THERE was no shortage of Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) action in Round 3 with the GIANTS making it three on the trot continuing their winning run and Collingwood Magpies notching up their first for the season. In this new series, Draft Central will look at five key learnings from the round whether it be consistent themes or standout performances.

Collingwood need Mentor and Jovic out on court

There is no denying that Collingwood look like a much more complete team with the return of Geva Mentor and Molly Jovic and that was evident on the weekend as the Pies notched up their first win. Jovic made her presence felt through the midcourt with the youngster taking advantage of her speed and quick hands to dictate play both in attack and defence for Collingwood. Having her run through the centre provided a sense of stability to Collingwood who in Round 2 looked lacklustre and unsure of their connections. Down back the presence of Mentor was undeniable and while she did not have a stats stuffing-performance, her nous, experience and class was exactly what the defenders around her in Jodi-Ann Ward and Ash Brazill needed to go out hunting. Moral of the story; both Mentor and Jovic are necessary pillars for Collingwood to succeed and fire in season 2021.

GIANTS are primed for finals

Despite not having Kiera Austin at their disposal for the rest of the season with the talent shooter struck down with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, the GIANTS have uncovered a new gem in Sophie Dwyer. Playing her third game on the weekend, the 19-year-old did not look out of place, taking like a duck to water and absorbing the physicality of the contest to not only be a playmaker out the front but put up her fair share of shots. Sharing the goal shooting responsibilities with none other than Jo Harten who was simply on fire in Round 3, the combination between the two is steadily blossoming and sending a warning shot to the rest of the league. The win against the Firebirds makes it three straight as they remain the top side and one of two undefeated in the 2021 SSN season. Dwyer is not the only one that has found her feet with former Australian Diamond defender, April Brandley arguably having her best game since returning from giving birth to her son last year. If the GIANTS continue on this trajectory they could be a real shot for that all-elusive premiership.

Swifts are a well-oiled machine

It was the Swifts of old in Round 3 as the they controlled proceedings from the get-go with their silky ball movement and traditional style of netball well and truly coming to the fore. With everything going along smoothly the Swifts were able to remain mainly unchanged and build on that level of consistency across the court despite one or two changes, here or there. With Sam Wallace under the post and most importantly firing given she did not miss a single one of her 48 shots, the Swifts look in good stead to compete for a finals position this season. But she was not the only one in good knick, in fact it was the execution from the entire team that stood out as the midcourt combination of Paige Hadley and Maddy Proud was at its damaging best. Defensively, Sarah Klau and Maddy Turner rekindled their hot form, showing glimpses of their 2019 form when they won the premiership and sending a clear warning to the rest of the competition.

Firebirds are close but not close enough

Tipped as potential finals contenders heading into the season, Queensland Firebirds are a step off the pace boasting a 1-2 win record. Bolstered by the return of Gretel Bueta and picking up Kim Ravaillion over the off-season, the Firebirds have no shortage of power players across the court but are yet to find that consistent winning formula. Competitive for large chunks of the game the Firebirds have shown glimpses of what they are capable of but have lacked that element of finesse to really grind out games. One reason for this could be the number of rotations with coach Megan Anderson taking full advantage of the rolling subs especially in attack with Bueta, Tippah Dwan and Romelda Aiken frequently chopping and changing. There is no denying that the side has the makings to be a finals contender given it has flair and excitement to boot, but need to be able to settle and stick to their structures in order to rack up wins.

Fever level the playing field

A win against Sunshine Coast Lightning all but saw the West Coast Fever demolish their 12-point salary cap penalty and can now enter the SSN season not in deficit. Having won the first three games of the season, the Fever have proven that they are not to be taken lightly and have the calibre of players to challenge for finals once again in season 2021. The win was not only monumental for the Fever themselves but so too the rest of the competition as they can now work their way up the ladder and having already claimed wins against the Melbourne Vixens, NSW Swifts and Lightning, they have toppled some of the biggest finals contenders. Spearheaded in attack by Jhaniele Fowler and Courtney Bruce the Fever are bursting at the seams with talent while the acquisition of Sasha Glasgow has been nothing short of beneficial making their front-end even more potent.

Picture credit: AAP