Super Netball round 7: NSW Swifts 70 d. Sunshine Coast Lightning 62, West Coast Fever 75 d. Giants 66
The NSW Swifts remain the team to beat in the Super Netball, but the same can’t be said for the Giants, who are stranded at the bottom of the ladder. ROUND 7 RESULTS
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The NSW Swifts have maintained their perfect Super Netball record at the halfway point of the season, claiming a 70-62 victory over Sunshine Coast Lightning to stamp their dominance as the team to beat in 2025.
Led by Silver Ferns superstar shooter Grace Nweke, with 50 from 56 shooting for the night, the Swifts kicked out to an enormous 18-goal lead midway through the final term before a late surge from the home side gave the Swifts a few anxious moments.
The highly anticipated battle between Nweke and Diamonds defender Courtney Bruce lived up to the hype, with Nweke consistently finding answers and showcasing her skill and composure.
Her shooting partner, Helen Housby, also proved a handful for Ash Ervin, contributing significantly to the Swifts’ attacking prowess with 21 assists, 12 of 13 goals and four from seven super shots.
The efficiency of the Swifts attack simply made it difficult for the Lightning to force any turnovers.
While Swifts head coach Briony Akle may have been concerned by the team’s finish, which saw the Lightning threaten a historic comeback, the title front runners ultimately held their nerve to secure the win.
Paige Hadley was sublime through the centre court and had 21 assists and 27 feeds, while youngsters Grace Whyte and Teigan O’Shannassy gained valuable court time.
EARLY DOMINANCE SETS THE TONE
The Swifts established an early lead, capitalising on Lightning’s inaccuracies and a crucial intercept from Sharni Lambden to go up 14-9. Although the Lightning briefly closed the gap with a Super Shot from Reilley Batcheldor, Housby responded in kind, giving the Swifts a 17-13 advantage at the first break.
The second quarter was a tighter affair, with both teams struggling to convert bonus possessions.
However, the Swifts managed to extend their lead to six points midway through the period.
A late Super Shot from Lightning’s Steph Fretwell, celebrating her 150th game, and a subsequent goal from Cara Koenen reduced the deficit to five points at halftime as the visitors led 34-29.
SWIFTS TOO STRONG
The Swifts came out firing in the third quarter, securing three consecutive gains to extend their lead to nine.
While much has been made of the arrival of Nweke, it was in transition on the back of the defensive efforts of Lambden, Sarah Klau, and Maddy Turner that really stood up in the third term to take a 13 goal lead into the final break.
The Swifts extended their advantage to 18 and appeared to be in total cruise control until
Fretwell and Koenen scored four unanswered Super Shots.
But it was too little too late as the Swifts steadied the run and secured their seventh victory of the season, guaranteeing them at least a two win buffer at the top of the table ahead of next week’s clash with reigning champion Adelaide Thunderbirds in Sydney on Saturday night.
LIGHTNING WORK IN PROGRESS
Touted as genuine premiership contenders, the loss proves the Lightning are still not quite the real deal despite boasting Diamonds stars like Bruce, Fretwell, Koenen and Liz Watson.
Emerging star Leesa Mi Mi had a tough night opposing Diamond Hadley, but there were just far too many turnovers on the attack end with Watson and Fretwell repeat offenders.
With four wins from their opening half of the season, the Lightning are firmly entrenched in the top four and can move further clear in the race for the finals at home next Saturday against the fifth-placed Mavericks.
Fowler-Nembhard stamps name in record books
-Jenny Sinclair
Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard continues to stamp her name in the record books, as she led West Coast Fever to a tough nine point Super Netball win over Giants Netball in Sydney. In an MVP performance, the Jamaican superstar became the first player to reach 9000 national league goals, but Fever were pushed for the last three quarters in their 75 to 66 point victory.
Despite the Giants’ terrific fightback that saw them sit on level terms during the third quarter, they’ve now lost six of their last seven games, leaving them stranded at the bottom of the ladder. With increasing criticism of the team’s results, captain Jo Harten made an impassioned post on Instagram midweek.
Speaking pre match she explained, “When you’re not having a mega successful season on the court results wise, there is an over scrutiny potentially of players and team management. My post during the week was just a gentle reminder that we have a great sport, a great community, let’s show some kindness to each other.”
That criticism may only grow as Giants got out to a terrible start, shooting just one point to the Fever’s seven in the early stages of the game. Co-captain Jamie-Lee Price later described her team as looking like ‘stunned mullets’, as Harten was benched just nine minutes into the game. Matisse Letherbarrow took her place and four supershots from her and teammate Sophie Dwyer dragged back a threatening eleven point lead to just eight by quarter time.
At the opposite end of the court, another of Giants’ youngsters was showing her flare, despite having a tough assignment against Fowler-Nembhard. Matched against the world’s best shooter, Erin O’Brien was at her most effective when she came off the body to pick off five gains. She played a crucial role in helping the Giants lift their performance, as they made strong inroads into Fever’s lead to be just four points down by half time.
Giants burst out of the blocks in the third quarter to level the score, but their chances were hampered by a knee injury to Jodi-Ann Ward. Fever remained composed throughout the match, to push out the lead again. Alice Teague-Neeld’s calm head and smooth feeding was particularly crucial, Sunday Aryang continued her career-best form with six gains, and Fowler-Nembhard top scored with 63 from 66.
NEAR-FLAWLESS FOWLER-NEMBHARD
While Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard became the first player to reach 9000 national league goals, it isn’t the only record she owns. The five time league MVP has scored the highest number of points in seven of the last ten seasons, has taken part in four of the highest ever scoring games, has scored the most goals in a game, and the most goals in a final. It’s truly GOAT status.
CONTRACTING CONCERNS
With six Giants out of contract next year, it might be time for a shake up of their roster. However, the player they’d most like to keep – Jamie-Lee Price – may ask for an early release so she can head to Melbourne for 2026, where her AFL playing partner is now based.
GIANT ROOM FOR GROWTH
It’s the inconsistency between the Giants’ best and worst that has plagued their 2025 season. They are the most prolific team in Super Netball for supershots, with the third highest accuracy at the post, and also sit inside the top four for converting gains to goals, at around 70 per cent.
However, they have the second worst centre pass conversion rate at 65 per cent, have taken the least number of gains, and given away the most turnovers. All of which points to some individual brilliance, but a team that can’t string sixty minutes of netball together.
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Originally published as Super Netball round 7: NSW Swifts 70 d. Sunshine Coast Lightning 62, West Coast Fever 75 d. Giants 66
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