WHILST the 2020 Suncorp Super Netball season was completed last month, the postseason content does not stop with our positional analysis series up next. First up in this series is a head-to-head between first year livewires Tippah Dwan and Georgie Horjus, with the two rookies exploding out of the blocks in Round 1 this season and very rarely taking a backwards step in their respective debut seasons.

TIPPAH DWAN (GA)

A player with huge shoes to fill, Dwan was a revelation in the Firebirds frontend in 2020. With excellent agility, speed and vision both inside and outside the circle, Dwan was a formidable option out in goal attack with the 21-year-old constantly putting up solid performances and proving she is more than capable of holding down a starting spot on an SSN list. With clean footwork, great hands and the ability to put up goals from anywhere within the circle, there is no doubt that Dwan was able to be a real game-changer, consistently putting on a show and being a threatening option wherever she was in the attacking third. Still with plenty of opportunity and potential to develop her craft, Dwan looms as an exciting young player especially given this was only her first season at the top level.

GEORGIE HORJUS (GA/WA)

Like Dwan, Horjus was an exciting young prospect coming into the season with very little expectations before she took the court. The young goal attack took the court in Round 1 to the surprise of many fans and grabbed the opportunity by the horns, absolutely exploding out of the blocks and not looking back once. Her evasiveness and ability to find the ball allowed her to be a crucial cog in the Thunderbirds frontend and her ability to shoot from long-range saw the Thunderbirds come back from the brink of a loss on a number of occasions. With excellent footwork, clean hands and great evasiveness, Horjus found plenty of space and used her smaller stature to her advantage, almost flying under-the-radar and zipping out in the nick of time to find the ball.

COMPARISON

There is no doubt the two smooth movers are gamechangers, however what makes the duo so intriguing to compare is how differently they go about their game. While Dwan is more of a typical shooter, at her most impactful inside the circle, Horjus a much more threatening option around circle edge almost acting as a wing attack until she enters the circle. Dwan’s extra height, measuring at around 6cm taller than Horjus, sees her spot players with ease over long arms of defenders, while also using her long limbs and extra centimetres to impact defensively. Horjus’ sturdier build sees her play a significant role around the attacking third and at the centre, using her strength to hold ground and match up well against taller defenders, not often coming off second best. 

Decision making-wise, both players still have some adjustments to make although both teams sat towards the bottom end of the ladder so it was not entirely down to their respective youth on the big stage. Experience-wise, Dwan has had much more time to develop her craft at the elite level as a training partner, though arguably both players proved more than capable of stepping up to the SSN level showcasing some exciting skills to build on for the future. When it comes to scoring ability and their impact out on court, neither player shied away from the contest shooting at 73 per cent (Dwan) and 72 per cent accuracy (Horjus) from single-point range respectively, and over 50 per cent each at super shot range – in line with much of the competition from the two point zone.

Both still young with plenty of growth still expected, the duo are forces to be reckoned with given their high ceilings and continuous development across the condensed season, rarely skipping a beat even against much more experienced players.

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2020/21 Australian Development Squad

Draft Central Courtside Comments: Post-season wrap – Shooters // 2020 SSN stats: Attack

Draft Central Courtside Comments: Round 2 – Tippah Dwan // Top 15 SSN training partners: #13 Tippah Dwan

Draft Central Courtside Comments: Round 5 – Georgie Horjus // Centre Pass Podcast: Georgie Horjus interview