OVER the weekend the Gold Coast played host to the 2023 edition of the Team Girls Cup, with all eight Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) clubs converging on the Gold Coast Sport and Leisure Centre for the preseason tournament.

With all the teams trying out new players and new combinations the results may not mean much in the long run, but perhaps will give a good insight into what expect for the upcoming SSN season.

In the Grand Final of the tournament it was the West Coast Fever who emerged victorious, downing the Adelaide Thunderbirds 49-41.

After a tight first half to the match, things were dead even at half-time. Both team changed things up in the third quarter but things remained even during the third term as well, with the Fever only able to hold a one goal lead at the final change. It finally opened up in the final quarter though as the Fever doubled Adelaide’s score for the quarter to take the win and the title.

Sasha Glasgow (21 goals from 24 attempts) led the way under the ring for the Fever, while training partner Jordan Cransberg (17 feeds, 11 assists) certainly made the most of her time out on court.

Meanwhile for Adelaide, new signing Eleanor Cardwell (25 goals from 31 attempts) led from the front in attack, as did Tayla Williams (23 feeds, 11 assists) through midcourt.  It was the culmination of a tournament that saw the Fever lose to the Swifts 41 goals to 37, but then beat Sunshine Coast (46 goals to 43) and Collingwood (53 goals to 43) to top their group.

Adelaide Thunderbirds may be on the rise in 2023 after they topped the other group to make the Grand Final. Before losing to the Fever in the final, they beat the Firebirds (51-33), the Vixens (34-33) and the Giants (39-31) on the way to the grand final.

HOW THE OTHER TEAMS FARED

Collingwood Magpies had a lot of draws over the weekend, splitting scores with both New South Wales (42-all) and the Sunshine Coast (38-all). In the fourth placed playoff against Queensland Firebirds they were unable to get the job done, losing 49 goals to 40.

The GIANTS lost first up to the Vixens 47-40, and lost their final game to the Thunderbirds by eight goals, but in between that beat the Firebirds 48-37. In the third place playoff yesterday afternoon they lost to NSW Swifts 44 -38.

Last year’s Team Girls Cup champions the Melbourne Vixens were unable to replicate their success from last year, only winning the one game. They beat the GIANTS by seven goals, but then lost to Adelaide by a single goal and then Queensland Firebirds (43-40).

The NSW Swifts beat eventual tournament champions West Coast Fever first up, before going on to draw with Collingwood and losing to Sunshine Coast Lightning 46-41. They ended their tournament with a solid win over crosstown rivals, the GIANTS.

Queensland Firebirds began the tournament with two losses first up (to the Thunderbirds and to the GIANTS) before ending their group stage tournament with a win over the Vixens. They did end their tournament with a win though after they beat the Pies in the fourth place play off.

Fellow Queenslanders the Sunshine Coast Lightning also only got the one win (against the Swifts) but drew with the Pies and lost to the Fever. They finished their tournament with a one goal narrow loss to the Vixens.