The NSW Swifts have secured the 2023 Suncorp Super Netball Minor Premiership after a 78-65 Round 13 win over the Queensland Firebirds at Brisbane’s Nissan Arena.
The seven-time Australian netball Premiers are now six points clear of their nearest rivals at the top of the competition table with just one round to play.
It means the Swifts have claimed the right to host the 2023 Major Semi Final against either the Adelaide Thunderbirds or West Coast Fever in Sydney in two weeks’ time. The winner of that game will go directly to the Grand Final in Melbourne, with the loser hosting the Preliminary Final one week later.
The Swifts welcome the Thunderbirds to Ken Rosewall Arena in their final regular-season clash next Saturday, but today’s success means they cannot be moved from first place at the end of the home-and-away season.
Diamonds defender and two-time Swifts Premiership champion Sarah Klau put in a world-class effort to combat the Queensland attack, keeping the in-form Donnell Wallam from producing the heroics that’s helped the Firebirds outclass the Giants and Vixens in recent weeks.
Klau had 10 deflections, three rebounds and three intercepts to her name, while Helen Housby was in imperious form once again at the other end.
The England international shot 17 goals in regulation time and eight in the Super Shot periods, working beautifully with returning former Firebirds champion Romelda Aiken-George who put up 43 goals for NSW.
The opening exchanges were typically fast and furious as both sides tested each other out, and with the scores locked at 17-goals apiece it looked like the Swifts were in for a serious test of their ladder-leading credentials.
Queensland, who are coached by former Swifts Premiership champion player and assistant coach Bec Bulley, certainly proved themselves to be a team on the rise, but a poor middle section was where their challenge fell apart.
The Swifts dominated the second and third quarters, winning them by margins of five and eight goals respectively, to take a commanding 13-goal advantage into the final quarter.
As they have proven this year, a double-digit lead against the Firebirds is no done deal and Briony Akle’s troops had to show all of their composure and experience to keep the hosts from executing a late charge which looked on the cards when they won turnover possession at the start of the final quarter.
But in truth, it was a game that NSW dominated. They led the possession gains 17-10 and made the most of the bonus ball that came their way.
Co-captains Paige Hadley and Maddy Proud put in big shifts, with the latter working her socks off to feed the circle 29 times, producing 20 goal assists.
Hadley meanwhile was like a dynamo all game, registering 36 centre-pass receives and feeding 22 times.
The Swifts and Thunderbirds clash next Saturday 17 June at 5pm AEST.
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