THE Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) season has swung around once again with teams shaping up for an exciting year of netball. Having played through a global pandemic last season, the 2021 campaign will be hoping to restore a bit of normality to the netball world as the eight sides compete for that all-elusive premiership.

Coach: Kylee Byrne
Captain: Karla Pretorius
2020 finish: 3rd

Sunshine Coast Lightning had a terrific season overall in 2020, finishing second on the ladder to give them a double shot at a grand final spot. Unfortunately, they just could not finish it as they had hoped. Lightning managed nine wins and just five losses. They welcomed a new coach in Kylee Byrne, but said goodbye to long time player and captain, Laura Langman, who retired at the end of the season. Goal attack Steph Wood made the most of the controversial introduction of the Super Shot, using her long-range shooting skills to her advantage. Cara Koenen was also a standout in the ring, combining beautifully with Wood to create space with quick drives and dodges, and maintained her composure with a strong hold under the ring. Lightning will be looking to maintain a little more consistency to get to that grand final spot this year.

2021 predictions/expectations

Lightning have kept most of their 2020 team, except for the additions of Kate Shimmin, Mahalia Cassidy and Maddie Hinchliffe. Their defensive trio is looking to be strong, with Shimmin joining captain Karla Pretorius and Phumza Maweni. While Pretorius had somewhat of a slower game than usual last year, she was still able to assert her defensive dominance. Both Hinchcliffe and Cassidy join the Lightning mid-court from the Firebirds. The loss of Langman leaves big shoes for Lightning to fill, but with Laura Scherian and Maddy McAuliffe taking the newbies under their wing, they could have a really solid lineup in the centre. The shooting end remains unchanged, with Wood, Koenen and Peace Proscovia teaming up for another year. Proscovia’s holding abilities make her a tall target under the post, leaving Wood to do the what she does best, creating space out the front and taking the long shots. With these players now having worked alongside each other for a while, they will have great knowledge of how each other moves in the ring, which may just give Lightning an advantage over teams with newer shooting circles. Lightning will certainly be competitive this season, and will be hoping to go one better and make an appearance in the 2021 grand final.

Key player to watch:

As the first player to sign with the Sunshine Coast Lightning back in 2017, goal attack Steph Wood has been a key player in their lineup ever since. While she isn’t particularly tall, standing at only 175cm, her agility and quick feet make up for it. She does a lot of the hard work out the front in the shooting third, creating space in the circle and keeping her defenders on their toes with her sneaky front cuts and hard baseline drives. She was even more of a threat to opponents last year when the Super Shot came into play, as long shots are a breeze for her, and she made sure to use the power play to her advantage. Working this year again alongside Koenen and Proscovia, they will likely be a force to be reckoned with, and one of the strongest shooting trios in the SSN.

Team list:

Mahalia Cassidy
Cara Koenan
Maddy McAuliffe
Karla Pretorius
Peace Proscovia
Phumza Maweni
Laura Scherian
Kate Shimmin
Ashlee Unie
Steph Wood
Maddie Hinchliffe