AFTER a ladder-busting Round 5, Round 6 of Suncorp Super Netball is sure to see some more big matchups and challenges for top spot. GIANTS Netball will come into this round with a point to prove against the Adelaide Thunderbirds who managed a win last week, while the matchup between Queensland Firebirds and West Coast Fever will be massive as both sides vie for an elusive win. It is a true battle of ladder positions this week, with the top four taking on their fellow ladder leaders, while the bottom half of the ladder fight for separation to land a spot in the top half.

Sunshine Coast Lightning v. Melbourne Vixens

The opening match of Round 6 is sure to be a massive one, with the strength of the Lightning massively outweighing the form of the Vixens over the past fortnight. The Lightning have proven so far this season that they have the capacity and ability to take full control of games, and given they shot 25 goals in one quarter against the GIANTS last round they certainly have the ability to put it into practice. The dominant work of Laura Langman across the court has the potential to put the Vixens under the pump, while the defensive unit of Karla Pretorius and Phumza Maweni has proved time and time again that their combined work in defence can win them games alone. The likes of Caitlin Thwaites and Tegan Philip will have to be right on form with their accuracy to beat Pretorius and Maweni, though the injection of fellow South African, Ine-Mari Venter could do the trick if given an opportunity to take the court on her SPAR Proteas teammates. Emily Mannix in goal keeper will need to pick her defensive pressure up a notch against Peace Proscovia, while it will be interesting to see whether defensive sub, Kadie-Ann Dehaney takes the court, given her agility, height and hands over pressure which could be a game changer against the Ugandan shooter. It will be Diamond versus Diamond in goal attack and goal defence, with Jo Weston and Steph Wood both dominant players in their own right. Weston will need to put her best zoning skills into practice against Wood to ensure feeds into the circle are reduced, with Proscovia a strong target in the circle. The midcourt speed of the Lightning will be hard to stop, meaning the Vixens will need to take advantage of every single opportunity both through the centre third courtesy of Renae Ingles and Kate Moloney as well as the exceptional feeding of Liz Watson.

Queensland Firebirds v. West Coast Fever

After a dreadful run with injuries in the past few weeks – losing three starting seven players – the Firebirds will hope to settle this round as they take on the Fever. The Fever may have been dealt injuries early in the season, but seem to have gotten past those issues with the return of Courtney Bruce last round to win against the Magpies. The Firebirds showed a different side in Round 5, but will hope to go into this week with a new notch on their belt with the inclusion of South African goal shooter, Lenize Potgieter to the list, regardless of whether she takes the court. It will be interesting however to see how the Firebirds adjust to yet another shooting combination, with both Amy Sommerville and Abigail Latu-Meafou taking the court in goal shooter this season along with traditional starter, Romelda Aiken. The West Coast Fever will want to take advantage of the Firebirds’ injury woes, namely in the form of captain, Bruce who had a massive return last round to drive Fever to their first win of the season. Regardless of who takes the court in goal shooter, their teamwork with Gretel Tippett will be very telling from the beginning and certainly play a big role in whether Firebirds get their first win on the board. The defensive unit of Tara Hinchliffe and Laura Clemesha will have their work cut out for them against Jhaniele Fowler, so the Firebirds will need to put their best foot forward for a defensive midcourt approach to stop the ball before entering the circle. Gabi Simpson will be key through the centre third and around the circle in disrupting the clean attacking flow of Verity Charles, Ingrid Colyer and goaler, Kaylia Stanton.

NSW Swifts v. Collingwood Magpies

The Swifts will fight to spend another week at the top of the ladder this week as they host the Magpies, who have had an inconsistent start to the season with two wins, two losses and a draw with their new-look lineup. The Swifts have an exceptionally settled lineup in comparison, with strong pairings across the court. Looking to the goal circle, the dynamic duo of Helen Housby and Sam Wallace has been almost unstoppable this season given their ability to take hold of possession and switch momentum to their advantage. Some of this smooth work in the circle is credit to the feeds of Maddy Proud and Paige Hadley, who have both starred this season with their versatility and pressure downcourt. The likes of Sarah Klau has also been solid this season, while the talent on the bench has the ability to turn the tide of a game. The Magpies have a similarly strong defensive unit, meaning the work of Geva Mentor and April Brandley in the goal circle will need to be at its absolute best to get over the line, while Ash Brazill and Kim Ravaillion will want to continue their strong defensive midcourt form. The likes of Nat Medhurst had a massive game against the Fever last round, so with goal shooter, Shimona Nelson lightening her load Medhurst will need to be at a similar level this match for the Pies to get a win on the board. A big matchup will be the likes of speedster, Kelsey Browne against either Kate Eddy or Sophie Halpin. Both Swifts wing defenders have the ability to dull a player’s effect on the match, so it will be who has the stronger ability to nullify Browne’s feeding and speed who gets the start. It will also be interesting to see whether injury replacement player, Kimiora Poi is listed, given her announcement in the side during the week.

GIANTS Netball v. Adelaide Thunderbirds

In an unprecedented five vs six clash, the GIANTS host the Thunderbirds with not only equal points, but a point to prove after a sloppy start to the season. Both sides are yet to string consecutive wins together meaning this could be anyone’s game, though the Thunderbirds are still yet to win away from home and the GIANTS have the home-court advantage. The GIANTS have had a lot of difficulty finding form with their new-look lineup in attack, while the Thunderbirds have gelled well in defence but are still working on consistency forward. The lineup of Shamera Sterling on Caitlin Bassett is ultimately the one to watch given Bassett’s clean hands and ability to hold space, while Sterling’s aerial movement and long reach could be the catalyst for a Thunderbirds win. Down the same end will be England Roses pair, Layla Guscoth and Jo Harten, both of whom have the ability to change the course of a match in mere moments. The partnership between Guscoth and Sterling has only grown across the past five rounds, while Harten and Bassett are slowly but surely getting there but are still yet to show the full force of their united attacking prowess. At the other end is the shooting pair of Maria Folau and Sasha Glasgow – the long bomb and the rebounder – against the improved defensive unit of Sam Poolman and Kristiana Manu’a. Glasgow and Folau showed some great composure to secure a win over the Firebirds last week, while Poolman’s zoning defence and Manu’a’s speed off the mark could make for a good contest. The game will likely be won through the midcourt, with the GIANTS’ experience far outweighing the Thunderbirds, though the Thunderbirds will hope to unveil the likes of permanent replacement player, South African Shadine Van Der Merwe against Kim Green.