Super Netball round 8: Melbourne Vixens 71 d. Giants 61, West Coast Fever 82 d. Queensland Firebirds 65
Melbourne Vixens defied the odds to overcome the Giants and the West Coast Fever have set up a mouth-watering clash against the Swifts. Relive all the action from Sunday in round 8 of the Super Netball.
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West Coast Fever have set up a mouth-watering top-of-the-table clash against the NSW Swifts next start after beating the Queensland Firebirds 82-65 to move into second place on the ladder.
The Fever lost their first two games of the season when without talismanic shooter Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard but since her return, have not dropped a match and are shaping as real title hopes.
One of those losses came to the Firebirds, who beat them by 13 goals in round 2, and the Fever were determined to atone for that performance on Sunday.
“We were determined to put out a four-quarter performance today and I think we did that,” Fever midcourter Alice Teague-Neeld said.
Their 82 goals was equal most of the season – along with the Swifts – and they won all four quarters, only dipping below the 20-goal mark once, in the third term.
The Firebirds started well, going goal for goal with the Fever in the opening stage of the match.
But the silly errors that have cruelled their recent games returned and an opponent the calibre of the Fever was always going to punish them.
Again unable to capitalise on the gains they made during the game and compounding issues by failing to convert their own centre passes, they were down by 11 goals at halftime and staring down the barrel of a sixth consecutive loss.
ANOTHER RECORD FOR GOAT
Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard may have missed the first two games of the season but she looked like she restarted the season as though she had not missed a beat when she returned to the game.
After last week becoming the first player in history to score 9000 goals in the ANZ Championship-Super Netball era, the Jamaican great racked up another record in round 8, becoming the first player to sink 6500 Super Netball goals when she potted her 32nd against the Firebirds just over four minutes from halftime.
It’s not just Fowler-Nembhard’s height that’s imposing. At 198cm, only one player – the Firebirds’ Mary Cholhok (201cm) – stands taller but Fowler-Nembhard’s positioning, accuracy on the shot and game smarts keep her at the top of the pile.
And with another haul of 68 goals on Sunday – her only miss a super shot attempt in the final seconds – she’s forging new territory every time she runs on court.
COURAGE NEEDED FOR QUEENSLANDERS
It’s tough for the Firebirds to find a silver lining at the moment.
The Queenslanders beat the Fever by 13 goals in round 2 in a match the seemed to announce their arrival in season 2025.
But they have not won since, with their loss in Perth on Sunday, their sixth on the trot.
It must, at times, seem tough to see where the next win is coming from.
But there were, at times, good signs for the Queenslanders on Sunday.
Young defender Isabelle Shearer had some outstanding moments on arguably the greatest shooter of all time; Mary Cholhok held space well to offer herself to her feeders; Hulita Veve turned in a captain’s performance on one of the form players in the league.
The Fever have charged into second place on the ladder and many are rating them grand final fancies already.
The Firebirds will win again, they just have to hang in.
DE-GAINEY ON SONG
Think Jamaican defenders and it’s the Adelaide Thunderbirds duo of Shamera Sterling-Humphrey and Latanya Wilson that most often comes to mind.
But Kadie-Ann Dehaney is coming into her own in the west after stints at the Melbourne Vixens, where she won a premiership in 2020, and the Sunshine Coast Lightning.
At 192cm, with a wing span just as great, Dehaney is an imposing presence in the goal circle.
But it’s the way her game has developed over the past couple of years, keeping herself in the contest and incorporating strong footwork and stellar timing that has paid such dividends commentators have taken to calling her “De-Gainey”.
Against the league’s tallest player on Sunday, she came up with five gains and six deflections to pester the Firebirds shooters.
Vixens defy odds to inch closer to top of the table
-Rebecca Williams
The Kiera Austin-led Melbourne Vixens defied the unlikely return of a netball great and the hot shot of Matisse Letherbarrow to stage a strong fightback against the Giants and propel themselves to the edge of the top four with back-to-back wins.
After regaining their mojo last week against the Queensland Firebirds, the Vixens recovered from a shaky start and a six-goal deficit in the second quarter to score a critical 71-61 win at Ken Rosewall Arena.
With the spotlight on the shock comeback of 40-year-old former Silver Ferns captain Casey Kopua as an injury replacement for the Giants, the Vixens were led by an MVP performance from goal attack Austin, who finished with 22 goals from 28 attempts, including six from nine from two-point range, alongside her 33 feeds.
The Vixens claimed consecutive wins for the first time this season to keep themselves within striking distance of a top four assault and have now drawn level with the fourth-placed Adelaide Thunderbirds on points, but remain just outside of the top four on percentage.
The Vixens didn’t take the lead in the match until early in the third quarter and managed to find momentum from there as they started to capitalise on turnover ball and stave off the sharpshooting threat of Letherbarrow, who had been on fire in the goal circle for the Giants.
“We probably started a little bit slower than what we would have wanted, but we were able to come out after halftime and hit it hard, which we should have been doing from the get-go,” Austin said.
“They are a really good super-shot threat, so I’m really proud of the defenders, I thought they stayed switched on the whole time.
“I think we probably could have rewarded them a little bit more in the first half, but we’re building and it’s good things to take from it and lots to look forward to for next week.”
Sophie Garbin (43/51) topscored, while captain Kate Moloney and wing attack Hannah Mundy also starred in the midcourt for the Vixens, who face the Mavericks in the Melbourne derby next round.
CASEY COMEBACK
All eyes were on the comeback of former Silver Ferns captain Casey Kopua after the Giants pulled the biggest selection shock of the season this week.
Called on to replace the injured Jodi-Ann Ward, Kopua has been retired since 2019, but was thrust straight into the action at goal keeper on Diamonds’ goal shooter Sophie Garbin.
Kopua showed she had lost none of her goal-circle smarts, causing trouble for the Vixens’ gaolers with her long reach and ability to read the play.
Kopua, whose instruction for the Giants’ young defenders Erin O’Brien and Amy Sligar out the front was also invaluable, played the full 60 minutes at goal keeper.
Pre-game, Giants’ coach Julie Fitzgerald defended the decision to bring Kopua in as an injury replacement instead of a pathway player.
“If you look at it we are by far the youngest team in the league,” Fitzgerald said.
“I think the best thing I can do for those young pathway athletes is to put someone out there with a bit of experience and guidance who can lead them around the court a bit.”
But Fitzgerald was unable to shed any light on how long the Kopua comeback would last.
“How long she will be here for is a little bit debatable at the moment,” Fitzgerald said.
“But we will see. I asked her on Tuesday, she was on a plane Wednesday and at training on Thursday, which I think is pretty incredible for a mother of three.”
SUPER SHOT STAR
While the spotlight was on Kopua, it was Letherbarrow who lit up the goal circle at the other end with her long-range shooting.
Letherbarrow, starting at goal shooter, was on fire during the power play period and equalled her own best of nine supershots.
The 23-year-old finished with 40 from 50 for the match alongside goal attack Sophie Dwyer (10 from 12).
Originally published as Super Netball round 8: Melbourne Vixens 71 d. Giants 61, West Coast Fever 82 d. Queensland Firebirds 65
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