They may be huge rivals on the court, but co-captain Paige Hadley says there is a massive respect between the Swifts and the Vixens which has its roots in the traditional NSW and Victorian netball rivalry.
On Saturday night the teams will do battle to keep their place in the Suncorp Super Netball top four as the 2023 regular season nears the halfway point.
The Swifts are coming off a thrilling one-goal win over the Lightning in Queensland while the Vixens are looking to bounce back after falling to the in-form Thunderbirds in Adelaide.
Hadley, who anchors the Australian Diamonds midcourt with alongside this weekend’s Victorian opponents, is ready for a massive Saturday night of netty at Ken Rosewall Arena.
“Growing up, NSW and Victoria always had this massive rivalry and we play such a high standard and quality of netball, so when we match up against each other it’s a bit like playing ourselves,” she said.
“It is always a really close game and I can’t wait for it.”
The Lightning, like the Swifts and Vixens, are a team that like to move the ball quickly up the court. Hadley noted that last week’s Round 5 clash on the Sunshine Coast was not only a thrilling encounter, but a great way to get ready for the similar attacking threat of the Victorians.
“When you look at the Lightning, they have a moving circle with Steph (Wood) and Cara (Koenen), and we know that Mwai Kumwenda and Kiera (Austin) can also move but hold if they want to as well.
“That means it’s going to be a similar challenge for our defenders. For us as attackers we know that with Jo Weston and Kate Eddy out front it’s going to be really one-on-one defensively.
“I think that last week was a really good preparation for this challenge, but every game in the competition is very tough and tight to call.”
With Sam Wallace still rehabbing a long-term injury, Hadley believes the Swifts starting to hit their straps, especially when it comes to the growing connection with replacement shooter Romelda Aiken-George.
“We would love to be 5-0 and sitting on top of the ladder but over the past five rounds we really have built,” she added.
“I think we had patches throughout the first three or four rounds, but it was really quite cheap what we were giving away. For us it’s about treasuring our possession gains, that’s what we’re known for.
“Romelda has come in, and been great. Last year we had to learn how to adjust to moving circle and now we’re looking to hold more, but also adapt to moving circle as we need to.
“It does take time, but I’m really impressed with where we’re going.”
Saturday's clash will also be Game One of the 2023 Sargeant-McKinnis Cup, which the teams contest each year over the regular season (more info HERE).
The Swifts and Vixens go head-to-head at 7pm (AEST) on Saturday 22 April. The game will be broadcast live on Foxtel (via Fox Sports) and live and free via Kayo Freebies.
Match Notes
- When the teams last met in Round 11 last season the Vixens defeated the Swifts 59-53 in Melbourne.
- In 13 previous Suncorp Super Netball meetings the Vixens lead with seven wins, the Swifts five and there has been one draw..
- The Vixens won both meetings in 2022, while the Swifts won both meetings in 2021 and the Vixens won both meetings in 2020.
- The Swifts and Vixens have met 32 times across the former trans-Tasman ANZ Championship and Super Netball. The Swifts have 18 wins, the Vixens 13 and there has been one draw.
- The Swifts are coming off a 64-63 win over the Lightning in Round 5 and have two wins, a draw, two losses and sit in fourth place on the ladder after five rounds.
- The Swifts sit inside the Suncorp Super Netball Top 4 for the first time after a round this season, while the Vixens have sat inside the Top 4 after the past three rounds.
- The Vixens are coming off a 50-61 loss to the Thunderbirds in Adelaide and sit in third place on the ladder with three wins and two losses.
- The Vixens' 11-goal loss to the Thunderbirds is their biggest loss of the 2023 season with their other four matches being decided by 5-goal or less.
- The Swifts and Vixens have met six previous times in Sydney and both teams have won three matches each. The two previous meetings at Ken Rosewall Arena the results are one win each.
- The Swifts are yet to win a second quarter in 2023 losing all five and they have won just two first half quarters (won 2, drawn 1 and lost 7. The Swifts have lost just two second half quarters in 2023.
- Both of the Swifts wins in 2023 so far they have trailed by 1-goal at three quarter time (R3 v Firebirds and R5 v Lightning).
- The Vixens have also won just two first half quarters in 2023 but they have won four of five fourth quarters.
