The Swifts may be set to finish the Suncorp Super Netball regular season on top of the ladder, but head coach Briony Akle knows the biggest jobs of the year start now.
On Saturday the Swifts welcome fellow title contenders the Adelaide Thunderbirds to Ken Rosewall Arena for their final regular-season clash of the year. The South Australians are also Finals-bound but must beat NSW to stay in contention for a top-two finish, and a second chance in the playoffs.
Adelaide have been in and out of form lately, but their early season results prove they are a genuine chance to end their decade-long Premiership drought.
“We enjoyed winning the Minor Premiership in the moment and reflected on the effort that it took after a big hit-out in Brisbane, but our focus has quickly moved to this weekend,” Akle said.
“This is a little bit like a Final ahead of the Finals.
“I’m hugely impressed by what the Thunderbirds have done this year. They were the pacesetters early in the season but despite dropping some points lately they know how to win big games.
“They’ve beaten the Fever and Vixens and while our Round 2 game with them was cut short it was shaping up to be a hell of a contest. This is the exact game you’d hope to have heading into Finals because you want to test yourself against the best, and Adelaide are in that group.”
The seven-time Premiers are expecting another bumper crowd on Saturday evening as they look to end the regular-season on a high and carry extra momentum into the playoffs.
Akle said the process and mentality of her side wouldn’t change despite hosting rights for next weekend’s Major Semi Final already being secured.
“Our team manager has had to do some scenario planning based on different places we may or may not play in the coming weeks, but that’s about as far ahead as anyone at the Club has looked,” she added.
“This weekend we have the Thunderbirds and there is every chance we could meet them again in the Finals so you need to put your best foot forward at all times to keep the focus on your strengths and what you can learn about them.
“As it stands the make-up second, third and fourth on the ladders is still up in the air so it’s going to be a hell of a finish to the regular season.”
In team news Teigan O’Shannassy has recovered from a calf issue and will return to the Game Day squad for Saturday’s with the Thunderbirds. Allie Smith (foot) continues her rehab and will be replaced by Lili Gorman-Brown.
MATCH NOTES
- When the teams last met in Round 2 the match was declared a draw with decal and then power issues meaning the game wasn’t completed. Scores were level at 25-all when the match was declared a draw.
- The Swifts hold a 10-win, one loss and two draw record in 13 previous Super Netball matches against the Thunderbirds.
- The Swifts and Thunderbirds have met 66 times since 1997 across the Commonwealth Bank Trophy, the Trans-Tasman ANZ Championship and Suncorp Super Netball, with the Swifts having won 34, the Thunderbirds 30 and there have been two draws.
- The Swifts won the previous three meetings between the teams, including both meetings in 2022 prior to the draw in Round 2.
- The Thunderbirds' only win over the Swifts in Super Netball was in 2021 at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre with a 58-53 victory.
- The Thunderbirds are coming off a 54-56 loss to the Lightning in Round 13 and sit in third place with a record of eight wins, four losses and a draw.
- The Swifts are coming off a 78-65 win over the Firebirds in Round 13 and sit at the top of the ladder with 10 wins, two losses and a draw.
- The Swifts secured their place in 2023 Suncorp Super Netball Finals Series with their win over the Vixens in Round 11. They also claimed the 2023 Suncorp Super Netball Minor Premiership when they defeated the Firebirds in Round 13.
- The Swifts claimed their first Suncorp Super Netball Minor Premiership in 2023 and their fifth since 1997. The Swifts previously claimed the Minor Premiership in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy in 2004, 2005, 2006 and the ANZ Championship in 2010.
- The Swifts' current nine-match winning run is their longest in Super Netball since it began in 2017.
- The Swifts' previous longest winning run was five matches that included the last two matches of 2019 and the first three matches in 2020.
- The Swifts' longest winning run since 1997 is 18 matches between Round 1 2006 and Round 2, 2007 in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy. The Swifts longest winning run in the ANZ Championship was eight consecutive matches on two separate occasions.
- Eight of the Swifts' 13 matches this season have been decided by four goals or less or drawn including three matches by one goal.
