Super Netball 2023: Adelaide Thunderbirds’ success could accelerate move to new venue

With the ageing Netball SA Stadium coming under fire for its dilapidated state, will the Thunderbirds’ success help them find a new home?

The Thunderbirds’ stunning success this season could help accelerate a move to the Adelaide Entertainment Centre after 9000 fans snapped up tickets to Saturday’s clash against the Sunshine Coast Lightning.

The T-Birds’ place in the Super Netball finals is already secure, with Tania Obst’s side unable to drop out of the top four despite last week’s shock loss to the last-placed Collingwood Magpies.

But with just two games remaining in the regular season, Adelaide remains a strong chance of sealing a home final and the pressure would be on to play that at the Entertainment Centre, given the match would be the hottest sporting ticket in town.

Thunderbirds players (l-r) Hannah Petty, Shamera Sterling and Eleanor Cardwell pose at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre ahead of their final game of the season. Picture: Sarah Reed

The Thunderbirds have broken a decade-long drought by making the finals and their season of success has been rewarded by South Australian fans, who have flocked to matches at Netball SA Stadium, with every game, bar their Easter Sunday fixture, a sellout.

But with that venue boasting a paltry 3200 capacity, as well as having had issues with on-court decals and power outages that forced their round 2 game against the NSW Swifts to be abandoned, a more permanent move seems overdue.

The T-Birds have long brought one game a season to the Entertainment Centre for fans but their previous record crowd at the venue was 7000 — well below the 9300-seat capacity in the basketball/netball configuration.

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But late this week just 18 single tickets were available for the Thunderbirds’ clash against the Lightning, showing the appetite of fans not just hungry for quality netball but home-team success.

Import Eleanor Cardwell, who has brought a new dimension to the club this season, is looking forward to playing in front of an Entertainment Centre full house.

“We’ve just put in so much hard effort through the season and it’s coming to fruition,” Cardwell said.

“To (play) our last home game in this (Entertainment Centre) arena is pretty incredible.

“I’m really excited to see what the vibe is and what the crowd can bring to the game.”

But there were plans pre-Covid to at least boost the number of home games played at the Entertainment Centre and if the Thunderbirds can retain the nucleus of their squad for next season, they will remain not only among the competition’s heavyweights but entertainers.

Eleanor Cardwell.

With Cardwell, gun Jamaican defenders Shamera Sterling and Latanya Wilson and a group of young players – many of them South Australians who are thrilled to be bringing success back to the club after a lean period – confidence is sky high.

“For sure we can beat anyone,” said Cardwell, who has led the Thunderbirds to a pair of come-from-behind victories over defending premiers West Coat Fever among other memorable wins this season.

“If we are firing and we stick to (our) game plan and we have good energy between ourselves, then we are going to be anyone.

“We have the firepower to do it, we have the players to do it and we have the team to do it.

“If we bond together in at the right time, we can take anyone and I think we showed that in beating last year’s winners twice.”

Captain Hannah Petty is expected back from injury for Saturday’s clash, giving the Thunderbirds a fully fit squad to take on the Lightning and the calm head and experience of their leader.

Originally published as Super Netball 2023: Adelaide Thunderbirds’ success could accelerate move to new venue