ROUND 7 of ANZ Premiership action was a huge one with some blowout score lines seeing a couple of star players pull out astounding stats. With the hunt on for the finals playoff and still second spot up for grabs on the ladder, some stellar performances were had all round. 

Draft Central‘s Player of the Week Ellie Bird was the single-game topscorer this week, shooting 37 goals at 100 per cent in an outstanding performance. Joining Bird at the top for goalers this week was repeat offender Grace Nweke who put up 30-plus goals in each of her two outings, combining for 71 goals at 90 per cent, while Maia Wilson (61 goals from two matches) and Aliyah Dunn (47 from two) also continued on their merry way. In at goal attack, Ameliaranne Ekenasio was consistent as ever putting up 28 goals in her first outing and 18 in her second. Kalifa McCollin (23 goals from 30 attempts at 77 per cent) was the only other goal attack to have a real impact on the scoreboard, though Te Paea Selby-Rickit was critical in Tactix’ standalone win, putting up 10 goals at 96 per cent but racking up the most goal assists of the round with 27.

While kept quiet in their respective first matches of the round, wing attacks Whitney Souness and Peta Toeava both made a stand through the midcourt. Souness drew on her 14 assists and two gains in her first outing to impress on her second time around, racking up 21 assists from 46 feeds to go with 21 centre pass receives. Toeava had a much different story, playing only 19 minutes in her first match and counting five assists, though was player of the match against the Magic with 23 assists from 43. Elsewhere through the midcourt, Karin Burger dominated once more in wing defence with four intercepts from her two matches, while centres Claire Kersten and Sam Winders racked up an intercept apiece though did not have a huge impact on the feed.

Defensively, there were some huge performers this round with goal defenders having plenty to say on court. Jane Watson was superb with six gains, aided by Temalisi Fakahokotau who racked up three with one intercept in the mix. Stars’ Kate Burley (three intercepts and three deflections) and Mystics’ Phoenix Karaka (three intercepts) were also solid out in goal defence across their respective two games, while Steel’s Te Huinga Selby-Rickit had an impressive round with her standalone two intercept and two deflection game which saw her side get the upper hand over the Mystics. Looking to goal keepers, Kelly Jury was consistent as ever with 12 gains from two outings while Sulu Fitzpatrick also impressed with 12 despite only coming away with one win from her two matches.