SSN 2020: First six rounds of fixture revealed

FRIDAY morning saw the long awaited release of the first six rounds of the 2020 Suncorp Super Netball fixture, with the season beginning in just over a week on August 1. Rather than one round per week, the addition of mid-week matches will see these first six rounds play out across just 23 days.

While an announcement during the week stated that the entire season is expected to be played in Queensland, the first phase of fixturing will see NSW Swifts and GIANTS Netball remain in Sydney for the first three rounds with both West Coast Fever and Adelaide Thunderbirds joining the two New South Wales-based sides there. 

This round robin-style of fixturing will see the Queensland hub look much the same, with the first couple of rounds featuring the Queensland-based sides – Queensland Firebirds, Sunshine Coast Lightning, Melbourne Vixens and Collingwood Magpies – competing against each other.

The season will open on Saturday, August 1 with a Queensland derby between Firebirds and Lightning, seeing the GIANTS and Fever go head-to-head next, followed by Swifts versus Thunderbirds and finishing with a Melbourne derby between Vixens and Magpies, with the two teams’ last clash a huge semi-final last season.

The fixture also sees a couple of major changes, with weekday scheduling in the mix for the first time, seeing a couple of rounds with Tuesday and Wednesday evening matches. Fans will not have to wait long, with the first Wednesday fixture taking place only three days after Round 1 finishes, with a Sydney derby between Swifts and GIANTS on August 5.

Also up there in terms of quality clashes, fans will look forward to a Round 4 grand final rematch between Lightning and Swifts, while as of yet a fixture for the highly contested Sargeant-McKinnis Trophy will have to wait, with the Swifts and Vixens not playing one another in the first six rounds.

The statement also suggests there is potential for matches to play out in Perth and Adelaide later in the season, pending border restrictions. 

The next phase of fixturing is expected to drop in mid-August.

>> CHECK OUT THE FIRST SIX ROUNDS HERE

 

Team previews:

Adelaide Thunderbirds

Collingwood Magpies

GIANTS Netball

Melbourne Vixens

NSW Swifts

Queensland Firebirds

Sunshine Coast Lightning

West Coast Fever

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