Injury forces Hadley to miss Major Semi in Perth

NSW Swifts co-captain Paige Hadley has been ruled out of Sunday’s Suncorp Super Netball Major Semi Final against the West Coast Fever in Perth (2pm AEST).

The Australian Diamonds midcourter is currently nursing a lower leg injury, however, it is hoped she will return later in the Finals Series.

The winner of Sunday’s Major Semi advances straight to the Grand Final in Melbourne on August 2 while the losing team hosts the Preliminary Final next Sunday against the Adelaide Thunderbirds or Melbourne Vixens who will contest the Minor Semi Final (Sunday, 4pm AEST).

The Swifts have named the same squad that beat the Firebirds in Brisbane for the trip out West.

Swifts head coach Briony Akle said losing Hadley was a blow but backed her wider squad to get the job done.

“Paige is a World Cup winner, Commonwealth Gold medalist and multiple Super Netball winner with the Swifts so losing a player of her calibre is always going to be tough, but every player has to be special to play at this level and we have brilliant athletes in our squad,” she said.

“Verity Simmons is a Diamond and has won SSN Premierships herself, while Allie Smith has played big games in the middle for us this year so we’re well stocked.

“We were hopeful that Paige would be right for the game but it has come too soon for her, and we won’t risk any athlete unless they are 100% good to go.

“Either way, finishing in the top two, we know that there is plenty of netball to be played regardless of this weekend so we hope to see Paigey back in the Finals stage she belongs on.

“Injuries are part and parcel of any sport and we have to ride the wave with them and our crew cannot wait to play in front of a packed stadium on Sunday. The Fever do an amazing game day and this is the type of challenge we relish.

“They have been the form side over the past six weeks and we’ll embrace this challenge with a smile because this is where we want to be.”

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