ROUND 3 of Suncorp Super Netball is set to be one for the books, with some big matchups taking the court as teams battle for early dominance. With only one Saturday match again this week, all eyes will be on the Melbourne Vixens as they look to make it three from three as they take on the intriguing Adelaide Thunderbirds. NSW Swifts will host out of form West Coast Fever, who will be hoping for a triumphant return from captain, Courtney Bruce, while it is a battle for state bragging rights as the Sunshine Coast Lightning host Queensland Firebirds. Finally, GIANTS Netball host Collingwood Magpies in what will be a do-or-die for the struggling GIANTS side.

Adelaide Thunderbirds v. Melbourne Vixens

The Round 3 clash between Thunderbirds and Vixens is set to be an interesting one, with the Thunderbirds having the home advantage that cheered them over the line for their first victory in two years during Round 1. The Vixens will travel for the first time this season, having hosted both the Firebirds and GIANTS, so will be unable to rely on their home crowd to rally behind them. That being said, the Vixens have the consistency and form to get the job done this round with two strong wins under their belt, after the Swifts poked holes in the Thunderbirds’ defence last week. As matchups go, the battle between Adelaide goalkeeper, Shamera Sterling and Vixens shooter, Caitlin Thwaites will be the one to watch. Sterling’s outstanding aerial ability has been showcased in the opening rounds, however given Thwaites’ footwork and smooth movement, it is a question of whether Sterling’s defensive abilities are right for the job. Layla Guscoth in goal defence against the likes of Tegan Philip will be an intriguing setup, with both players known for their quick drive into space and footwork. The classy movement of Vixens wing attack, Liz Watson will be hard to stop, so defensive pressure inside the circle and on the loose ball will be key for the Thunderbirds to steal a win from the undefeated side. Defensively for the Vixens, Jo Weston and Emily Mannix showcased their connection and pressure on both the ball and player in Round 2 against the GIANTS, causing turnovers as they smoothly took the likes of Jo Harten out of the game. If the pair can do the same with Maria Folau or Sasha Glasgow on Saturday, the Thunderbirds will have a hard time shooting the volume of goals all but required to win the match.

NSW Swifts v. West Coast Fever

The Swifts have had a strong start to the season, seemingly sliding under the radar during preseason and further developing their strong connections in their little-changed lineup from 2018. West Coast Fever are having a disastrous start to the season, sitting zero from two coming into Round 3 and seemingly lost the spark that made them so exciting to watch last season. With the potential of captain, Courtney Bruce out again this week from injury, the Fever will need to seriously consider the connections through defence as they come up against a strong attack unit with the likes of Maddy Proud and Paige Hadley. Both players had a strong match against the Thunderbirds last round, while the connection between Helen Housby and Sam Wallace was on show in Round 2, shooting at a combined 94 per cent, with Wallace shooting her 1000th Suncorp Super Netball goal. Sarah Klau will get the job on goaler Jhaniele Fowler, while the Fever will need one of their goal attacks in Kaylia Stanton and Alice Teague-Neeld to step up and put a better volume of ball to post if they want to take home their first win of the season. With smaller goalers in the ring this round Stacey Francis will have an easier time defensively, however could also come out of the ring to allow Olivia Lewis and Shannon Eagland to put in the hard yards once again, and instead play on the likes of Hadley or Proud in wing. Though having Bruce back in the side would give the Fever a big boost, given the placement of her injury and Netball World Cup in July, it would be an unwise call to make.

Sunshine Coast Lightning v. Queensland Firebirds

In potentially one of the more interesting matches of the round, it is the battle of the bridge as the two Queensland teams face off in search of an elusive win. Firebirds have had a slow start to the season, coming out strong but finishing sloppy allowing both Victorian sides to work back into the match after taking an early lead. Lightning broke the Suncorp Super Netball record for goals scored in Round 2 with 80 across the four quarters, so will chase that big win as they host the underdone Firebirds side. Defensively the Firebirds certainly have the talent and intent to pull off match-turning moments, however the likes of Kim Jenner and Tara Hinchliffe have struggled with consistency and lack of experience as they take on the big names of the competition. While the likes of both Hinchliffe and Jenner have the capability to take on Lightning shooter, Steph Wood, Wood’s speed on the drive and ability to find space may prove difficult, especially with the likes of tall shooter, Peace Proscovia available at the post. Proscovia proved her selection for the side last round with an exceptional 48 goals in three quarters, while centre, Laura Langman will be a tough ask for Mahalia Cassidy through the midcourt as she works with captain, Gabi Simpson to deny ball to Lightning’s attack. Simpson is key to the Firebirds’ defensive unit, providing valuable experience and pressure around the circle on and off the ball. Looking to attack, the Firebirds could not be more solid with Gretel Tippett and Romelda Aiken at the post. Despite sometimes having issues with accuracy, the pair can read each other like a book and will need to be on form to get a win against the likes of South African defenders, Karla Pretorius and Phumza Maweni.

GIANTS Netball v. Collingwood Magpies

The GIANTS are in for a big challenge on Sunday as they host the new-look Collingwood Magpies, who have proved they can both win by a margin, but also work themselves back into a match when down. The GIANTS are sitting at the bottom of the ladder after two disappointing weeks, with their unprecedented issues inside the goal circle rendering the side’s strong offensive work all but useless. The Magpies had an average start last round against the Firebirds, before overcoming an eight goal half-time margin to draw level and steal two points from the Firebirds. Kim Green was on fire in her 200th game in Round 2 against the Vixens, but will come up against an in-form Ash Brazill this week in what will be one of the biggest matchups for the round. Another big lineup will see speedster, Kelsey Browne take on fellow Australian Diamond, Jamie-Lee Price. Despite star power in the goal circle, it was the reduced role of Jo Harten that made it hard for the GIANTS to use the ball to their advantage. Harten was all but tagged out of the match by her opposition in Jo Weston, only contributing 10 goals for the game and getting visibly frustrated. With the likes of Magpies goal defence, April Brandley boasting a similar build and play style to Vixens’ Jo Weston, it will be interesting to see whether Brandley takes on Weston’s tactics against Harten, while the always classy Geva Mentor takes on ex-Lightning teammate, Caitlin Bassett. In the goal circle for the Magpies is the quickly improving connection between Shimona Nelson and Nat Medhurst, who will line up on Sam Poolman and Kristiana Manu’a in a make or break defensive effort.