The NSW Swifts can confirm the team is today relocating from Melbourne to South Australia where it is hoped the remainder of the 2021 Suncorp Super Netball season can be played out.
The team are due to get on a flight to Adelaide at 4.40pm this evening along with fellow players from the Melbourne Vixens, Giants Netball and the Collingwood Magpies.
They will be followed by the Queensland Firebirds and the Sunshine Coast Lightning, who will travel to South Australia tomorrow. At this stage the West Coast Fever will remain in Perth.
The move, which will be the team’s third relocation in just over three weeks, comes as a result of COVID-19 cases in Melbourne and anticipated changes to health orders.
The Swifts initially relocated from NSW to Queensland on June 23 because of Greater Sydney’s COVID-19 outbreak before being moved to Victoria a week later when the Sunshine State had its own cluster.
Since being on the road the Swifts have secured back-to-back wins over West Coast Fever and Melbourne Vixens to sit top of the competition ladder.
The movement means there will likely be changes to this weekend’s Round 11 fixtures; the Swifts were set to face the Thunderbirds at Melbourne’s John Cain Arena on Sunday at 3.30pm (AET).
The Swifts are working with the league and fellow Super Netball clubs to determine the best format for what remains of the 2021 competition, with a condensed end to the season an option.
So far 10 of 14 regular-season rounds have been played and the Swifts need just one more win to guarantee themselves Finals netball for a third straight year.
Nikki Horton, Executive General Manager of the NSW Swifts, said the immediate thoughts of the club were with the players and staff affected.
“There is no more committed group of athletes or support staff in Australian sport than this Swifts outfit,” she said.
“I firstly want to pay tribute to them and their loved ones at this hugely disruptive time. We are working with the league to ensure that their wellbeing is at the forefront of decisions being made.
“We are also working hard to ensure competitive balance and fairness is central to how the rest of the competition will be played out.
“We will work with Super Netball to provide further updates as soon as possible and are committed to giving our team every chance to bring a seventh Premiership home.”
