West Coast Fever continue to defy their injury-ravaged odds, with a 58-54 point Super Netball win over the Queensland Firebirds in Perth.
Sitting in third place on the ladder, Fever had to call on two of their returning players to claim the four point victory over their energised opponents.
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While it was a match of attrition, the game was also a fitting tribute to one of the league’s giants, Romelda Aiken-George. Becoming just the second athlete to play 250 national league games, the Jamaican started her incredible career some 18 years ago for today’s opponents.
Fever captain Jess Anstiss said that Aiken-George preferred a low-key approach to her milestone.
“It’s been business as usual this week,” she said.
“She’s a phenomenal athlete.”
Coach Dan Ryan also paid tribute to the superstar.
“It’s a great privilege for our club,” he said.
“From day one of arriving here she’s been so generous to our players in sharing her knowledge and helping and guiding them, and also very open to be coached to be better still which is very cool.”
However, she didn’t look to be enjoying the intense physical pressure applied by New Zealand import Kelly Jackson, who was playing her first game back after breaking her nose several weeks ago. Aiken-George finished with 34/46 but didn’t have it all her own way as Jackson picked off seven gains.
With Alice Teague-Neeld benched early on with an ongoing back issue, the match developed into an arm wrestle, running goal for goal in the early stages. Injury matters deteriorated for Fever, with Sasha Glasgow also relegated to the sidelines, and after hustling desperately for every loose ball, Firebirds snuck out to a three-point lead midway through the second term.
In a battle of the tall towers, Ugandan import Mary Cholhok reigned in the air for the Firebirds, the 201 centimetre shooter converting 33 from 51, and making wins difficult for opponent Kadie-Ann Dehaney to come by.
And while shooting partner Te Paea Selby-Rickit didn’t put up a lot of shots, finishing with 9/12, her growing connection with Cholhok saw her feed the circle impeccably.
Searching for answers Fever coach Dan Ryan subbed on two players who’ve recently returned from long term injury. Zoe Cransberg played the centre role immaculately earning MVP honours, while Liv Wilkinson sunk consecutive super shots to take a three-point lead into half time.
With just one fit player on the bench, Fever upped their work rate in the third term to hold the Firebirds to just nine points, while blowing the lead out to 12.
With Firebirds’ coach Kiri Wills calling for her side to go after every centre pass, they rotated their troops in the last quarter. Elsa Sif Sandholt entered the game, performing strongly under the post. In a strong finish they clawed the lead back to three but with Fever squeezing defensively they were unable to get over the line.
In her 250th national league match, Romelda Aiken-George continues to break new ground. She’s already smashed her own goal scoring record this season, and now becomes the most capped player currently taking the court. The Jamaican superstar, currently in her 18th season, is also closing in on Cath Cox’s all time record of 254 games, a mark that Aiken-George should easily overhaul soon if she stays in good health. The player she is replacing – Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard – has recently given birth to a son, Joshua.
While Romelda Aiken-George (Fever) and Mary Cholhok (Firebirds) are putting up some big numbers for their clubs, they aren’t necessarily the most accurate shooters in the league. However the powerful pair almost make up for their misses, with both rebounding an incredible 80 per cent of their shots that go astray.
Can Dwyer lock in Diamonds spot? | 00:54
Meanwhile, the Melbourne Mavericks held strongly against Sunshine Coast Lightning’s immense pressure to secure their second victory of the Super Netball season by nine points.
The 62-53 victory sees the Mavericks edge into the top four with a superior goal percentage.
Both sides have come agonisingly close to wins in the past few weeks but stumbled in the final quarter.
Speaking post match, Mavericks coach Gerard Murphy identified this game as a winnable one for his side. “We had analysed throughout the week that this was a winnable game. We thought the others were, but this one, match-up-wise, was a pretty good one for us,” he said.
“Plus, they have shown they aren’t too convincing on the supershots. So I knew our one-point game would be equal to, if not better than theirs, so if we could get a couple of those (missed supershots) back, then it would be all good.”
The visitors backed in their tried and true starting seven, while the Lightning mixed things up, opting to start Diamonds’ rookie, Ash Ervin, over veteran Courtney Bruce. Coach Belinda Reynolds said the choice was two-fold: to utilise Ervin’s rangy arms over Mavericks’ scoring powerhouse, Shimona Nelson, and to fire Bruce up for an impact off the bench.
Unfortunately, the tactic didn’t have the desired effect, as the Mavericks used their renowned physicality to strong-arm Lightning into errors. The team usually treasure possession; however, today they were forced into 21 turnovers.
Speaking post match about the mistakes, Reynolds said, “Mavericks did a really good job in putting pressure on our takes, and I feel like we didn’t keep our work rate up. And we gave up silly little errors like balls at our feet and things like they controlled the tempo from that point forward.”
The Mavericks converted these errors into goals on the board and were able to push out a seven goal advantage in the first break which extended to nine by half time.
In an effort to stem the flow of goals, Lightning coach Belinda Reynolds introduced new recruit Gabby Sinclair in the second term, benching Donnell Wallam who was having a tough outing against Mavericks defender Jessie Grenvold. The Mavericks’ defensive duo of Grenvold and Kim Brown were in everything, finishing with a combined nine gains.
Brown earned herself MVP honours for her five gains. Speaking post match, the goal defence said the win felt amazing. “After the last few weeks, it was really good to get the win today. We had the belief we could do it and take it to every team.”
Down the other end, goals continued to rain for the Mavericks. Despite Ervin’s early impact, Nelson adjusted and presented strongly for her feeders, essentially setting up shop right under the post. She ended the match with 56 from 61 after receiving sterling service from her midcourters.
Maverick Jamie-Lee Price was involved in everything as she controlled the tempo of the attack end while also offering strong, on the body defence. She ended the game with 37 feeds and three gains.
Wallam returned to the court in the third term, and with tighter defence and more composure Lightning mounted a comeback, winning the term by seven off the back of a spectacular, on the buzzer, Wallam supershot.
Wallam ended the match with 32 from 39, including two supershots, but it wasn’t enough to claim the match.
Out of the ashes of the Mavericks’ years-long injury cloud has emerged a bright talent: Jessie Grenvold. The 23 year old South Australian has been in the Mavericks set-up for the last three seasons. In 2024 and 2025, she served as injury replacement for the felled Lauren Parkinson. This season, her first as part of the contracted 10, she was riding the bench behind experienced athletes Kim Brown and Tara Hinchliffe. But after Hinchliffe’s ACL injury in Round 3, Grenvold took a vice-like grip of the starting GK bib.
Against the indomitable Adelaide Thunderbirds, she took seven gains and kept their star shooter, Elmere van der Berg, to her lowest score to date. Almost as important is Grenvold’s ability to stay in play by often drawing fewer penalties than her teammates, while also giving away few turnovers. If she can retain this form for the rest of the season, she will give coach Gerard Murphy decision headaches in 2027.
Sunshine Coast Lightning have a ‘supershot specialist’ riding the pine this season. Gabby Sinclair missed the first two rounds due to injury, but from Round three onwards, she has been match fit. However, in round three, she didn’t take the court, despite the match being tight and fellow shooters Donnell Wallam and Cara Koenen both sitting 0/2 on the super shot. They got away with a one-point win in that match.
In Round four, Sinclair had seven minutes of court time and was only able to get away one failed super shot attempt. Yes, this stat is not great; however, we have seen similar stats from other athletes who are injected cold off the bench, so it’s not too worrisome.
But it still begs the question of what Lighting’s super shot strategy is?
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