The NSW Swifts may be off to Queensland for the majority of the 2020 Suncorp Super Netball season but they will start their title defence on home soil against the Adelaide Thunderbirds on Sunday 2 August.
Super Netball today released fixtures for the opening six rounds of the revised competition with the Premiers set to play three games at Sydney Olympic Park’s Ken Rosewall Arena before making the trip to the Sunshine State.
Due to the condensed nature of the 2020 season, Briony Akle’s troops will play three games over the space of a week in Sydney, with a midweek Round 2 Derby against the Giants (Wednesday 5 August) and another Sunday game - against West Coast Fever (9 August) – following on from the visit of the Thunderbirds.
The team will then have a full week to move to Queensland and prepare for a Round 4 Grand Final rematch with the Lightning on the Sunshine Coast (Sunday 16 August), the first of another three games they will play in the space of seven days.
Old rivals the Queensland Firebirds are next up for the Premiers with the teams set to clash at Brisbane’s Nissan Arena on Wednesday 19 August before the Swifts backup and face Collingwood at the same venue on the following Saturday (August 22).
Head coach Akle said the fixture was full-on but she was delighted her team had the chance to play at home as Premiers.
“With all of the sacrifices that people have made this year, and are going to make again over the coming months, I am just so happy that our players will get the chance to play at home and run out as champions,” she said.
“It will be special because as soon as the first centre pass of our campaign is thrown we will no longer be champions, a new competition will have started with everyone starting from zero.
“So I want the players to run out on court at Ken Rosewall Arena, see the flag the won for the club and take pride and confidence from it. They can park it then and focus on the task ahead, which is bringing a seventh Premiership to the club.
“The Thunderbirds will be a very tough test and we can’t wait to see our Members in the stands over the course of the opening three rounds. Hopefully we’ll see some Queensland-based Swifts fans come along to games up there too.”
Akle noted the frantic nature of playing three games a week would be a challenge but said everyone was in the same boat.
“Look, a lot of our players have played at Netball World Cups and Commonwealth Games, and those who haven’t have come through the ranks playing Nationals for their states.
“All of those competitions have schedules which are even more frantic than this and the best team always rises to the top. We can take huge confidence from last year’s Premiership success and know we are good enough to win this competition.
“It’s all about being adaptable. Like with the two-goal shot, it’s the team who can roll with the punches best that’ll win. I want that to be us again in 2020 but first up we need a good start so it’s all eyes on Adelaide.”
Super Netball will release the fixtures for Rounds 7 and beyond at a later date.
NSW Swifts 2020 Fixtures: Rounds 1-6
- Round 1: NSW Swifts v Adelaide Thunderbirds
1pm, Sunday 2 August, Ken Rosewall Arena. Broadcast: Channel Nine
- Round 2: NSW Swifts v Giants Netball
7.30pm, Wednesday 5 August, Ken Rosewall Arena. Broadcast: Telstra TV
- Round 3: NSW Swifts v West Coast Fever
3.30pm, Sunday 9 August, Ken Rosewall Arena. Broadcast: Telstra TV
- Round 4: Sunshine Coast Lightning v NSW Swifts
1pm, Sunday 16 August, University of Sunshine Coast. Broadcast: Channel Nine
- Round 5: NSW Swifts v Queensland Firebirds
7.30pm, Wednesday 19 August, NIS Arena Brisbane. Broadcast: Telstra TV
- Round 6: Collingwood Magpies v NSW Swifts
1pm, Saturday 22 August, NIS Arena Brisbane. Broadcast: Channel Nine
2020 NSW Swifts Members
Ticketed Members who receive access to three or more games have received an email with further information regarding their 2020 Membership with a choice of three options which will determine whether they will receive access to our first three home games.
If you have not received this email, please contact membership@nswswifts.com.au to verify your email address.
Swifts Fans in NSW
The best way to support us this season is to become a Digital Swift Member and receive your very own Membership Pack including a Swifts beanie. If tickets to our first three home games become available, you’ll receive priority access to secure your seats. Join the family HERE.
Swifts Fans in QLD
Swifts fans based in Queensland who would like to attend Swifts home games there can register their interest to receive information on tickets by clicking here.
