SPORT CAN BE A CONFIDENCE GAME CHANGER Let’s change the score
CONTENTS 1
Welcome from Suncorp
7
Melbourne Vixens Team List
2
Welcome from Suncorp Super Netball
8
Preliminary Final Captain’s Interview
3
Preliminary Final Match Preview
9
2019 Player Stat Leaders
4
Preliminary Final Last Time They Met
10
National Champions
6
NSW Swifts Team List
16
Nissan Net Points
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WELCOME FROM SUNCORP Australia’s love of netball, from supporters, spectators and players, continues to grow every year. The continued success of the Suncorp Super Netball League has played an integral role in helping netball become one of the nation’s most popular women’s sport, both domestically and internationally.
Off the court, we need to get behind our female athletes who are such fabulous role models, as they build their careers. Netball Australia, Suncorp Super Netball League and the Minerva Network (a network built to support elite female athletes), which I am privileged to also Chair, are paving a way for us to do this.
Suncorp has been proud to be part of the league’s success story since 2016. As Principal Partner, every season we are inspired by the fierce determination and passion of the players on the court, as well as the overwhelming support shown by communities across the country.
Congratulations to all of the Suncorp Super Netball League teams on a fantastic season – you’ve had a positive impact on many of the young aspirational players across the country. Suncorp is so proud to see the top of the table teams take to the court today and we wish them all the best. We look forward to being back again in 2020.
This year, through our partnership with Netball Australia and our Team Girls program, we were again able to put a spotlight on the benefits of sports participation in building confidence and encourage younger generations to play sport for longer.
CHRISTINE McLOUGHLIN Suncorp Group Limited, Chairman
SUNCORP SUPER NETBALL 2019 | 1
WELCOME TO THE 2019 SUNCORP SUPER NETBALL FINALS SERIES! WELCOME TO THE 2019 SUNCORP SUPER NETBALL PRELIMINARY FINAL.
This finals series is showcasing some thrilling netball and history will be written yet again. Which club will have their name added to the record books?
IT’S BEEN AN INCREDIBLE SEASON. THE WORLD’S BEST NETBALL TALENT HAVE SHOWN US WHAT THEY’RE MADE OF AND LEFT ABSOLUTELY NO DOUBT THAT THIS IS THE WORLD’S PREMIER NETBALL COMPETITION.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the athletes, clubs, member organisations, officials, volunteers and team officials for everything they do to make the Suncorp Super Netball league what it is today.
AND NOW WE’RE DOWN TO THREE… The Sunshine Coast Lightning have cemented their spot in their third consecutive Grand Final, the NSW Swifts have a second chance to make their first Suncorp Super Netball championship match and the Melbourne Vixens will be full of confidence after knocking the Collingwood Magpies out of the finals with blistering form.
I’d also like to give a huge shout out to the fans who attend the matches all around Australia and who tune into Nine, Telstra TV and the Netball Live app week in, week out – your support and passion is incredible. Last but definitely not least, an enormous thank you goes to our principal partner Suncorp, broadcast partners Nine and Telstra and our major partners Nissan, Cadbury, Samsung and Deakin who continue to support and believe in the league. Get yourselves ready for the next two weeks because if this season is anything to go by, we’re in for some edge-of-your-seat netball action.
MARINA GO Super Netball League, Chair
PRELIMINARY FINAL A WEEK CAN BE A LONG TIME IN NETBALL.
The Swifts, on the other hand, can take heart from the fact that they’ve had the Vixens’ measure this year, losing just one of eight quarters against their Melbourne foe.
Just ask the Melbourne Vixens, who were comprehensively outplayed in their Round 14 match against the Magpies, only to front up seven days later and smash the same opponent 62-49 in a cutthroat semi-final, in what was a 24goal turnaround.
The real question could be whether the Swifts’ attack end can stand up under the Vixens’ defensive heat. While the Vixens have enjoyed a golden run with injuries in 2019, and added further strength late in the season with the return of Mwai Kumwenda, the Swifts are still trying to find the same consistency they displayed before wing attack Maddy Proud went down for the season and goal attack Helen Housby missed three weeks with a quad injury.
Meanwhile the NSW Swifts will be hoping an eight-day break is enough to allow them to banish the ghosts from a disappointing 10goal loss against the rampant Sunshine Coast Lightning. The Swifts could rightly chalk it up to experience – or lack thereof. Having failed to make the Super Netball finals in 2017 and 2018, most of the team was under national league finals pressure for the first time. And while the end scoreline read 48-58, they led early and allowed almost all of that damage to be done in a 10-18 third quarter. So who’ll better cope with the situation this time around, and book themselves a grand final berth against three-peat hopefuls the Sunshine Coast Lightning? In the semi-final the Vixens tore up perceptions they’re sometimes slow starters, putting the Magpies to the sword with a 20-9 blitz in the first quarter, and will hit the preliminary final supremely confident they have the goods to reach another grand final.
1PM – SUN 8 SEP QUAYCENTRE, SYDNEY
Vixens keeper Emily Mannix’s battle with Sam Wallace, who racked up 45 goals the last time the teams met, shapes as a critical matchup for both teams as the Swifts try to get their scoreboard ticking over. For the Swifts, the midcourt could be decisive, with Paige Hadley’s influence against Kate Moloney at both ends of the court a potential barometer for her team’s success. Whatever the result, the Lightning will be licking their lips as the two traditional rivals slug it out across what promises to be four very tough quarters. Who’ll be left standing and carrying all the momentum heading into the season decider? You wouldn’t want to miss a minute.
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SUNCORP SUPER NETBALL 2019 | 3
SWIFTS
VIXENS
LAST TIME THEY MET THE MARGIN MIGHT HAVE BEEN JUST SIX GOALS, BUT IN THE CONTEXT OF THE SEASON THE NSW SWIFTS’ ROUND 12 VICTORY AGAINST THE MELBOURNE VIXENS WAS EMPHATIC. Having been temporarily unseated from top spot on the Suncorp Super Netball ladder earlier in the weekend by the Sunshine Coast Lightning, the Swifts responded with a 57-51 win that saw them collect three bonus points and reclaim pole position. The Swifts were without starting goal attack Helen Housby, but set up the win with a dominant first half defensive display in which they held the Vixens to just 21 goals, while goal shooter Sam Wallace was all but unstoppable at the other end with 45 goals to her name. Swifts goal keeper Sarah Klau came out breathing fire, racking up five defensive gains in the first two quarters alone while holding Caitlin Thwaites to just nine goals from 11 attempts, with the Vixens goal shooter, Mwai Kumwenda, benched late in the second term.
4 | SUNCORP SUPER NETBALL 2019
Trailing by seven goals at half-time, the Vixens stemmed the tide and began to find more consistent avenues to goal in the second half, but fell a further goal behind as the Swifts piled on another 15 in the third term. The final quarter saw the Vixens click into gear, at one point scoring a rush of goals to close within four inside the last three minutes, but a pair of Wallace goals were enough to ice the result.
RECENT ENCOUNTERS RD 12 : 2019
57/51 RD 9 : 2018
65/58
KEY STATS GOAL SHOOTING
RD 5 : 2019
60/50
85% 57/67
RD 2 : 2018
63/61
84% 57/67
INTERCEPTS
2
9 REBOUNDS
7
7 PENALTIES
55
61 TURNOVERS
20
24
SUNCORP SUPER NETBALL 2019 | 5
NSW SWIFTS www.nswswifts.com.au
@NSWSwifts
/NSWSwifts
@NSWSwifts
TAYLA FRASER
SOPHIE GARBIN
PAIGE HADLEY
SOPHIE HALPIN
DOB: 13/06/99 Height: 172cm Positions: C
DOB: 06/04/97 Height: 184cm Positions: GA, GS
DOB: 26/08/92 Height: 173cm Positions: C, WA, WD
DOB: 16/05/93 Height: 177cm Positions: WD, C, WA
NATALIE HAYTHORNTHWAITE
HELEN HOUSBY
SARAH KLAU
DOB: 09/12/92 Height: 174cm Positions: WA
DOB: 19/01/95 Height: 183cm Positions: GA, GS
DOB: 30/09/94 Height: 190cm Positions: GK, GD
KATRINA RORE
MADDY TURNER
SAM WALLACE
DOB: 06/05/87 Height: 186cm Positions: WD
DOB: 17/12/95 Height: 183cm Positions: GD, WD
DOB: 16/01/94 Height: 193cm Positions: GS, GA
6 | SUNCORP SUPER NETBALL 2019
MELBOURNE VIXENS www.melbournevixens.com.au
@MelbourneVixens
/MelbourneVix
@MelbourneVixens
KADIE-ANN DEHANEY
LARA DUNKLEY
RENAE INGLES
MWAI KUMWENDA
DOB: 04/09/96 Height: 192cm Positions: GK, GS
DOB: 31/05/95 Height: 180cm Positions: WA, C, WD
DOB: 18/07/86 Height: 178cm Positions: WD, C
DOB: 27/09/89 Height: 183cm Positions: GS, GA
EMILY MANNIX
KATE MOLONEY
TEGAN PHILIP
DOB: 16/04/94 Height: 188cm Positions: GK, GD
DOB: 08/01/93 Height: 177cm Positions: C, WD
DOB: 03/09/88 Height: 175cm Positions: GA, GS
CAITLIN THWAITES
LIZ WATSON
JO WESTON
DOB: 29/12/86 Height: 188cm Positions: GS
DOB: 30/03/94 Height: 178cm Positions: C, WA
DOB: 14/02/94 Height: 188cm Positions: GD, GK, WD
SUNCORP SUPER NETBALL 2019 | 7
PA I G E H A D L E Y – N S W S W I F T S
While the Swifts got the better of the Vixens twice during the regular season, captain Paige Hadley knows better than to expect more of the same in the preliminary final against a Melbourne side that’s found its best form at exactly the right time.
“I THINK THEY SHOWED AGAINST COLLINGWOOD THAT THEY CAN TAKE YOU APART VERY QUICKLY IF YOU’RE NOT ON YOUR GAME SO WE NEED TO START WELL. WE’VE PUT IN TWO VERY GOOD PERFORMANCES AGAINST THEM THIS YEAR SO THEY’LL BE GUNNING FOR US - BUT WE’LL TAKE HUGE CONFIDENCE FROM THOSE WINS. THE VIXENS WILL DO A LOT OF ANALYSIS ON HOW WE WON THOSE CONTESTS SO WE NEED TO THINK OF OTHER WAYS TO BEAT THEM THIS TIME OUT.”
“THE SWIFTS HAVE BEEN THE TEAM TO BEAT ALL YEAR AND IN THE TWO TIMES WE’VE PLAYED THEM, WE HAVEN’T BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT. WE’VE HAD A LOOK AT BOTH GAMES WE’VE PLAYED AGAINST THEM AND WILL LOOK TO RECTIFY ANY MISTAKES WE DID MAKE AND MOVE FORWARD FROM THAT. IF WE CAN BRING THAT INTENSITY FROM THE SEMI-FINAL INTO THIS GAME, I THINK WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD SHOT AND GOING THE WHOLE WAY.”
8 | SUNCORP SUPER NETBALL 2019
K AT E M O L O N E Y – M E L B O U R N E V I X E N S
Melbourne Vixens captain Kate Moloney is well aware of the challenge her charges face against a NSW Swifts side they’re yet to defeat in 2019. But she says they’ve done their homework and will be ready for whatever the Swifts throw at them this time around.
2019 SUNCORP SUPER NETBALL
PLAYER STATS 2019 REGULAR SEASON
MOST OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS
50
Caitlin Bassett GIANTS Netball
MOST GOAL ASSISTS
392
Liz Watson
Melbourne Vixens
MOST GOALS
709
Jhaniele Fowler West Coast Fever
MOST DEFLECTIONS
120
Shamera Sterling
Adelaide Thunderbirds
MOST DEFENSIVE REBOUNDS
35
Shamera Sterling
Adelaide Thunderbirds
MOST CENTRE PASS RECEIVES
375
Laura Scherian
Sunshine Coast Lightning
MOST GOAL ATTEMPTS
753
Jhaniele Fowler West Coast Fever
MOST INTERCEPTS
68
Shamera Sterling
Adelaide Thunderbirds
PROUD SUPPORTERS OF
WOMEN IN SPORT
partner of
SUNCORP SUPER NETBALL 2019 | 9
NATIONAL CHAMPIONS WINNERS 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Sunshine Coast Lightning Sunshine Coast Lightning Queensland Firebirds Queensland Firebirds Melbourne Vixens Adelaide Thunderbirds Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic (NZ) Queensland Firebirds Adelaide Thunderbirds Melbourne Vixens New South Wales Swifts Sydney Swifts Sydney Swifts Melbourne Phoenix Sydney Swifts Melbourne Phoenix Melbourne Phoenix Sydney Swifts
2000 - Melbourne Phoenix 1999 - Adelaide Thunderbirds 1998 - Adelaide Thunderbirds 1997 - Melbourne Phoenix 1996 - Melbourne Pumas 1995 - Sydney Electricity 1994 - Adelaide Contax 1993 - Adelaide Garville 1992 - Sydney Pulsars 1991 - Sydney Pulsars 1990 - Melbourne City 1989 - Sydney Tigers 1988 - Not Held - disbanded due to difficulties with netball calendar 1987 - Melbourne Blue 1986 - A.I.S 1985 - A.I.S
BE READY
10 | SUNCORP SUPER NETBALL 2019
Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
Take your next step with confidence.
LET’S DO THIS LEARN THE NETBALL BASICS, GET OUTSIDE AND MAKE SOME FRIENDS. PLAY SUNCORP NETSETGO AT YOUR LOCAL CENTRE.
PLAY NETBALL
SUNCORP SUPER NETBALL 2019 | 11
HOW DO YOU COMPARE ONE SUNCORP SUPER NETBALL PLAYER WITH ANOTHER TO DETERMINE WHO HAS HAD A BETTER GAME OR PLAYED A BIGGER PART IN A TEAM’S WIN OR LOSS? What if there was a statistical way to compare just how effective each Suncorp Super Netball player had been on court? A new innovation for the 2019 season, Nissan Net Points sees points awarded or deducted based on every action a player performs on court. Goals, rebounds, intercepts, deflections, centre pass receives and bad passes are just some of the statistics given a points value that helps to determine who’s been a dominant force on court in each game. At the end of the game, each player is awarded a final Net Points score, opening up a whole new world of netball analysis. Every week, the highest-scoring player at each position is named in the Net Points ‘Team of the Week’, and we’re also crunching the numbers to determine the ‘Team of the Year’.
WHAT’S A GOOD SCORE, YOU MIGHT ASK? Queensland Firebirds goal attack Gretel Tippett owns the season’s top score, with 135 points against the West Coast Fever in Round 13!
FOR MORE INFO ON NISSAN NET POINTS VISIT: supernetball.com.au/net-points
12 | SUNCORP SUPER NETBALL 2019
FEEL THE RIVALRY AUSTRALIA V NEW ZEALAND 20 OCTOBER - SYDNEY 27 OCTOBER - PERTH
SUNCORP SUPER NETBALL 2019 | 13
REACH THE UNREACHABLE
FIRST IN TRUST NOT IN PROFIT *Roy Morgan, Net Trust Score Survey, 2019.
CALL US
GO TO
hcf.com.au 13 13 34SUPER NETBALL 14 | SUNCORP 2019
Caitlin Bassett, Australian Diamonds captain wears NETBURNER SUPER FF.
Let’s target at least 30 minutes of heart-rate raising physical activity each day.
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