The NSW Swifts missed out on a chance to get back into the Suncorp Super Netball Finals race after being pipped by the Queensland Firebirds in a Round 12 thriller at Ken Rosewall Arena (60-61).
For 60 minutes the National League Foundation Clubs traded blows, exchanging the lead numerous times and in typical fashion it came down to the very last play.
Swifts youngster Sophie Fawns did the brave thing to try to win the contest but her back-to-back Super Shot attempts in the space of five seconds just missed meaning the Queenslanders hung on to beat NSW for the first time since 2022.
Desperate for a victory to stay in the hunt for a Finals return, the Swifts looked more composed as their new-look attack with Uneeq Palavi started to take shape.
The Tongan international was a solid presence all afternoon and while some balls went astray in the attack end, she stood up once again after last week’s fine effort against the Vixens.
The Firebirds had Diamonds shooter Donnell Wallam ruled out late but Tippah Dwan was effective in her absence. In fact the former Thunderbird, who played in last year’s Grand Final against the Swifts, was the player who kept the Queenslanders in touch when it seemed NSW would break away.
On the day Dwan and her attacking partner Emily Moore landed 12 Super Shots from 19 attempts while the Swifts attack of Palavi, Fawns and Helen Housby managed five from 13. It meant that while the Swifts looked much better en route to goal this week, they could never shake their opponents.
The Swifts had the better of opening exchanges with the defence of Sarah Klau, Teigan O’Shanssassy and Maddy Turner pressing hard on the Queensland attack. Cheered on by another massive crowd over 8,000, NSW dominated first 15 minutes, however, Dwan was cool and composed in the Power Five to ensure her side was only four down at the first break.
The Firebirds found their groove in the second quarter and scored the first five goals of the period to quell any doubts about this being a one-sided affair. In fact it would be anything but as the old rivals produced a classic.
In a game of fine margins, the Firebirds won second, third and fourth quarters by single goals and the Swifts will rue that they couldn’t make their bonus possessions count for more.
Demonstrating the defensive prowess of the Swifts, the Firebirds conceded 12 turnovers off missed goals, while the Swifts only coughed up four. However, the home side never managed to put sufficient daylight between themselves and their opponents.
Given the contest had ebbed and flowed all afternoon it seemed certain that it would come down to the final play, and so it proved. Unfortunately for the Swifts they were on the wrong side of the ledger by the slimmest of margins.
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