The QBE Swifts Academy secured a top-three finish in the 2025 Super Netball Reserves competition after going toe-to-toe with some of the nation’s best up-and-coming talent over the past two months.
Playing seven games, the young Academy side – which is powered by Netball NSW and QBE Insurance – secured four wins and three losses, including a narrow one-goal loss to eventual champion West Coast Fever Reserves.
The Academy, which underpins the senior NSW Swifts team, was once again led by head coach Lenore Blades and provided invaluable home-and-away experiences for the next generation of athletes.
Blades’ team started with a 59-41 win over the Thunderbirds Futures before a strong victory over their local rivals from the Giants Academy (60-53).
Next up was a trip to Brisbane to play the Firebirds Futures in what turned out to be a classic NSW v QLD match-up with the Academy just falling short 59-58 to the side they would eventually meet in the third-place playoff.
The trip to the Sunshine State would not be all disappointment however, with the Swifts Academy bouncing back the next day for a whopping 68-52 success over the Sunshine Coast Lightning Bolts.
There was another one-goal thriller for NSW in the following round but unfortunately they fell just short to the Fever Reserves (56-55) before eventual silver-medalists Mavericks Reserves proved too strong (64-53).
The end result was a 3rd v 4th playoff against the Firebirds Futures in Melbourne which turned out to be another classic and this time it was the Swifts Academy who got home by two goals (62-60).
Blades said she was immensely proud of her squad, which was led by Swifts Training Partners Lili Gorman-Brown and Jess Conlan.
“The evolution of the Super Netball Reserves competition in 2025 was fantastic and I am really thrilled with how it went and extremely proud of the girls' performances,” she said.
“To secure four wins against top opposition is very satisfying and to push the Fever all the way shows that we were well in the running ourselves.
“The home-and-away aspect to this year’s competition gave our athletes are really good taste of what it is like at Suncorp Super Netball level, and I am really proud of how they stood up to be counted.
“I would also like to make a special mention of Lili and Jess and how they led throughout the competition. Lili has played at SSN level with the Swifts and her experience was invaluable, while Jess demonstrated again what a special player she is developing into.
“Thank you to everyone of our athletes, fellow coaches, support staff, Netball NSW and QBE Insurance for their support.”
2025 QBE SWIFTS ACADEMY ATHLETES
- Courtney Castle (Liverpool City)
- Brooke Paterson (Randwick)
- Nicola Barge (Sutherland Shire)
- Lauren Woods (Blacktown City)
- Jemma Donoghue (Northern Suburbs)
- Mia Baggett (Bathurst)
- Nevaeh Matenga (Liverpool City)
- Sophia Martinussen (Tuggeranong, ACT)
- Georgie Cottle (Randwick)
- Isabella Degei (Penrith District)
- Nicola Barge (Sutherland Shire)*
- Jess Conlan (Griffith)*
- Lili Gorman-Brown (Sutherland Shire)*
- Freddie Schneideman (Randwick)*
*denotes Swifts Training Partner
2025 QBE SWIFTS ACADEMY STAFF
- Head Coach: Lenore Blades
- Assistant Coach: Sharyn Hill
- Team Manager: Mele Tiauli
- Physio: Kandice Goodwin
- Strength & Conditioning Coach: James Begley & Paul Raptis
- Performance Analyst: Chloe Nolan
2025 SN RESERVES RESULTS
- QBE Swifts Academy 59, Thunderbirds Futures 41
- QBE Swifts Academy 60, Giants Academy 53
- QBE Swifts Academy 58, Firebirds Futures 59
- QBE Swifts Academy 68, Lightning Bolts 52
- QBE Swifts Academy 55, Fever Reserves 56
- QBE Swifts Academy 53, Mavericks Reserves 64
- Third-Place Playoff: QBE Swifts Academy 62, Firebirds Futures 60
2025 SN RESERVES FINAL STANDINGS
- West Coast Fever Reserves
- Melbourne Mavericks Reserves
- QBE Swifts Academy
- Queensland Firebirds Futures
- Adelaide Thunderbirds Futures
- Vixens Academy
- Sunshine Coast Lightning Bolts
- Giants Academy
