THIS weekend officially signals the start of the back end of the 2023 Suncorp Super Netball season, but like in a truly entertaining game of netball, it is hard to predict what will happen by the time the final whistle is blown on the season.

This weekend sees all four games on the east coast of Australia, with Sydney in particular set for a big weekend of entertaining netball. It is also Inclusion Round, an important round celebrating the diversity of the netball community.

The weekend begins however in Queensland with a clash between the Firebirds and Magpies. Although these two may currently occupy the bottom rungs of the ladder, this clash is far more important than their ladder positions may suggest. They are far from out of finals contention, but need to quickly get a move on if they do not want that to change.

The Firebirds received some very unfortunate news on the injury front this week, with confirmation that Macy Gardner will be out for much of the rest of the season with a fractured wrist. In her place comes Tonga captain and Firebirds’ Training Partner Hulita Veve.

Meanwhile the Magpies will certainly be hoping to get Ash Brazill back this week after they sorely missed her last week.

The second clash tomorrow is in Sydney with the Thunderbirds set to travel to play the Giants.

Despite Adelaide coming in with the better confidence levels off last week’s results, the GIANTS are currently the only ones to have defeated them this season, and with the addition of the home crowd advantage the Sydney teams get, this could be a potentially interesting clash.

The GIANTS lose Amy Sligar this week to concussion, but a familiar face in former GIANT and Swift Taylah Davies will be taking her place in the game day squad.

Meanwhile the Thunderbirds are injury free at the moment, with Eleanor Cardwell and co looking to continue their charge towards a return to finals.

The first match on Sunday is the second of the Grand Final rematches for 2023, with the Fever coming across the continent to take on the Vixens.

Things were tight between the sides in Round 1, so will we see a repeat of this on Sunday? Perhaps not, because even though the Vixens are at home and away from the Green Army advantage the Fever get, they have been far from consistent this season so if they suffer any kind of slump they may get severely punished.

The midcourt is set to be a fascinating battle in this won. Verity Simmons and Liz Watson are both tough competitors, and will not give up going for a ball, so expect plenty of bodies flying.

The final clash of the weekend is back in Sydney with the Swifts hosting the Lightning.

While the Swifts may have only won by a small margin last week, they come into this week facing a Lightning side facing a bit of an injury crisis.

It was confirmed this week that the Lightning have suffered their third ACL injury of the season, so will again have to rejig their defensive end of their midcourt. Shannon Eagland – who only came into the squad as an injury replacement – is now out, replaced by Ava Black.

The Swifts meanwhile are all still in tact, but their star shooters Romelda Aiken and Helen Housby will have their work cut out for them this week trying to counter the influence of Kadie-Ann Dehaney and Karla Pretorius.

SSN Round 8 Fixture (All times local)

Queensland Firebirds vs Collingwood Magpies – Saturday at 5pm – Nissan Arena
Giants Netball vs Adelaide Thunderbirds – Saturday at 7pm – Ken Rosewall Arena
Melbourne Vixens vs West Coast Fever – Sunday at 2pm – John Cain Arena
NSW Swifts vs Sunshine Coast Lightning – Sunday at 4pm – Ken Rosewall Arena