Sapphire Series Round 1: Biggest learnings, round wrap
Re-live all the action of Sapphire Series Round 1 with our match analysis, top performers and video replay here.
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The Bond University Bull Sharks made their long awaited return to the Sapphire Series on Saturday, going down to the 903-day juggernaut that is the ACU Brisbane North Cougars.
The Bull Sharks were unable to overcome the 2020, 2021 and 2022 premiers, who haven’t dropped a match since Round 10 of 2020.
Despite an early tussle, the visitors ultimately went down 70-52, with premiership players Leesa Mi Mi, Rylee Burns, Larika Malagaoma, and Lia Woolnough all proving too hard to stop.
Bond head coach Rebecca Stower, fresh off coaching the Queensland U17s to a national title, said the performance provided plenty of positives despite the end result.
“Overall I was quite happy with the Sapphire performance,” Bond coach Rebecca Stower said.
“We will need to go back and have a look at our unforced errors and turnover conversion, but I think we are building nicely and getting our combinations consolidated.”
Of Bond’s best on court was recently named Australia U19 squad member and shooter Kaylin Van Greunen, along with Ella Spencer and Abi Houston in defence.
In a surprise signing, the Cougars revealed former Sunshine Coast Thunder defender Ash Barnett has joined the red and black, after a season as captain of the Southern Saints in the Victorian Netball League.
Elsewhere in the Sapphire division, a well-oiled TAE Aerospace Ipswich Jets machine ran out a young Brisbane South Wildcats line-up 57-35.
Tongan national team captain Hulita Veve was a standout in the midcourt for her new club, partnering beautifully with Steph O’Brien and Chloe Litherland in the wings.
Last-minute recruit and former Gold Coast Titan Abigail Meafou looked right at home as goal attack for the Jets, signing on with her local side after initially deciding to take a year off the sport.
It was not the same fairy tale ending for the Carina Leagues Club Tigers, who went down to a dominant Sunshine Coast Thunder side.
A combination of new faces and captain Amy Somerville battling an injured knee meant the Tigers struggled to make connections down the court at crucial moments.
Thunder came out on top to win 60-43, with Sunshine Coast Lightning training partner Ava Black and Queensland U19s player Baylee Boyd among their best ranks.
Despite the loss, Tigers were able to play two Ruby athletes, Holly Comyns in defence and Alice Mauga in mid-court.
Mauga, who played Tigers Sapphire in 2021 and 2022, fit into the team like a glove while Comyns showcased her skills for a full quarter in Goal Keeper.
The debut adds a cherry on top for Comyns, who like Boyd was named in the 2023/24 U17 Australian squad.
THE RUBY DIVISION
In the Ruby Series, the Cougars again prevailed over the Bull Sharks, taking out the match 44-36.
It was a sloppy third quarter that resulted in Bond’s demise, after the team had led by two at half time.
Coach Kim Boland said it was the performance of training partner Jorja Gisinger who impressed her most, coming into the match at the end of the third quarter when the side were struggling and helping them to a tied fourth term.
“We won the first two quarters, we connected really well, but we went into the third and maybe we were mentally a little bit fatigued and couldn’t transition out of court and that’s where we fell apart,” Boland said.
2022 premiers the Tigers asserted their dominance over the Thunder to win 61-47.
The score may have gone in Tigers favour, but coach Joeanne Hope said the game did not go all to plan.
“My starting seven had to change due to an emergency with one of our players which meant she was delayed in getting to the game,” Hope said.
“We did not want to rush her on court, so we made a last-minute change to the line-up.”
Debutants Sarah Joyce in mid-court and Kaylee Tamala as goal attack performed well under pressure, sliding into the ranks with ease alongside their more experienced teammates.
The debut marks another milestone for Joyce, who last week returned with gold from the 2023 National Netball Championships with fellow Tigers Tia Crombie and Holly Comyns.
“It was good to get and play with really experienced girls, and with Isabelle Shearer who is a Firebirds training partner,” Comyns said.
“The team is obviously very new, but they all included me from the start in warm-up and I never felt left out.
“Shearer and I played well together and it was a good experience.”
On the show court, underdogs the Brisbane South Wildcats gave the Jets something to fret about.
It wasn’t until the final quarter that Jets gained an upper hand in attack and surged ahead to win 49-39.
For a full match review on the Titans v Panthers clash, including top performers,click here.
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