Thunderbirds defender Matilda Garrett reveals role pregnant star is playing in Adelaide’s three-peat quest

Her departure was considered a blow to the Thunderbirds’ quest for a third consecutive premiership, but the superstar is still playing a role in the team fights to keep its title dream alive... from the Caribbean.

Adelaide Thunderbirds defender Matilda Garrett has revealed the role pregnant Jamaican ace Shamera Sterling-Humphrey continues to play in the team’s three-peat quest from the other side of the world in the Caribbean.

The loss of defensive superstar Sterling-Humphrey was seen as a major blow to the T-Birds bid for a third consecutive Super Netball premiership after the goalkeeper announced earlier this season she was expecting her first child.

But the Thunderbirds dream of a title three-peat remains alive after clawing back into the top four with a critical win over the Vixens in Melbourne last week.

While former league MVP Sterling-Humphrey has returned to Jamaica ahead of the birth, she has continued to stay involved in the team’s campaign from afar.

Shamera Sterling-Humphrey has remained involved with the Thunderbirds from the other side of the world. Picture: Graham Denholm/Getty Images

Garrett, who has taken on added responsibility in the goal circle in Sterling-Humphrey’s absence, said her fellow defender’s insight had been invaluable.

“Sham has still been very involved because she is still part of the team and still contracted for next year,” Garrett said.

“She has been awesome. She watches all of our games and often will come and Zoom in on analysis and she will give her opinion and she is also still in the leadership group so she will come in for those meetings as well and give a perspective from what she sees on the outside.

“I will speak to her before some games and obviously Sham has been playing (goal) keeper for a long time so I will just ask for any tips for the certain shooter that I am coming up against.

“She has always been very helpful and great with that.”

The Thunderbirds now face a must-win clash against the Melbourne Mavericks – riding high after their upset victory over the NSW Swifts last week – in Adelaide on Saturday night in the penultimate round of the regular season.

They sit fourth on the ladder ahead of the Sunshine Coast Lightning, who they face at home in the final round, on percentage.

Garrett said the Thunderbirds were confident they could lock-in a top-four berth and believed the team’s finals experience would make them a major threat in the post-season.

The Thunderbirds have cracked the top four. Picture: Graham Denholm/Getty Images

Garrett has taken on added responsibility this season. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

“The whole season we have had the belief our team can make finals and we’ve had some games where we’ve had a few tight losses which we’ve been really disappointed with,” Garrett said, promoting Fox Netball’s coverage of the game.

“It’s exciting that we’ve still got an opportunity to make the top four and we absolutely believe we can.

“Something that we do have is since we have won back-to-back premierships we do have some experience in finals, so hopefully if we were to make finals this year that is a positive for our side.

“It would mean the world to be able to get another premiership. Premierships are so hard to come by and finals are hard to come by, let alone winning it, so we know how special it is and how much hard work it is to get there.”

Without Sterling-Humphrey, the versatile Garrett and Jamaican Latanya Wilson have been left to cover the goal keeper position, which the Diamonds representative said had helped grow their games.

“It’s hard to replace one of the best if not the best goal keeper in the world, but I think it has just been an awesome opportunity for Latty, Sanna (Sanmarie Visser) and I to play a bit of keeper,” Garrett said.

“I haven’t played keeper, and neither has Latty, for a while, so that’s been exciting and it’s also made us think differently about how we’re going to win ball, especially up against tall players since obviously Shammy is really tall and has really good hops.

“So for us it has just been an opportunity to grow our games.”

Garrett will face another big assignment this round against prolific Mavericks goal shooter Shimona Jok, who sits third in the league for scoring.

“Shim is a tall target and she has been very accurate for the team this season,” Garrett said.

“I think it’s just a great opportunity for Sanna, Latty and I to figure out different ways we can win ball off her and confuse the space for the feeders.

“It will be a tough game but I think we are ready.”

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Originally published as Thunderbirds defender Matilda Garrett reveals role pregnant star is playing in Adelaide’s three-peat quest