The NSW Swifts remain the team to beat in Super Netball as star Grace Nweke’s “standard” 54-goal haul set up their win over the Queensland Firebirds.
The unbeaten outfit needed a half-time rev up to spark a blistering 23-goal third quarter, and from there they held on to the 71-63 victory.
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But alarmingly for the rest of the competition, it’s clear there’s still improvement to come from Briony Akle’s charges – a fact Nweke reiterated post-match.
“They’re still not convincing … they haven’t strung together a four-quarter performance the Swifts,” Diamonds great Cath Cox said on Fox Netball.
The Swifts went into the match without young gun Grace Whyte who was a late out with an ankle complaint.
Her absence gave Allie Smith a reprieve after she was the player to make way for goaler Sophie Fawns, and the midcourter made the most of her opportunity.
Brought into the match at centre to replace Verity Simmons after the Swifts trailed at quarter time, Smith gave teammate, and match MVP, Paige Hadley the space she needed to get to work.
“I thought she really came in and drove hard to get that depth and let me do my thing out the front,” Hadley praised.
Intercepts to Sarah Klau and Sharni Lambden in the third term, along with eight turnovers from the Firebirds helped the Swifts skip away.
Late supershots helped the Firebirds bring the full time margin back to eight.
“I’m learning on the job but really enjoying it,” Nweke said speaking to Fox Netball after the win.
“I’m happy with how I played – it’s a standard game for me.”
The New Zealand import said it was a half time rev up that got the Swifts back into the contest.
“We got a bit of a rark up at half time … sometimes when things aren’t going your way you can get a bit down and overthink the game plan,” she shared.
“The excitement is knowing that we’re not even close to our best.”
Firebirds coach Kiri Wills was left to lament that horror third term.
“It really set us back – they got a run on… suddenly they are 10 up!” she said post-match.
“Against a side like the Swifts, you can’t let them get away like that.”
The biggest stat for the Queenslanders to fix up heading into Round 5- they racked up 16 unforced errors.
VIXENS’ UNBLEMISHED DERBY RECORD STANDS
The Vixens reign over Melbourne netball has rolled on with a 67-59 win over the Mavericks on Sunday.
The Mavericks are yet to beat their rivals in Super Netball, with Sophie Garbin proving unstoppable under the post in her 45-goal MVP performance at John Cain Arena.
It was a much-needed win for last year’s grand finalists who have faced plenty of criticism over their attack end.
Fox Netball’s Madi Browne described the side as “back to their clinical best” while Garbin herself conceded the club was going back to what worked for them in 2024.
“We’ve probably been focusing a bit too much on trying to change and have a bit of variety,” she told Fox Netball.
“But what we do best wins us games; we got the grand final last year doing that.
“2-2 is definitely better going into training this week!”
Key to the Vixens’ win was the shutdown of Maverick Shimona Nelson, who headed to the bench multiple times as Tracey Neville’s charges sought late super shots to try and bridge the gap.
Nelson (43/47 goals) has been the central target for the Mavericks attack, but Vixen Rudi Ellis produced one of her best outings for the season.
While her stats don’t have the same gains as Kate Eddy (two) and Jo Weston (three), it was Ellis’ pressure on the take that really got the Vixens into the clash.
An 11-goal second term proved costly for the Mavs as they headed into half time staring down a nine-goal deficit they never recovered.
Vixens coach Simone McKinnis was proud of the way her side “earned” the win, while praising Garbin’s return to form.
“I loved the way they attacked the game today,” she said.
“That’s Sophie at her best – when she’s demanding that ball in the circle, I mean sometimes you hear her screaming for it! She’s so strong as a shooter and when she’s positioned and takes that on, no one can get near her.”
The win gives the Vixens plenty of confidence heading into their clash with the unbeaten NSW Swifts in Round 5.
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