Talking points: Round 6

By Sophie Taylor

Four electric matches shifted the ladder momentum again this week as we enter the mid-point of the season.

We run you through our top talking points from Round 6.

GRAND FINAL PREVIEW INCOMING?

Yes, it may be a bit early to be thinking about the Grand Final.

But with the current form of the undefeated NSW Swifts and the Sunshine Coast Lightning finally humming in all areas of the court, Round 6 proved the upcoming battle between these two sides on Saturday will be worthy of a post-season return.

Let’s put it this way: the Swifts are undefeated for a reason.

If the combination between Grace Nweke and Helen Housby was threatening in Round 1, it’s a downright firestorm to come up against at this stage of the season.

The duo has been relentless to post, combining effortlessly and piling on the offensive pressure to rival the defensive work of the in-form Sarah Klau and Teigan O’Shannassy down back.

Lightning’s Reilley Batcheldor has been threatening to break her game open all season, and did that with vigour on the weekend against the Vixens with an outstanding 48-goal haul.

The young goaler proved her worth in goal shooter, playing out the full 60 minutes alongside Steph Fretwell in a dominant outing from the Lightning attack.

Defensively, Tara Hinchliffe is in career-best form and continues to complement Courtney Bruce (11 deflections against the Vixens), with Ash Ervin able to add extra pressure over the shot where required.

Expect this one to come down to midcourt combinations, with Lightning’s patient chipping between Liz Watson and Leesa Mi Mi and Swifts’ defensive pressure from Paige Hadley, Sharni Lambden and Allie Smith playing into each other nicely.

LEWIS’ BLOCK-FEST

Liv Lewis was in excellent form on Saturday evening’s Tasmanian matchup between the Mavericks and Firebirds, using every ounce of her magnificent vertical leap to pressure Mary Cholhok’s shot.

Against the 201cm goal shooter, that’s no easy feat.

She came into the round with three blocks to her name, able to time her jump well to deflect attempts from shorter goal attacks.

Following Round 6? EIGHT.

Despite standing 15cm shorter than the Firebirds’ tall timber, Lewis targeted Cholhok’s lower release point from behind to continuously apply pressure and win back crucial ball for her side.

No doubt, it’s something that Lewis would have worked on last week with Mavs assistant coach and defensive specialist Nicole Richardson, but it’s one thing to attempt the block – it’s another to rack up five against the tallest player in the competition.

The Firebirds will be rueing missed opportunities from this clash, while opposition sides will be licking their lips at the potential for new ball-winning ways against the Queensland shooter going forward.

WHERE ARE THE THUNDERBIRDS?

While the Thunderbirds started the season the way they finished 2024, things have not been running smooth for the Adelaide side since the departure of Shamera Sterling-Humphrey (pregnancy) following the side’s Round 3 loss to the Swifts.

And while not all of the Tbirds’ success can be put down to Sterling-Humphrey’s efforts in goal keeper, the side has not quite had the same flow down court in the defender’s absence.

A shock Round 4 loss to the GIANTS did not help the confidence, and while they did get a win on the board against the Firebirds in Round 5, this week was another challenging battle against the Fever attack with a fit and firing Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard shining out the front.

That being said, it doesn’t seem to be the defensive end that is suffering.

Latanya Wilson and Tilly Garrett are more than capable of shutting down even the best attacking units, with the added defensive pressure of South African Sanmarie Visser in the mix and a flurry of in-form defensive midcourters more than playing their role.

No, the Thunderbirds’ issue seems to be in their attack.

Fourteen of the Thunderbirds’ 20 general play turnovers came from the attacking group, and with only the accuracy from Suncorp Super Shot range keeping them in touching distance of the Fever, more needs to be done out the front to treasure ball into the goal circle and defy defensive pressure.

ON THE STATS SHEET

The top scorer title still sits with Nweke (313 from 333 attempts at 94 percent accuracy) after six rounds, as a 61-goal haul from Shimona Jok (296 from 313 at 94.6 percent) keeps her well in contention ahead of compatriot Fowler-Nembhard.

Fowler-Nembhard has officially overtaken Cholhok and Romelda Aiken-George with 227 goals from just three matches. Cholhok leads all-comers for rebounds with 50 to her name, while teammate Ruby Bakewell-Doran leads the way defensively with 13.

A strong individual performance from Wilson draws the Thunderbirds defender even with Klau for deflections (36 apiece), as the Jamaican sits atop the intercepts tally with 14 to compatriot Jodi-Ann Ward’s 13.

Housby leads the pack for goal assists, pairing seamlessly with Nweke to tally 129, marginally ahead of Liz Watson (120) who sits atop the centre pass receives with 129.

Matisse Letherbarrow remains top of the table for successful Suncorp Super Shots with 26 to her name from 41 attempts, closely followed by Housby (22 from 35) and Lauren Frew (20 from 35).