The NSW Swifts have fallen to the impressive Queensland Firebirds 73-60 in Round 7 of Suncorp Super Netball at Nissan Arena in Brisbane today.
Dominant second and third quarters by the Queenslanders set-up the win which left the defending champions with a 2-5 record for the first half of the regular season.
The Swifts threatened to come right back into the contest in the final quarter but their risks came with little reward as they dropped a first game to the Firebirds since 2020.
Like so many of the clashes between these sides down the years, the first quarter started at a frantic pace. The Swifts, on the back of good defensive work by Sarah Klau and cool finishing by Sophie Fawns, were up by three goals midway through the first quarter, forcing the Queenslanders into a timeout.
The Premiers missed the chance to go five clear before the first Power Five when they couldn’t convert a fine Maddy Turner intercept and consecutive turnovers on attack gave the hosts the window they needed to get back on level terms.
The quarter ebbed and flowed relentlessly as the Premiers went back in the lead after forcing Gretel Bueta to spill possession, but the Firebirds rallied to intercept a Helen Housby pass and when Tayla Fraser passed over the sideline it gave Donnell Wallam the opportunity to put the hosts in front 15-14 at the first break.
Five unanswered goals at the start of Q2 put the Firebirds in control with game MVP Ruby Bakewell-Doran and Lara Dunkley making big plays. The Swifts’ route to goal was hampered by a pressing, defensive swarming of the midcourt by the hosts and good pressure in the circle by Eboni Usoro-Brown and Bakewell Doran.
However, despite the early wave of pressure, the Swifts steadied the ship to only be five down at the start of the second Super Shot period. But the respite was short-lived. A scrap for the ball on the circle edge went the way of the Firebirds and they were able to take full advantage, winning the quarter 20-13 and taking an eight-goal lead to the sheds.
Briony Akle introduced Teigan O’Shannassy at goal keeper for Q3 and moved Klau and Turner to goal defence and wing defence respectively, but while it made the Firebirds more ponderous on attack the Premiers weren’t converting the gains their defenders provided.
Midway through Q3 the Firebirds’ lead had grown well into double figures with Wallam an effective target when the hosts decided to go route one to bypass the Swifts’ press defence further up the court. Not even three Housby Super Shots could stem the tide that came the Swifts’ way as Akle mixed up her team again by injecting Kelly Singleton at goal attack and reintroducing Fraser.
At the last break the Firebirds led 55-42 and it was a tall order, even for the seven-time Premiers.
All the Firebirds had to do was play simple netball and keep their cool, however, the Swifts – with Singleton moving well alongside Housby in attack – struck to bring the margin to eight.
Despite the Premiers playing their best netball in Q4 to make the Brisbane crowd nervous, the fact that it was so late in the game meant they still had to take big risks. It gave the Firebirds defenders the chances needed to regain the momentum and condemn the Swifts to a loss making next week's NSW Derby with the Giants a must-win.
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