From plot twists to power moves

By Stephanie Smarrelli
 

Round 3 is in full swing and once again the contenders are starting to rise from the rest of the competition. 

With two games already in the books, this weekend there’s two more to go. 

First up it’s a Saturday night showdown between the Sunshine Coast Lightning and Queensland Firebirds. 

The Firebirds are sitting in the top four, a spot no one would’ve predicted a few months ago. 

But they’ve proven they can win, starting the SSN season with consecutive wins for the first time ever. 

The GIANTS and Fever were both worthy opponents but if the Firebirds can get the dub against the Lightning, then they begin to look a lot more dangerous. 

In the midst of a redemption arc, three wins to start the season will surely ignite the netball group chats up in Queensland.  

The Lightning have come out on top the last five times the sides have met but the Sunny Coast outfit have only notched one win so far. 

In Round 2 they were able to match it with the reigning premiers for half a game before fading out, looking far from their most lethal on court. 

The Birdies will be full of confidence heading into the clash and that could be enough to shake the Lightning.  

Both teams have utilisied the Suncorp Super Shot throughout the opening rounds and are likely to do so again this weekend. 

Steph Fretwell leads the charge for the Lightning having slotted 11 throughout the first two rounds and she’s backed up by the likes of Cara Koenen who is shooting at a healthy 86 per cent and Reilley Batcheldor who isn’t scared to turn and shoot, even if her accuracy has been a little off. 

While the Firebirds firepower has come through Emily Moore, the young gun having shot four Super Shots to start the season. 

The Firebirds head into the clash with the lowest shooting percentage of the league but with Mary Cholhok’s height in the goal circle almost guaranteeing another shot on goal, they won’t be too worried about that. 

Both teams’ defensive units will have their work cut out for them this weekend. Lightning will need to play off the body and come out hunting against the Firebirds to stop the ball before it ends up with Cholhok. 

While the Firebirds defenders will need to apply suffocating pressure across the whole court to halt the Lightning’s speedy midcourters.  

It’s a game which could really fall either way on the day, the Lightning will need to put their loss to the premiers behind them if they want to feature in finals this season while a third win on the trot for the Firebirds will send a warning to the rest of the competition. 

Then on Sunday, it’s a showdown of a different kind when the Vixens take on the Fever. 

Over the past few seasons this has been the top rivalry to watch, each clash unmissable.  

The past six times they’ve gone head-to-head the winner has alternated.  

Who won last? 

The Vixens in 2024’s heartstopping preliminary final. 

Which means this weekend could go the way of the Fever, should the trend continue. 

But the West Coast outfit will have their work cut out for them, down a defender with Ruth Aryang ruled out for the season earlier this week due to an achilles tendon rupture.  

Aryang was one of their best in the side’s Round 2 loss to the Firebirds leaving the Fever defence with a bit of work to do. 

The likes of Sunday Aryang, Fran Williams and Kadie-Ann Dehaney were a bit quiet last round but with their season hanging on by a thread expect them to ignite this weekend.  

The Fever attack end is doing their best without Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard but it’s undeniable her presence is being missed.  

While the Olivia Wilkinson and Shanice Beckford pairing has been strong in patches and Mwai Kumwenda’s done her job when needed, they’re not impacting on the scoreboard.  
 
Fever averaging just 51.5 goals a game, the lowest of any side so far this season and roughly 20 goals less than they averaged in 2024. 

Fever are staring down the barrel of a 0-3 start if they’re unable to get a win here, a position no team wants to be in. 

In fact, the last two times Fever have lost the first two games of the season, they missed finals.  

While the Vixens are yet to hit their stride, they defeated the GIANTS by six goals last round which could be the spark needed to get their season on track. 
 
Currently outside the top four they’ll need to start stringing together consecutive wins if they hope to be at Rod Laver Arena for the grand final and rebound from last year’s heartbreak. 

On average the Vixens and Fever have been the league's biggest culprits when it comes to general play turnovers this season. 

Whichever team can treasure possession better this weekend is likely to come out on top. 
 
Did you miss the first half of Round 3 over the Easter weekend? 
 
Don’t worry, here’s what you need to know. 

The Swifts dealt the reigning premiers a blow to their threepeat campaign in Adelaide with the visitors winning by eight goals. 

While the Mavericks got their season underway with a commanding 15-goal victory over the GIANTS. 

The ladder positions are continuing to shift but soon the top teams will emerge and how the rest of this round plays out could be a big indicator.