TBirds star’s telling call on Super Netball’s big hits as three-peat bid heats up

A Super Netball premiership winner has addressed the intense level of physical play in the league as her team vies for a premiership three-peat.

Adelaide Thunderbirds defender Matilda Garrett says her team has been instructed to avoid making big hits as Super Netball’s physicality has gone up a notch this season.

The Thunderbirds are fourth on the ladder with two rounds remaining this season — after beating the Melbourne Vixens last weekend, they take on the Melbourne Mavericks and Sunshine Coast Lightning in the run to finals.

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Netball has always been a contact sport but there have been some particularly heavy collisions on court this season as players go flying, desperate to get a hand on the ball and force a deflection.

Earlier this season there was a brutal collision as Mavericks skipper Amy Parmenter got crunched by Firebird Macy Gardner, which sparked debate over whether it should have been a send-off.

In another big hit, Swifts defender Tegan O’Shannassy crashed to the court after contesting a ball with Giants star Jaime-Lee Price.

Speaking to news.com.au, Garrett said the TBirds aimed to “stay in play” and avoid giving away penalties for big hits where possible.

“You know, there’s so many strong bodies on the court,” Garrett.

“Specifically, I can talk on behalf of the Thunderbirds, we’re always trying to be as clean as possible.

“Cathy Fellows, who is the mastermind behind our defensive game plan, she always will tell us to pull out if we’re going to get called by the umpire because you want to continuously be applying pressure and as soon as the whistle is blown, then the pressure’s no longer there.

“So I think for us, we’re always continuously trying to stay in play and apply pressure as best as we can.

“In terms of the physicality of the season, I think it’s hard to win intercepts and to win balls. “So yeah, potentially that’s where it might be perceived that the physically has increased, but I think it’s been around for a few seasons now.”

TBirds defender Matilda Garrett flies for a ball. (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)

It would be an incredible achievement given the TBirds have been without star goal keeper Shamera Sterling, who announced her pregnancy on the eve of the season.

Garrett, who has made her Australian Diamonds debut in recent years, has been swapping GK and GD bibs with fellow Jamaican star Latanya Wilson in the defensive circle.

“I am probably more comfortable playing goal defence, but I think it’s been an awesome opportunity to have a goal at keeper,” she said.

TBirds defender Matilda Garrett is going for a third premiership. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

Plenty of teams have gone back-to-back to win domestic netball premierships, but the Thunderbirds are striving to outdo some of the greatest teams ever by winning three titles in a row.

But the TBirds will have to get past pre-season favourites the NSW Swifts and the West Coast Fever, who have won 10 games in a row.

“It would mean the absolute world to us,” Garrett said about the prospecting of winning three premierships in a row.

“We know how hard it is to make finals, let alone win premierships. We’re in a pretty cool position, but we’re just gonna take it game by game and we’ve got to worry about this weekend and hopefully getting a win. and then one more game as well to try and secure finals.

“Then who knows what can happen in finals.”

Garrett was full of praise for the Thunderbirds not-so-secret weapon George Horjus, who switched from wing attack to goal attack in last week’s win over the Melbourne Vixens.

“Georgie just an absolute workhorse and she’s extremely versatile,” Garrett said.

Georgie Horjus is key to Adelaide’s premiership hopes. (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)

“It’s pretty incredible. There’s not many people that can play both goal attack and wing attack. “She is just so seamless. Last week she started in wing attack and then was swung over into goal attack and her ability to go in and still be as accurate as what she is, is a credit to her. “She just does so much work in our front line and she’s also a big playmaker in both positions, which is pretty threatening. Georgie is a is a huge asset to our team.”

Every match of round 13 is available to stream via Kayo Freebies or BINGE.

Super Netball Round 13 (all times AEST)

NSW Swifts vs Sunshine Coast Lightning — Saturday 5pm

Adelaide Thunderbirds vs Melbourne Mavericks — Saturday 7pm

Melbourne Vixens vs Queensland Firebirds — Sunday 2pm

West Coast Fever vs Giants — Sunday 4pm

Originally published as TBirds star’s telling call on Super Netball’s big hits as three-peat bid heats up