THE highly anticipated match-up between Queensland Firebirds and West Coast Fever headlines Round 7 of the Suncorp Super Netball. With plenty of key contests across the court, Draft Central hones in one on battle between a couple of experienced figures in Firebirds captain Gabi Simpson and Fever pocket rocket Verity Charles.

Queensland Firebirds vs. West Coast Fever
Gabi Simpson (WD) vs. Verity Charles (WA)

Two highly influential players for their respective teams, the battle between Simpson and Charles will be an exciting one, and one likely to have an influence on the end result. Charles is renowned for her flashy style of play able to excite the crowd while Simpson is equally as exciting with her closing speed and desperation.

Simpson is a real workhorse down back for the Firebirds, a general some would say. Her constant voice and leadership enable the likes of Tara Hinchliffe and Kim Jenner to play their natural game and go out hunting. Simpson is a real terrier that fights for every loose ball and pounces on the scraps to win ball back for her side time and time again, and her closing speed, hands over pressure and sheer athleticism are all integral to the Firebirds unit. Simpson has an ability to play a shutdown role, to grind her opponent out of the game with her shadowing movements and ability to clog space, or can switch into an attacking defender to go out hunting for the cross-court ball. She is never out of the contest, niggling at her opponents particularly around circle edge to create tips and deflections and working well in tandem with Kim Ravaillion to pile on the pressure. The transitional work from the Firebirds captain is the other focal point in her gameplay, able to bring the ball down the court in the blink of an eye.

Looking at Charles, and the dynamic midcourter has speed to burn. She is able to dart up and down the court with great ease and often zips around the attacking third to hit the circle edge almost instantaneously. Her signature jump-throw allows her to get that extra little bit of elevation and pizzazz on her pass and control proceedings in attack. Charles is one of those players who continues to find her way to the ball and is often involved in every second pass such is her dominance in attack. She really carries the workload for the Fever with her connection between Sasha Glasgow continuously developing while her partnership with Jess Anstiss lets her switch into an even better attacking mode. With Anstiss renowned for her defensive mindset, Charles is able to weave her magic to deliver pinpoint passes into the circle and really ply her trade on the second-phase attack with her strong drives into the pocket or top of the circle. The most damaging partnership of them all however is her connection with Jhaniele Fowler with the wing attack able to release the ball with full confidence and class time and time again. They have an unstoppable connection once it gets going, making it hard for opposition teams.

Both Simpson and Charles are crucial links for their respective sides and match up incredibly well. Charles has plenty of speed but so too does Simpson with the wing defence able to shut down the space in the dying seconds. If Simpson is able to employ some really strong hands over pressure and use her dogged style of defence to keep Charles away from circle edge it will go a long way in gifting the Firebirds a win given Charles is so crucial in setting up Fowler under the post.

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