The NSW Swifts have ended their Team Girls Cup campaign with a 44-38 win over the Giants on the Gold Coast.
NSW finished the Suncorp Super Netball pre-season competition with two wins, one draw and one loss and managed to get significant court time into their wider squad throughout the course of the three-day event.
Sunday's victory was accompanied by a win over eventual competition winners West Coast Fever on Friday ahead of a draw with Collingwood and a loss to the Sunshine Coast Lightning (both on Saturday).
Head Coach Briony Akle said she was pleased with her side's progress ahead of their season opener away to the Magpies in Melbourne on March 18.
"It's always a real positive to test your depth and run different combinations ahead of the start of the season proper," she said.
"If I was to tell my players anything after that competition it would be this: we're not as good as we thought we were in patches, but we weren't that bad when games got away from us.
"It's pre-season, it's vital to our preparation but getting game-time into our players is the most important thing. That we got a few wins is a bonus, but we'll judge ourselves when the real competition starts next month."
It many only have been pre-season but the game started with the typical intensity you’d expect of these local rivals.
The Swifts' starting seven had plenty of fresh faces with Training Partners Lili Gorman-Brown and Kelea Iongi getting a start, while there was also a place for QBE Swifts Academy shooter Ali Miller.
The sides were locked at five goals apiece midway through the opening term but when Miller couldn’t take a Tayla Fraser pass from the circle edge it gave the Giants the opportunity to take a 4-6 lead.
The new Swifts shooting combo of Miller and Sophie Fawns tried to shoot from range in the Super Shot period but didn’t land any, and when Matisse Letherbarrow scored a two-pointer for Giants they took a 9-6 lead to the first break.
Back-to-back possession gains allowed the Swifts get on level terms and it forced the Giants into their first timeout of the game. At the same time Briony Akle introduced Allie Smith at Centre for the Swifts and Maddy Proud came on at wing attack.
NSW had found their flow and they were quick to open up a four-goal lead before the second Super Shot period of the game.
Sophie Dwyer and Letherbarrow were quick to land two-pointers for the Giants but Fawns responded in kind with a double of her own to send the Swifts to the halftime oranges with a five-goal advantage.
The Swifts looked the much better side on approach to goal with Fawns in the thick of everything good that NSW were doing. At one stage they led by six but a flurry of Super Shots from Letherbarrow and Dwyer was keeping the Giants in the contest and the Swifts’ lead at the final break was cut to three goals.
Sarah Klau and Smith were highly influential at the start of the final quarter to force possession gains which allowed Romelda Aiken-George restore the Swifts’ lead, which was seven goals when the Giants called their second timeout.
The Swifts introduced a lot of their front line to see the game out with Paige Hadley, Maddy Turner and Proud making big plays.
The Giants were impressive from the Super Shot zone to keep the margin close, but it an Aiken-George Super Shot to see the game was a good way to finish the weekend.
The Swifts will be classified fifth in the final stats, with two wins, a draw and one loss to their name.
NSW SWIFTS (players used)
Starting 7 | GS Sophie Fawns, GA Allie Miller, WA Lili Gorman-Brown, C Tayla Fraser, WD Maddy Turner, GD Kelea Iongi, GK Sarah Klau
Swifts Second half | GS Romelda Aiken-George, GA Sophie Fawns/Ali Miller, WA Paige Hadley/Lili Gorman-Brown, C Allie Smith/Maddy Proud, WD Dakota Thomas, GD Kelea Iongi/Maddy Turner, GK Sarah Klau.
Q1 | Swifts 6 Giants 9
Q2 | Swifts 22 Giants 17 (16-8)
Q3 | Swifts 32 Giants 29 (10-12)
Q4 | Swifts 44 Giants 38 (12-9)
