Super Netball: Swifts chase win to prove they are the ‘real deal’ after close call with Giants

THE Sydney Swifts nearly caused an early season boilover against the Giants, now captain Abbey McCulloch say the team is out to prove it wasn’t a one off.

The Swifts will be out to prove their opening game wasn’t a one off performance

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SWIFTS captain Abbey McCulloch says beating the Adelaide Thunderbirds in round two will prove to critics she and teammates are the “real deal” after they fell just short of the first Super Netball upset on the weekend.

Written off as top four contenders pre-season, the much-maligned Swifts defied this prediction by outplaying a slow-starting Giants for all but the final quarter of the season opener at Sydney Olympic Park.

The Giants, who trailed by as much as five goals repeatedly during the game, hit their straps in the final five minutes to take the game 58-53.

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The Swifts were brave in defeat against the Giants in their opening round clash

While even coach Rob Wright expressed surprise at how close the Swifts were to upsetting the star-stacked Giants, McCulloch was not.

“I wasn’t surprised at all. I slept easy on Friday night knowing we had done everything we needed to, that we had done the hard work,” said one of only four players from last years Swifts to return for the club in the new competition.

“I’m really proud of them.

“We are really dangerous. We have known it all along.

“I don’t think anyone will take us lightly now.”

However McCulloch believes there will be some critics in the stands who believe the Swifts thriller against the Giants was a “one off”.

The Swifts led for the majority of the game before eventually falling 58-53

“I think people still doubt us. Think they think it is a one off,” she said.

“It’s why it will be important to get the points in our next match.”

The Swifts host the Thunderbirds on Saturday at Qudos Bank Arena at 5pm in the first of a Sydney double header.

The Giants will play their second match at 7pm against West Coast Fever with officials hoping for a domestic netball record crowd at the venue.

In 2016, 13,314 fans watched the Swifts take on the Firebirds at Qudos.

While the Swifts came close to an upset on Saturday night, the Melbourne Vixens pulled it off in the opening round of Super Netball by beating competition favourites Collingwood Magpies 58-55.

The Vixens stunned competition favourites Collingwood in their first round clash

With five Diamonds in their starting seven and the backing of a powerful AFL club, the Magpies are touted as the team to beat this year.

Magpies coach Kristy Keppich-Birrell said her team struggled due to the loss of Australian players to recent international commitments but acknowledged the Vixens played better than her stars on the night.

The third local derby of the round resulted in a 56-56 draw between the established Queensland Firebirds and the new Sunshine Lightning team.

Originally published as Super Netball: Swifts chase win to prove they are the ‘real deal’ after close call with Giants