THE Queensland Firebirds have added another win to their tally for season 2021, downing an out-of-sorts looking GIANTS outfit on Sunday evening. While both sides came in off the back of the bye round, the Firebirds came in hungry while the GIANTS just could not seem to get going, with the margin only widening as the game went on. Despite a late fight back from the GIANTS during the final term, it was the Firebirds that ran home with a 63-52 win and fifth spot on the ladder.

From the get-go the defensive units for both sides were on fire, forcing misses from both Jo Harten and Romelda Aiken within the opening minutes. But an early run from the Firebirds proved vital as they took an early 4-0 lead credit to the workrate of Tara Hinchliffe and Gabi Simpson, before Sophie Dwyer was the first to get on the board for the GIANTS once the centre returned to normal, seeing the two sides go goal-for-goal as Harten proved more accurate on her second attempt, and Gretel Bueta got in on the action. But where the Firebirds looked up and about, finding space well and attacking the ball, the GIANTS were forced to chip the ball around with Maddie Hay and Jamie-Lee Price unable to find easy entry into the goal circle. A 13-8 lead the way of the Firebirds saw Sam Poolman and April Brandley take it upon themselves in the GIANTS back-end to win back some control, however it was not enough with Harten struggling to make an impact at the other end credit to the workrate of Kim Jenner and Hinchliffe, bringing a heap of physicality early. The Firebirds maintained an early lead of five goals (15-10) at the first break, with a seven-goal margin reduced by a late super shot off the hand of Dwyer.

The second quarter rolled around quickly as the Firebirds were first to get on the board credit to Aiken’s great positioning under the post, while the niggly defence of Jenner and Hinchliffe continued to pay off as Dwyer missed her first for the game. A couple of three-goal runs from the Firebirds saw the side extend a 22-12 lead as Harten and Dwyer struggled to remain composed under pressure, with Simpson ruling the roost against Hay while Kim Ravaillion had it all her way against Price. With the misses piling up, the GIANTS worked hard to up the ante as the super shot period arrived, reducing the deficit marginally but scoring off just three of their six super shot attempts to trail by a more respectable five-goal margin. Two late goals from Aiken and one from Dwyer kept things interesting going into half time, as the Firebirds led 29-23.

Harten was quick to add to her account as the second half came roaring in, with the GIANTS quickly whittling the scoreline down to four in the opening minutes. But once again the Firebirds defensive unit was able to immediately put a stop to any offensive momentum the GIANTS had created, stringing five goals straight in the process as Hinchliffe continued to make her presence known and extending the lead to a game-high nine goals once more. Harten and Dwyer worked hard to account for the missing connections and fatigue from the midcourt unit, adding three straight off the back of a missed connection from the Firebirds, reducing the margin but not really damaging the Firebirds’ momentum. Lara Dunkley‘s workrate alongside Ravaillion continued to pay off as the Firebirds continued to fire on all cylinders, rarely missing, while valuable opportunities went out the window for the GIANTS as inaccuracy haunted them once more. A six-goal run from Aiken and Bueta proved critical as the third term finished on a high for the firing Firebirds, extending the margin out to a game-high 13-goal lead.

The Firebirds were first to open their account as the final quarter came to fruition, putting up nine of the first 11 goals for the quarter as a 20-goal lead was extended. But two goals apiece from Harten and Dwyer put a stop to another Firebirds run, as the duo looked to utilise the super shot period once more. Despite dominating much of the second half of the term, the GIANTS could not do enough to really steal away control from the Firebirds who had the game in the palm of their hands credit to the defensive workrate from Simpson and Hinchliffe in particular. With two point misses from both Harten and Aiken to finish, it was the the Firebirds that reigned supreme to claim the 63-52 result.

Hinchliffe was an absolute livewire, piling on nine gains (two intercepts) as Simpson followed suit with five (two intercepts) and Jenner nullified Dwyer with her two intercepts. Aiken (39 goals from 44 attempts at 89 per cent) and Bueta (23 from 26) were huge targets in the front-end, as Ravaillion racked up 29 goal assists to lead all-comers. For the GIANTS it was a shared effort on the feeding front, with Hay (10 assists) leading the pack, and Harten next in line with eight, also managing two intercepts and 20 goals from her 29 attempts. Dwyer (seven assists, 22 goals from 30 attempts, including seven from 10 super shots) was fairly solid, while Price and Brandley both managed one gain apiece.

QUEENSLAND FIREBIRDS | 15 | 14 | 19 | 15 (63)
GIANTS NETBALL | 10 | 13 | 12 | 17 (52)

Firebirds:

GS: Romelda Aiken
GA: Gretel Bueta
WA: Lara Dunkley
C: Kim Ravaillion
WD: Gabi Simpson
GD: Kim Jenner
GK: Tara Hinchliffe

GIANTS:

GS: Jo Harten
GA: Sophie Dwyer
WA: Maddie Hay
C: Jamie-Lee Price
WD: Amy Parmenter
GD: April Brandley
GK: Sam Poolman

Picture credit: AAP / James Ross