THE NSW Swifts have claimed their second Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) premiership trophy in three years, defying GIANTS Netball a title with a massive 63-59 victory.

It was pressure, pressure, pressure from the get-go between the two teams with the Swifts firing on all cylinders early in a replica of their semi final two weeks ago. The five zip start was critical for the Swifts as they forced errors and capitalised with ease, with hesitancy and nerves plaguing the GIANTS in the opening five minutes. Sam Wallace had Sam Poolman’s number early, finding space with ease while at the other end 150-gamer Jo Harten really wanted the ball, trying to will her side into action off her own hand. There was no love lost between Harten and Sarah Klau, as the GIANTS worked hard to reduce that early deficit and stifling defence from the GIANTS stopping the second phase of movement in the Swifts attack. Despite a slow start youngster Sophie Dwyer worked her way into the game nicely, working hard to evade Maddy Turner.

Soon enough, the GIANTS had whittled down the margin to just one goal, finding their rhythm defensively to win ball back. A super shot from Dwyer saw the GIANTS take their first lead of the game as Swifts coach Briony Akle responded immediately with a tactical timeout. The Swifts patient approach saw them put two goals straight back on to take the lead once more with plenty of physicality from both sides. Despite not putting significant pressure on the scoreboard, Helen Housby was hard to stop early with her evasive movement drawing the defenders and opening up the back space for Wallace. Back-to-back super shots from the opposition goal shooters proved neither side would back down as the Swifts led 17-15 at the first break.

April Brandley was out hunting early in the second, winning back ball off the first Swifts centre pass before a missed communication between Jamie-Lee Price and Harten saw the Swifts take the GIANTS centre in return. A miss from Housby put Wallace under pressure as she reeled in a huge off-balance rebound, and dangerous and scrappy passes were happening at both ends as the pressure continued to mount. Sophie Garbin took the court in goal attack in an interesting move for the Swifts front-end, while Amy Parmenter worked her way into the game and Poolman got away with blue murder under the post. Both sides utilised their rolling subs as Housby returned to the fray alongside fellow England Rose Nat Haythornthwaite while Kristiana Manu’a replaced Brandley in the GIANTS back-end. The Swifts still had a marginal lead, holding on by three as they retained control throughout another tight super shot period, firing back with a super shot each time the GIANTS put one on the board and led by four (32-28) at the main break.

The GIANTS opened the second half in style with two quick goals before the Swifts got it back on their terms. Tilly McDonell made passes into Wallace slightly harder with her long arms and looming presence, but the Trinidad and Tobago goal shooter fired on all cylinders and continued to wreak havoc under the post. The lack of impact from Dwyer was palpable as Turner returned to the court after a brief stint on the sidelines at the back end of the first half, while it was the lack of movement in the GIANTS attack that proved to be the kicker as the Swifts continued to control proceedings. A couple of near misses from McDonell proved she was well and truly there to play while Price mirrored Maddy Proud’s every move to deny the Swifts easy passes around circle edge.

Fresh legs continued to take the court for the Swifts with Haythornthwaite returning in wing attack, injecting a bit more speed as the Swifts edged out to an eight-goal margin. Back-to-back goals from the GIANTS – including another super shot from Harten – reduced the margin as Poolman returned to the goal keeper position, but it was once again an ‘anything you can do I can do better’ scenario as the Swifts fired straight back with a super shot of their own. Inaccuracy shook both sides on the super shot with the Swifts the first to recover composure and go back to the single shots, holding a nine-goal lead at the final change.

A huge final term saw both sides out hunting early, as Parmenter and Fraser both had a go for the loose ball. Wallace continued to rule the roost against Poolman as the GIANTS midcourt pressure ramped up and the Swifts were forced to revert back to their patient approach down court. Despite taking back control at times, the penalties were piling up in the GIANTS backend as Wallace and Housby combined seamlessly to pile on the pressure as they controlled proceedings with a 10-goal bugger. A GIANTS super shot off the hand of Harten did a world of good as the final five minutes opened up but a lack of rebounding efforts saw opportunities left undone. Another super shot saw the Swifts call a tactical timeout with the margin reduced to six goals, before holding on to claim a massive four-goal 63-59 victory.

Wallace fired on all cylinders with 51 goals from 55 attempts, while Housby assisted to post with seven goals and Garbin put up one during her short stint on court. Proud finished with 23 assists to lead all comers, while Fraser, Turner and Klau worked in overdrive down back to wreak havoc with the two circle defenders combining for eight gains (three intercepts). The GIANTS had no shortage of hunt in them with 10 pickups to the Swifts’ two, but just could not convert as Harten finished with 34 goals from 43 attempts (six from 14 super shots) and Dwyer put up 16 from 22 (three from eight super shots). Hay registered 18 goal assists with Price not far behind on 16, while Parmenter and Poolman finished with three gains apiece.

NSW SWIFTS | 17 | 15 | 17 | 14 (63)
GIANTS NETBALL | 15 | 13 | 12 | 19 (59)

STARTING SEVEN:

Swifts

GS: Sam Wallace
GA: Helen Housby
WA: Paige Hadley
C: Maddy Proud
WD: Tayla Fraser
GD: Maddy Turner
GK: Sarah Klau

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: Suncorp Super Netball