ROUND 7 of the Suncorp Super Netball sees a battle between second and third on Wednesday night, while the bottom placed Magpies look to claw their way up the ladder with a win. Coming off another short break, having just played on the weekend fatigue could be a real factor throughout the round but that will not stop teams from fighting tooth and nail to claim some form of ascendancy over the competition.

West Coast Fever v. Collingwood Magpies
Tuesday, 25 August

It has been a testing season for Collingwood Magpies so far sitting on one win from six games, while the West Coast Fever have been up and down throughout the season struggling to find any form of continuity. Dropping to bottom place on the ladder, expect the Pies to throw everything they have at the Fever making for a hotly contested match.

Geva Mentor has proven to be a real barometer for Collingwood in defence throughout the season with her ability to read the play and swat away balls time and time again. She will have her work cut out for her in this match up against towering goal shooter Jhaniele Fowler given her reach, high scoring ability and accuracy to post. Jamaican teammate and Collingwood goal defence Jodi-Ann Ward has impressed in the past couple of rounds with her dogged style of defence and innate hunt for the ball to try and keep the goal attack at bay and away from the post. The goal attack position has fluctuated for the Fever unable to settle on a permanent player out the front of Fowler with Alice Teague-Neeld, Kaylia Stanton and Emma Cosh all rotating through the position in hope to find the missing piece in the puzzle.

The potential return of Molly Jovic could bolster Collingwood’s midcourt stocks with Kelsey Browne, Madi Browne and Kelly Altmann all plying their trade through the centre court. Similarly, the Fever have speed to burn with livewires Ingrid Colyer, Verity Charles and Jess Anstiss enjoying more time in the centre. After a stunning performance last round, Melissa Bragg will be hoping to replicate her ball winning ways to help out in defence while the constantly changing Fever defensive line-up gives them an element of unpredictability heading into the clash. If the likes of Olivia Lewis, Courtney Bruce, Sunday Aryang and Stacey Francis can shut down Collingwood’s ability to drive to the top of the circle and contest the hands of Shimona Nelson it will go a long way in setting up the win. Gabby Sinclair has been influential in the super shot zone while Nyah Allen’s cameos have paid dividends for the Pies.

GIANTS Netball v. Queensland Firebirds
Tuesday, 25 August

It is been a tumultuous couple of weeks for the for the GIANTS marred with plenty of controversy and back to back losses. On the other hand Queensland Firebirds will be riding high after clinching their first win for season 2020 to end their winless drought. The Firebirds showcased just what they are capable of doing last round with their pressure in defence and will be hoping to bring that heat to shut down a formidable GIANTS attacking unit.

After spending last game on the bench all eyes will turn to whether or not Caitlin Bassett will get the nod at goal shooter against a quality young Firebirds defensive line-up. Both Tara Hinchliffe and Kim Jenner have proven to be a dominant duo down back with their ball winning ways, strong connection and impressive understanding to rotate through the circle and pick off passes accordingly. The two of them will look to exploit the cracks in the GIANTS attack end with Jo Harten, Kiera Austin and Bassett often struggling to find their rhythm in attack. However, Austin has proven to be the go to girl when it comes to the super shot and will be hoping to inflict the same type of scoreboard pressure again this round.

Maddie Hay has been a revelation in at wing attack for the GIANTS, while Jamie-Lee Price has continued to toil away through the centre with her hard running and defensive style constantly on display. The battle between wing attack Jemma Mi Mi and Amy Parmenter will be one to keep an eye out for throughout the contest while Gabi Simpson is a key to the midcourt for the Firebirds with her speed off the mark, drive through the centre and ball winning ways. After starring last round both Tippah Dwan and Romelda Aiken will be keen to keep the good times rolling with the shooting duo finding a wealth of space inside the circle and shaking up their gameplay to keep the defenders guessing. Sam Poolman, Kristiana Manu’a, April Brandley and Matilda McDonell will all have to be on high alert if they are to stop the shooter to shooter interplay that the Firebirds have rapidly developed this season.

NSW Swifts v. Sunshine Coast Lightning
Wednesday, 26 August

Kickstarting the action on Wednesday night, the battle between the 2019 grand finalists will be one to watch with the Lightning getting the last laugh in their previous encounter. Both sides have struggled to hit their straps so far this year but proven that they know how to win even if it is ugly making for an exciting battle.

The attacking unit of Cara Koenen, Steph Wood and Peace Proscovia has been up and down to start the season with both Proscovia and Wood struggling for accuracy. Koenen has been in scintillating form of late allowing her strong movement and accuracy to post to do all the talking. Last time these two sides met, Koenen got the chocolates over Sarah Klau, an area the Swifts goal keeper will be hoping to rectify in order to give her side a chance of winning. Lauren Moore has been a revelation in goal defence while Sophie Craig has proven to be a handy rotation into the circle when needed swapping out of her preferred position of wing defence. Maddy Turner is also set to return this round with her connection with Klau in the goal circle a crucial element to the Swifts’ structure.

The Swifts have one of the most versatile midcourts with Paige Hadley able to slot into wing defence or centre within a blink of an eye, while Maddy Proud does a similar job between centre and wing attack. Natalie Haythornthwaite has been consistent in the frontend for the Swifts feeding into Helen Housby but they have lacked their usual finesse in attack in recent weeks. Announcing her retirement from international netball expect Lightning centre, Laura Langman to come out all guns blazing with Laura Scherian known for her tendency to feed off that energy and step up to the plate. Boasting a classy defensive combo in Karla Pretorius and Phumza Maweni Sunshine Coast Lightning will be looking to capitalise on the fractures in the Swifts attacking unit to cherry pick passes and disrupt the flow to nullify the influence of Housby and Sam Wallace.

Adelaide Thunderbirds v. Melbourne Vixens
Wednesday, 26 August

The final game of the round sees the Adelaide Thunderbirds come up against the Melbourne Vixens after Adelaide claimed a historic win over the Victorians in Round 4. The Vixens sit atop the table, while the Thunderbirds have showed glimpses of dominance, but have been unable to string together back to back performances.

The defensive combination of Shamera Sterling, Layla Guscoth and Kate Shimmin proved to cause immense headaches for the Vixens last time these two sides met with their ball winning ability on full display. Sterling terrorised the Vixens attacking unit with the likes of Liz Watson and Kate Moloney unable to penetrate into the circle given her read of the play and long arms to pick off passes. But the Vixens will be hoping that they learnt from their mistakes and can use the experience of Caitlin Thwaites and Mwai Kumwenda to stand up to the challenge this round to get one back against the Thunderbirds.

Georgie Horjus has been a revelation for the Thunderbirds in 2020 with the youngster taking the competition by storm with her willingness to go to post and sheer speed while the return of Sasha Glasgow has bolstered their shooting stocks. Lenize Potgieter has been a ball magnet under the post, only missing one goal in her last three outings, something Emily Mannix, Jo Weston and Kate Eddy will have to be acutely aware of heading into the clash. Chelsea Pitman has been in hot form, with the Thunderbirds co-captain finding a wealth of space around circle edge to deliver ball into the circle with ease while Maisie Nankivell and Hannah Petty have been key contributors through the centre third, however the latter is set to miss the clash out with concussion.