The NSW Swifts’ hopes of a third Premiership in five years were not to be as they fell 60-59 to the Adelaide Thunderbirds in additional time in the 2023 Suncorp Super Netball Grand Final.
Despite a valiant effort to get back into the contest and a long road to the decider, the Swifts didn’t have enough on the night to deny the Thunderbirds a first Premiership in 10 years and their first in the Super Netball era.
A dominant first half, which Adelaide won 35-27, meant the Swifts had a mountain to climb but they matched their opponents in spades in the second half and towards the end they looked on track to add an eighth title to their cabinet.
With a host of multiple Premiership winners in their starting seven, the Swifts showed champion fight and moments of brilliance to force the contest to extra time, but the night was to be Adelaide’s.
NSW led for the first time in the final quarter however it was Adelaide who just managed to finish the stronger in another classic contests between the sides.
Level after five minutes of fast, intense and physical netball the Thunderbirds broke the scoring pattern with back-to-back possession gains by Shamera Sterling to open up an 11-6 lead before the first Power Five.
When Sophie Fawns missed a Super Shot attempt it was rebounded by Adelaide who quickly opened up a 14-7 lead but the Swifts rallied to stay in touch.
Sarah Klau and Maddy Turner were on hand to trouble the Thunderbirds attack, and from turnover possession Fawns and Helen Housby were on hand to ensure just four goals separated the sides at quarter-time (16-12).
Latanya Wilson leapt high to take an intercept which helped Adelaide retake their seven-goal lead early in the second quarter as the combination between Cardwell and Tippah Dwan really started to bear fruit.
Adelaide were also getting really good return from their midcourt press which was forcing the Swifts into uncharacteristic errors, and five minutes from halftime NSW were down by nine.
Housby and Fawns Super shots reduced the margin to five but Cardwell was on hand to respond in kind to give the South Australians and eight-goal advantage at the big break (35-27).
A tight third quarter got exciting in the Power Five when back-to-back defensive turnovers by the Swifts got them back within three goals as the battle for every ball grew more physical and demanding.
Tayla Fraser was a ball of energy as the Swifts powered back into the contest, winning the quarter 13-8 to leave the contest on a knife-edge at the last break.
From there the contest swung like a pendulum with both sharing the lead on multiple occasions. It was the endgame the season deserved, unfortunately for the Swifts they were just on the wrong side of the ledger by the tiniest of margins, in their first Grand Final loss since 2016.
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