The Swifts and Vixens have met 40 times across the ANZ Championship and Super Netball eras with the NSW side winning 21 matches, the Vixens 18 and there has been one draw.
With NSW and Victoria celebrating a netball rivalry that goes back almost a century, every Swifts and Vixens contest is a must-watch sporting event.
Here are just some of the best battles that fans have enjoyed down the years:
Round 5 – 2008
In the very first competitive meeting between the sides in 2008, the Swifts were edged out by the Vixens in an absolute Round 5 classic, 53-52 at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre.
The match is remembered as one of the most physical and intense encounters of the inaugural trans-Tasman ANZ Championship season, featuring some of the biggest legends in Swifts history such as Foundation Coach Julie Fitzgerald, Catherine Cox AM, Kimberlee Green OAM and Susan Pettitt, while the Vixens had the likes of Sharelle McMahon in their attack.
The Swifts would go on to win the title that year, claiming a threepeat in the process (2006, 2007, 2008), but this contest set the tone for the huge battles that have become a hallmark of the rivalry.
Round 12 – 2010
In Cath Cox’s 200th game, the Swifts maintained their unbeaten run with a 58-46 win against the Vixens in Melbourne.
The Vixens held the Swifts to a draw at halftime, but NSW pulled away in the third quarter to secure the victory.
The Vixens fired back in the final quarter, posting the opening five goals before Cox stopped the run. The Swifts went on to win every game of their regular season, equalling the feat of the 2006 Swifts.
Unfortunately, unlike in 2006, they didn’t go on to claim the Premiership that year.
Preliminary Final – 2019
Setting the stage for their eventual championship victory, the Swifts came out firing after a Major Semi Final loss to the Lighting the week before.
Leading by 11 goals at halftime and not allowing the Vixens to get closer than three goals at any stage, Briony Akle's Swifts showed why they were on track to finally end their 11-year Premiership drought.
Sarah Klau and Maddy Turner dominated the defensive circle, grabbing crucial rebounds and intercepts, with Katrina Rore gaining three intercepts by halftime.
The commanding victory by 60 goals to 47 booked the Swifts’ ticket to the 2019 Grand Final where they went on to dominate the Lightning and win their first title of the Super Netball era and sixth in total.
Round 6 – 2023
In a thrilling clash, this match saw the NSW Swifts overcome a nine-goal deficit in the final quarter to snatch a famous one-goal victory.
Down and out at the start of Q4, the Swifts rallied defensively and mounted a massive 21-goal fourth quarter to pip the Vixens at the post.
The incredible fourth-quarter surge, led by Romelda Aiken George and Sophie Fawns, saw the team take a massive momentum boost early in the 2023 season where they would reach Grand Final No.13.
Preliminary Final – 2025
A painful one for the Swifts who were within touching distance of Grand Final appearance No.14 before the Vixens launched a comeback for the ages.
At the end of the third quarter the Swifts led by 10, however, a pivotal run of turnovers and Super Shots saw the Vixens level the scores with two minutes remaining.
Having edged in front they then starved the Swifts of possession for the final minute to see the game out.
