to a fifth consecutive loss.
For the Vixens, they now face big tests in the form of the second and third placed Thunderbirds and Fever in their next two games.
Moloney believes it is the ideal lead-in for their premiership tilt.
“We think this is the best preparation for us heading into finals,” she said.
“We’ve got three really tough games coming up and if you want to win it at the end of the day you’ve got to be playing the best and beating the best.”
Vixens defensive questions
The Vixens continued to be flexible with their defensive mix as Rudi Ellis returned from an ankle injury off the bench.
Diamonds star Jo Weston has played wing defence at times this season but she got the better of her battle with English star Helen Housby - who scored 12 goals and conceded six turnovers - from goal defence.
Emily Mannix started in goal keeper and was superb with three intercepts, while Sharni Lambden started in wing defence after an impressive showing against the Sunshine Coast Lightning and continues to put her hand up to become a more permanent fixture in the team.
With Kate Eddy pushing to return from injury, coach Simone McKinnis is set to face some tough selection decisions.
Palavi debuts
Uneeq Palavi was a standout for Tonga at last year’s World Cup and she showed her talent once again in her Super Netball debut for the Swifts.
Fresh off earning MVP honours at the Pacific Netball Series earlier this month, the 22-year-old shot 21 from 24, including three super shots, after coming off the bench to partner Helen Housby as a holding goal shooter.
Palavi had been a training partner with the Melbourne Mavericks but received the call up from the Swifts as a temporary replacement player.
Proud injury scare
In her second game back from injury, Swifts co-captain Maddy Proud left the court after receiving a heavy knock to her knee.
Proud collided with Sharni Lambden late in the third quarter and immediately hobbled off to send a scare through the Swifts camp but she returned to the court in the final term as there was no damage.
The 30-year-old midcourter missed five games earlier in the season with a knee injury and also suffered an ACL injury in 2019.
THUNDERBIRDS DEMOLISH MAVS
Adelaide Thunderbirds have continued their hot run, demolishing the Melbourne Mavericks 67 to 41 in their biggest win of the season, to remain undefeated on their home court and rise to second on the Super Netball ladder.
The game was not without drama though, with Shamera Sterling temporarily forced from the court after a facial knock, and goal shooter Shimona Jok swapping ends of the court to match height with Romelda Aiken-George.
Mavericks welcomed back international shooter Eleanor Cardwell, returning from a quad injury that sidelined her for two rounds.
It was her first time facing her former team, but Cardwell’s inside knowledge wasn’t enough to get her team the win.
Despite welcoming back Cardwell, usual centre Molly Jovic was absent courtesy of a concussion sustained last week.
They missed her steady head through the middle, with Maisie Nankivell and Tayla Fraser tasked with covering the hole.
The forced change up in the mid-court proved costly, as the connections were lacking and the side finished with a combined 30 turnovers.
It was a Jamaican showdown at one end of the court, with Shamera Sterling and Shimona Jok going head to head. Their aerial prowess was next level, as Sterling reeled in 11 gains while Jok sunk 25/28; however, it was their compatriot Aiken-George who top scored at the opposite end with 39/43.
Latanya Wilson continued to show her dominance across all three defensive positions, as she was switched to goal keeper for a period while Shamera Sterling was forced to the bench for a concussion check. Her hops and ball hunting instincts proved as strong as ever, finishing the game with five gains and seven deflections.
However, it was one of the Diamonds’ newest squad members, Georgie Horjus, with 20 goal assists and five goals including one super shot, who received MVP for her exceptional game in attack.
Mavericks’ coach Tracey Neville was critical of her side’s silly mistakes, while also recognising they needed to increase their defensive pressure.
She continued to pull changes but nothing could quell the Thunderbirds as they rotated their squad and marched to a 26-point win.
“We turned ball over in the second half, but weren’t capitalising on it,” Neville said.
“When we stick to our game plan we are really good, but when you don’t you’ll get crucified.”
Thunderbirds remain undefeated at their home court in 2024, and a certainty to be playing finals.
Thunderbirds captain, Hannah Petty, is sure her team won’t rest on their laurels despite having secured a finals berth.
“We want to go into finals full of confidence, that’s our focus,” Petty said.
“We want to finish top two, we want the double chance and are always hunting for more, so it’s simple for us - keep winning.”
With the Grand Final to be played in Adelaide, and available tickets already sold out, teams will face a tough challenge trying to stop the Thunderbirds quest for back to back titles
PLAY 4 PINK
Adelaide Thunderbirds celebrated their inaugural Play 4 Pink round, in conjunction with their charity partner The Hospital Research Foundation Group to raise funds and awareness for Breast Cancer Research. Both teams donned pink ribbons, while Thunderbirds also had custom warm up shirts for the occasion.
FRIENDS TO FOES
Maisie Nankivell and Eleanor Cardwell returned to Adelaide for the first time since defecting to join the start-up side in Melbourne. Nankivell has been enjoying the extra courtime in blue, edging out Tayla Fraser for the wing attack position, but after several injuries Cardwell has been struggling to replicate her form of last season.
FIREBIRDS STUN THE FEVER
During the week interim Queensland Firebirds coach Katie Walker promised fans four wins from as many games to end their troubled Super Netball season.
In incredible scenes, she delivered on part one of that promise with a heroic 78 to 70 point victory over West Coast Fever.
In a game that saw just the league’s second suspension, and star shooter Donnell Wallam raining down super shots, it was a much needed confidence booster for the Firebirds who’ve cycled through three head coaches in as many weeks on the back of reported player unrest.
The Firebirds have been in turmoil recently, but looked upbeat from the start, a far cry from their dispirited appearance in recent weeks.
Walker underscored the confidence her temporary appointment has given her players, pumping them up during breaks.
“We battle until the end of the game,” she said.
“We promised ourselves and we will.
“It’s one thing to say those words, it’s another to actually back it up with your actions.
“We can only put that in place at training sessions. They delivered.
“They’ve all been through a lot. Wouldn’t have known it, they just stuck together like we promised we would with each other.”
With Firebirds up for the fight, they could have easily reverted to the form which has seen them anchored to the bottom of the leader, when Fever jumped out to an early eight point lead.
However, they took up the challenge thrown at them by their coach, with goal shooter and MVP Donnell Wallam leading the charge.
Her incredible long range shooting drew the score back to level by the end of the first quarter.
Wallam’s sheer class under the post saw her finish with 57/67, including nine supershots, and lifted her teammates to new heights.
Despite numerous personnel changes, Fever couldn’t keep Wallam out of the action, and she kept piling on the scoreboard pressure to take Firebirds out to a two-point lead by half time.
Fighting to maintain second place on the ladder and a coveted second chance in the finals, Fever made mass changes to their side for the second half, as coach Dan Ryan tried to spark his side into life.
However, Firebirds built on their lead, and Fever weren’t helped by the two minute suspension to goal keeper Kadie-Ann Dehaney after she wiped the floor with Macy Gardner following a clumsy challenge.
Young Isabelle Shearer earned her first start of the season at goal keeper for the Firebirds, and her two pivotal rebounds late in the game locked Fever out of the game, after momentum had swung back their way.
Coach Walker was in tears post match as she embraced her ecstatic players, while Fever will in all likelihood slip to third on the Super Netball ladder pending further results this round.
COACHING CHAOS
Incoming Firebirds coach Katie Walker is their third in just three rounds, after the club parted company with Rebecca Bulley and then Lauren Brown - who temporarily stepped into the breach - lasted just one week before resigning.
With Netball Queensland about to embark on a search for a permanent replacement ahead of the free agency period, pundits agree they will need an experienced coach to restore confidence in the playing group, who’ve struggled to play at their best through the turmoil. However, Walker’s success today might change that narrative.
Walker will coach jointly with Roselee Jencke, who led the Firebirds to three premierships between 2009 and 2020.
MATCH PREVIEWS
SATURDAY
(All times AEST)
Firebirds v Fever
Nissan Arena, Brisbane, 5pm
Broadcast: Kayo and Foxtel
Umpires: Tayla Favell and Nathan Begley
Four games to go. The Firebirds athletes are competitors but the finish line is probably all that’s on their mind after a woeful season in which two coaches have already gone and the drama at Netball Queensland continues. A win against one of the best teams in the competition this season would be a miracle. Even staying in touch looks beyond this outfit at this point. Dan Ryan just needs to keep his Fever players focused on the task this week – get in, get the job done and get back home to the west.
Thunderbirds v Mavericks
Adelaide Entertainment Centre, 7pm
Broadcast: Kayo, Foxtel and SEN
Umpires: Tim Marshall and Kate Wright
A huge game for the Mavericks, who find themselves in touch with the top four but have an enormously tough run home. The T-Birds head in as massive favourites at home but they have been mercurial this season – beating the Fever but going down by 10 to the Firebirds. If they stay focused they can get the job done, especially if their outstanding midcourt defence prevents the ball from getting into Shimona Jok.
SUNDAY
Vixens v Swifts
John Cain Arena, Melbourne, 2pm
Broadcast: Kayo Freebies, Foxtel and SEN
Umpires: Justin Barnes and Josh Bowring
If the Swifts are any chance to turn their season around it has to start now but the ask against the competition leaders on their home court is massive. It’s clear events of the past month have taken a toll on the team. With a line drawn under the Sam Wallace-Joseph affair, can they rebound and challenge the Vixens? The form of the home side would suggest not given its ability to fire even when challenged by a raft of injuries.
Lightning v Giants
UniSC Arena, Sunshine Coast, 4pm
Broadcast: Kayo Freebies and Foxtel
Umpires: Rachael Ayre and Nicole Bullen
A must-win match for the Lightning if the side is to consolidate its top-four spot and seal a place in the finals. There have been so many near misses from the team everyone rated as the pre-season favourite. The Lightning won’t want to be left wondering “what if” while watching the finals from the sidelines. Must get the job done against an improving Giants line-up.
TIPS
Linda Pearce (29)
Fever, Thunderbirds, Vixens, Lightning.
Last week 4
Bianca Chatfield (27)
Fever, Thunderbirds, Vixens, Lightning.
Last week 4
Nat Medhurst (26)
Fever, Thunderbirds, Vixens, Lightning.
Last week 3
Lisa Alexander (26)
Fever, Thunderbirds, Vixens, Lightning.
Last week 3
Erin Smith (24)
Fever, Thunderbirds, Vixens, Lightning.
Last week 3
Emma Greenwood (22)
Fever, Thunderbirds, Vixens, Lightning.
Last week 3
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