Australia’s Suncorp Super Netball League: Round 7 International Player Watch

Round 7 marked the halfway point in the Suncorp Super Netball League with Swifts winning their third consecutive match to climb into the top four and Fever remaining at the top of the table. 

Here are just some of the international players that stood out…

Vixens 72 – 60 Firebirds

The first match of Round 7 went goal-for-goal in the early stages but the Firebirds attack grew in confidence during the first half as they accurately fed Donnell Wallam under the post.

Australian shooter Wallam finished the match with an impressive 53 goals from 58 attempts to her name and sits 2nd in the leagues goals scored table. This helped her side into a 32 – 27 goal lead at half-time.

Vixens made changes for the second half and this seemed to give them the momentum. Australian Diamond captain Liz Watson provided 33 goal assists during the match as Malawi international Mwai Kumwenda gave her side a one-goal advantage with 15 minutes remaining. 

Kumwenda finished the match with 47 goals to her name.

Vixens continued to dominate the final quarter as they forced the Firebirds attack into taking Super Shots as they sealed the win 72 – 60. 

GIANTS 64 – 67 Swifts

The first New South Wales state derby did not disappoint as the second match of Round 7 went down to the wire.

GIANTS flew out of the blocks and went into an early three goal lead, however Swifts responded quickly with Australian Diamond Sara Klau producing persistent defensive pressure to give her side a one-goal lead at half-time. 

GIANTS came out firing at the start of the second half as the match went goal-for-goal. Australian international Sophie Dwyer looked calm and collected as she netted an impressive 7/8 Super Shots. However, England Rose Helen Housby kept responding as she also netted two Super Shots during the third quarter. Housby finished the match with 4 Super Shots and a 100% shooting accuracy. With 15 minutes to go GIANTS led by one goal.

Swifts produced a more consistent display in the final 15 minutes with midcourters Maddy Proud and Paige Hadley contributing 65 feeds and 43 assists between them as they secured their third consecutive win to climb into 3rd place.

Lightning 64 – 74 Fever

Fever started this match extremely well with Jamaican Sunshine Girl Jhaniele Fowler dominating the shooting circle from the first whistle. Fowler yet again finished the match without missing a shot as she scored 65/65. It is no surprise that Fowler sits at the top of the league’s goals scored chart. 

Fever had secured an eight goal lead at the end of the first 15 minutes and they built on this during the second quarter. Courtney Bruce was applying immense defensive pressure on the Lightning shooters as she finished the match with four gains. This defensive pressure meant that Fever led by 13 at half-time.

Lightning showed courage in the third quarter as Australia’s Steph Wood found her form and netted three Super Shots in a row to reduce Fever’s lead to just seven goals with 15 minutes remaining.

However, Fever proved too strong in the end and remain top of the table, 

Thunderbirds 52 – 47 Magpies

Thunderbirds continued their good form in the final match of Round 7 with their circle defence of Jamaican international Shamera Sterling and the newest member of the Diamonds squad Maltilda Garrett making it extremely difficult for the Magpies to work the ball under the post.

The defensive duo claimed an impressive nine gains during this match as the Thunderbirds led 29 – 21 at half-time.

The Magpies had a much better second half with England Rose Geva Mentor constantly getting hands to balls and doing her best to deny fellow England international Eleanor Cardwell. Mentor finished the match with five intercepts and nine gains as her side drew the third quarter.

The Magpies knew they had to utilise the final power five if they wanted to get the win, however despite winning the final quarter Thunderbirds held on to win by five goals.