Round 12 saw the Magpies keep their season alive at home and the Thunderbirds drop out of the top four in weekend one of First Nations Round.
First Nations Round has been a feature of the Suncorp Super Netball fixture since 2018, providing an opportunity for the sport of netball to recognise the histories, cultures and contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
This year’s round focuses on raising awareness, celebrating and understanding the contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to netball and the nation.
Let’s see which international players stood out…
Magpies 66 – 58 Swifts
Despite being down at half time, the Collingwood Magpies dominated the second half of the match to secure a crucial win over the NSW Swifts.
Jamaican Sunshine Girl and Magpies shooter Shimona Nelson scored 52 goals from 52 attempts and now sits second in the ‘Goals Scored’ table, however it was the Magpies defence that dominated the match.
Geva Mentor and Jodi-Ann Ward willed their side back into the contest in the third quarter producing 10 gains, which meant the Magpies won the quarter 22 – 11 and ultimately the match 66 – 58.
Fever 68 – 72 Firebirds
Firebirds produced a shock result in the second match of Round 12 taking down second-placed Fever which meant the Queenslanders moved from seventh to third in the table.
Firebirds goal attack Gretal Bueta scored a season-high 40 goals from 41 attempts and produced many of her tricks during the match including a one-handed shot while falling out of the court.
In the opposite shooting circle, Jamaican Sunshine girl Jhaniele Fowler shot a perfect 60-from-60, however it was not enough to save the home team.
Fowler looks like she is on track to break her own record for the most points scored in a season (979), which she set in 2020.
Vixens 64 – 60 Lightning
Vixens are now eight points clear at the top of the table after holding off a strong challenge from Sunshine Coast Lightning.
Lightning recovered from nine goals down to level the scores in the final quarter, however Australian Diamond Jo Weston kept her cool in the final stages and ended the match with seven gains and four intercepts.
Liz Watson’s work rate was front and centre throughout as she ended the match with 40 feeds and 26 goal assists. She now sits in second place in the ‘Goal Assists’ table.
That is now five wins on the trot for the Vixens.
GIANTS 59 – 50 Thunderbirds
In the final match of Round 12, the GIANTS produced a strong performance which keeps the Adelaide Thunderbirds out of the top 4.
Both teams entered Sunday’s contest level with Queensland Firebirds, NSW Swifts, and Collingwood Magpies on 20 competition points, setting up a blockbuster clash with major implications in the race for the top four.
GIANTS midcourt trio of Jamie-Lee Price, Maddie Hay and Amy Parmenter played starring roles in the victory with Australian Diamond Price ending the match with 36 gains and 19 goal assists.
England Rose, Jo Harten, scored another 2 super shots during the match and remains at the top of the table for the most super shots scored.
The battle for third and fourth spot on the table continues for both teams with the Giants needing to defeat the Firebirds in Brisbane on Saturday to stay clear of the chasing pack while Adelaide host top-ranked Melbourne Vixens.
Coming up…
The next round of the Suncorp Super Netball League begins on the 4th June, and you can view all the recent results and up-and-coming fixtures, here.
You can view the league table here.
International fans can watch every game of the 2022 Suncorp Super Netball Season live and on-demand as part of NetballAustralia.TV, the official international subscription service for fans outside of Australia and New Zealand.
To find out more about elite domestic netball leagues in other World Netball Regions, click here.
