The NSW Swifts’ Suncorp Super Netball title defence is still alive after a pulsating 63-61 Round 14 win over the Queensland Firebirds at a jam-packed Ken Rosewall Arena today.
Down by six in the third quarter and looking on the ropes, the Swifts summoned all of their Championship DNA to flip the game in their favour late in the third quarter with a dominant Power Five period that turned the momentum, and they didn’t let it slip after that.
Missing double-champion head coach Briony Akle, midcourter Tayla Fraser and defender Teigan O’Shannassy as a result of COVID-19 protocols, game MVP Maddy Proud led the Premiers with another huge performance but was aided by the likes of Paige Hadley, Sarah Klau, Allie Smith and Helen Housby who all put in huge shifts.
The two-goal win means the Swifts now await the result of tomorrow’s final round clash between the Melbourne Vixens and Collingwood to see who qualifies for next weekend’s Minor Semi Final, and a meeting with the Giants back at Ken Rosewall Arena.
Earlier in the day the West Coast Fever put the Adelaide Thunderbirds’ hopes of Finals netball to bed with big win in Perth, and with the Swifts seeing off the challenge of the Firebirds only the Magpies stand between them and a fourth consecutive playoff appearance.
The Swifts came racing out of the blocks early with huge intensity to quickly establish a seven-goal lead, which left the visitors looking rattled early on.
In attack Housby’s connection with Kelly Singleton looked smooth, while the Queensland shooting pair of Gretel Bueta and Donnell Wallam were under immense pressure.
However, it wouldn’t be all one-way traffic in the first period with the Premiers guilty of turning over possession when they could’ve established a commanding lead.
When Housby couldn’t control in the circle and Proud threw a centre pass over the sideline, the Firebirds were quick to reduce the margin and leave just three goals between the sides at the first break.
Neither team could break the other for the majority of second quarter as they traded goals, however, a missed Singleton shot and a contact call in favour of Firebirds defender Eboni Usoro-Brown swung the pendulum with the Queenslanders hitting the front for the first time in the second Power Five period.
While the Swifts were getting ball into the circle, they looked ponderous when trying to convert and the visiting defence of Usoro-Brown and Ruby Bakewell-Doran swarmed well to snaffle loose ball.
Heading to the sheds the Firebirds had reversed a three-goal deficit at quarter-time into a three-goal lead at the big break.
Queensland remained the more composed of the sides for much of the third quarter, but despite having taller targets in the circle in the form of Wallam and Butea, they couldn’t shake the Premiers who were sticking with the visitors.
When the third Power Five of the evening arrived, the Swifts took big risks for big rewards and that decision turned the game on its head.
A Super Shot double from Housby and replacement Sophie Fawns, complemented by bonus possession as a result of sloppy Queensland play, gave the Swifts the impetus needed to re-take the lead, and they led by two at three-quarter time (48-46).
The Firebirds didn’t make it easy in the last term. With the huge crowd growing ever more vocal the Queenslanders showed good patience to not let the contest get beyond them, and in the final five minutes the Swifts need all of Klau and Maddy Turner’s experience to keep the world-class Bueta at bay as she tried to Super Shot her team to victory.
The Swifts survived but now the anxious wait begins.
FULL MATCH STATS
