A win for the NSW Swifts in Perth on Saturday night could put them on top of the Suncorp Super Netball ladder for the first time since 2021's Premiership success, but the Round 9 clash with the defending champion West Coast Fever also doubles as their biggest test of the season to date.
The Swifts head to Perth on the back of a four-game winning streak, while the Fever are coming off a loss to the Vixens in Melbourne. The Swifts currently sit third on the Super Netball ladder, just one win behind the ladder-leading Adelaide Thunderbirds, and two points behind the Fever in second.
NSW's last victory in Western Australia came en route to the 2019 Premiership win, so Swifts head coach Briony Akle knows her side have the nous and capability to turn over the Premiers at RAC Arena fortress.
Having had three tense finishes, the double-champion coach was happy her side had a little more breathing space at the end of their Round 8 clash with the Lightning.
"What was really key for us last Sunday was getting direct to post on attack and the big hands in the defensive effort which grew as the game went on," she said.
"I think we brought massive energy in defence and we'll need a big repeat of that, and more, over in Perth."
So far this year the Swifts have been very slow when starting games. They may be sitting within touching distance of top spot on the competition ladder, but much of their success has been on the back of late rallies.
Akle wants her team to rally not just from late on, but for the full 60 minutes so they can remain in Championship contention.
"Our aim this week is a great start," she says.
"But the only way we are going to win all four quarters against Fever is to deny them ball in the attack end because they have brilliant targets in Jhaniele (Fowler) and Sasha (Glasgow).
"It's not just the job of our circle defenders, the defensive effort must start at the attacking end and go all the way down the court.
"Shutting down their midcourt is key. A lot of praise is rightly given to Jhaniele but you need good feeders to put her in position.
"That's a full-court effort for the full game with zero let up.... but that's what it takes at this level and we're looking forward to it."
On the injury front, Allie Smith has been ruled out for the second week in a row.
Due to an on-going foot niggle Smith will not face the Fever, however, she will travel with the team and it is hoped she‘ll return for the Round 10 clash with Collingwood in Sydney next weekend.
Smith will be replaced in the Round 9 squad by NSW junior, and Tonga international, Kelea Iongi.
Match Notes
- When the teams last met in Round 4 the Fever defeated the Swifts 78-67 in Sydney.'
- The Fever lead head-to-head with nine wins and the Swifts five in 14 previous Suncorp Super Netball matches.
- Eight of the 14 previous Suncorp Super Netball meetings between the teams have been decided by six goals or less since 2017.
- The Swifts and Fever have met 33 times since 2008 and the Swifts have won 19 matches, the Fever 13 and there has been one draw.
- The Swifts are coming off a 67-63 victory over the Lightning in Sydney and have a record of five wins, a draw, two losses and they sit in third place on the ladder after Round 8.
- The Fever is coming off a 73-74 loss to the Vixens in Melbourne in Round 8 and they have a record of
- The Swifts are on a four match winning run and they have never won five consecutive matches in the same season in Super Netball. Five matches is the most the Swifts have won in a row in Super Netball but that was across the Preliminary/Grand Finals in 2019 and the first three matches of 2020.
- The Swifts may have won their past four matches but they haven’t won the opening quarter in any of these matches.
- The Swifts' best quarter in 2023 so far is their fourth, in their seven completed matches they have won five lost one and drawn one.
- Sarah Klau is the only Swift to have played in every Super Netball match the team has played since 2017 and Round 9 will be her 99th consecutive match.
