WITH netball taking a back seat to coronavirus in 2020, Draft Central is taking a look back at memorable matches. Next up is the Queensland Firebirds’ massive 10-goal win over West Coast Fever in Suncorp Super Netball Round 5 2018, ending the Fever’s dominant start to the season.

While perhaps not the highest profile match in recent netball history, the Firebirds outfit of 2018 was a classy unit with an ability to beat any team if the day was right. Fever had proved dominant for the opening four rounds of the season and with the skill and precision passes to target goal shooter Jhaniele Fowler always in position at the post, they had thus far seemed impossible to stop. However a classy outing from the Firebirds ensured the time was right, with a stellar defensive effort from Laura Geitz and Tara Hinchliffe propelling the play back up through the centre of the court.

It was a physical match from the get-go with neither side willing to back down and the Firebirds having the upper hand early. With so many players willing to dive into the contest there were a few injury scares throughout – including a moment where Gretel Tippett seemed in pain with a knee issue but carried on – while the closeness of the scoreboard had the Firebirds home crowd up on their feet. While only up by four goals at the final change, the Firebirds stepped up a gear in the final quarter with Gabi Simpson and Mahalia Cassidy crucial in delivering turnover ball, with their tenacity and  hunt for the netball propelling the side to the stellar 10-goal victory. The two sides combined for a whopping 150 penalties between them and were relatively equal in turnovers, proving the closeness and intensity of the match and making it real testament to the Firebirds for staying ahead of the Fever.

It was the Firebirds’ transition down court that was the kicker for the Fever, with Caitlyn Nevins and Cassidy creating havoc with their crafty passes early while Tippett’s movement and footwork came out to play, with confidence coming in spades. Romelda Aiken was clean and accurate, shooting majority of the goals but creating space for Tippett to work her magic with her split and excitement with ball in hand. The defensive pressure from the Firebirds up the court was impressive with Geitz (three intercepts) and Hinchliffe (six gains) dominating in the back end.

Courtney Bruce had a quiet match with just the two gains and 25 penalties, atypical for the usually dominant defender, allowing Tippett and Aiken to control all the movement in the goal circle and unable to create space of her own to deflect with ease. Bruce still managed five deflections but was not able to take possession credit to the tenacity of the Firebirds’ midcourt pressure, playing out in goal defence for majority of the match while Stacey Francis moved out to wing defence. Young gun midcourter Jess Anstiss had a stellar match limiting the impact of Nevins early and moving into wing attack proving her versatility, collecting a team high three intercepts and just the three penalties. Nat Medhurst proved valuable alongside Fowler with her ability to read and create the play, while her timing allowed her to find space in the circle to open up Fowler at the post or turn and shoot for the long bomb. While she only put up the 11 goals for the match, her 22 goal assists kept the Firebirds on their toes thanks to her ability to switch up her movement and passing. While Fowler provided the target at the post, it was this match where teams were able to find an opening into how to defend the stocky goal shooter. Despite that, her clean footwork and aerial ability allowed her to find plenty of the netball while her accuracy saw the Fever stay in the match even when the Firebirds seemed to take off.

Firebirds collected enough wins to make finals, but a one-goal loss to Sunshine Coast Lightning saw them knocked out at the final hurdle, while Fever went on to lose three more matches during the 2018 season, dropping a second game to the Firebirds in Round 12 and in turn then falling to the Lightning on home turf in the 2018 Grand Final. 

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FIREBIRDS 17 | 18 | 16 | 20 (71)
FEVER 16 | 14 | 17 | 14 (61) 

STARTING SEVEN

Queensland Firebirds

GS: Romelda Aiken
GA: Gretel Tippett
WA: Caitlyn Nevins
C: Mahalia Cassidy
WD: Gabi Simpson
GD: Tara Hinchliffe
GK: Laura Geitz

BENCH: Laura Clemesha, Kim Jenner, Jemma Mi Mi
COACH: Rosalee Jencke

West Coast Fever

GS: Jhaniele Fowler
GA: Nat Medhurst
WA: Ingrid Colyer
C: Verity Charles
WD: Jess Anstiss
GD: Stacey Francis
GK: Courtney Bruce

BENCH: Shannon Eagland, Kaylia Stanton, Annika Lee-Jones
COACH: Stacey Marinkovich

SHOOTING STATS

Queensland Firebirds:

Romelda Aiken 45/51
Gretel Tippett 26/28

West Coast Fever:

Jhaniele Fowler 48/49
Nat Medhurst 11/14
Kaylia Stanton 2/2