Covid-19 chaos could force Thunderbirds interstate

Super Netball’s Adelaide Thunderbirds may be forced to relocate interstate in response to Victoria’s recent outbreak of Covid-19.

The Thunderbirds could be relocated interstate. (Photo by Kelly Barnes/Getty Images)

The Covid-19 issues in Victoria could force Adelaide Thunderbirds to Queensland in their bid to find their first premiership points for the season.

The Thunderbirds, winless this season after a tense one-goal loss to Sunshine Coast Lightning in Mile End on Sunday, are scheduled to face Melbourne Vixens in Melbourne on Saturday night.

While the venue for the clash has yet to be confirmed, the Vixens are already in Brisbane after earning their first win of the season with victory against Queensland Firebirds on Saturday.

“We were playing in Melbourne on Saturday night, but I dare say that won’t be the case,” Thunderbirds coach Tania Obst said.

“What does that look like for our training if we are playing on Sunday, somewhere else?

“Hopefully we will have confirmation soon, but we are on the road, we know that.”

Obst blamed mistakes for the loss and said her team needed to start rewarding itself earlier in games.

“I’m just disappointed for the girls, they are very close and have been training really, really hard,” Obst said.

“It would have been a nice reward for them.

“We have to keep learning and training hard.”

Thunderbirds captain Hannah Petty was rested in the third quarter after being ill in the lead up to the game.

The Lightning also had health issues with Cara Koenen “in bed all week” and Steph Wood also affected by flu.

Lightning coach Kylee Byrne said illness had been a major concern, but she said it was not an excuse for her side’s lacklustre effort.

“I was really proud of the way the girls kept battling,” she said.

“That was a really tough, physical match.

“Both teams will come out better for that. It was all about who was going to grind it out and make the least amount of errors. That is a cliche, but that is what it came down to in the end.

“We talked about doing the grind. Before the game we spoke about them being with us at halftime and they could be with us with a minute to go.

“We had to be all right with that. It played out like that, we had gone through that scenario.”