THE Adelaide Thunderbirds are queens of Australian netball again, after defeating the Melbourne Vixens 59-57 in an epic Suncorp Super Netball Grand Final.

Despite some contentious umpiring calls, the full court defensive game of the Thunderbirds proved the ultimate difference, which really wore down the Vixens.

Player of the Match honors went to Romelda Aiken-George, who was an absolute rock on the rebound under the ring for the Thunderbirds all night despite a lower than usual shooting percentage.

As the underdogs coming in, the Vixens could not have asked for a better start.

A strong intercept off the Thunderbirds’ opening centre pass from the Vixens saw them break that centre pass and after converting their first centre pass they took the early lead.

The Thunderbirds kept making uncharacteristic errors with ball in hand, and as such kept growing their lead.

It was clear the Vixens had done their homework on the Thunderbirds’ defence, with Hannah Mundy and Kate Moloney really taking their time to make sure they get around Shamera Sterling-Humphrey, Matilda Garrett and Latanya Wilson while feeding Sophie Garbin and Kiera Austin.

Eventually a crucial intercept from Sterling-Humphrey did seem to fire her side up, but the Vixens settled and stopped the run of momentum, and then Austin found her distance from Super Shot range to really quell the momentum.

Despite a bit of a chaotic end to the quarter, crucially the Melbourne Vixens took a three goal lead into the first change.

The Thunderbirds really lifted early in the second term, making the Vixens’ path into their shooters a lot more difficult than it had been in the first term.

The Vixens were still able to maintain their lead, but things were definitely significantly more difficult for them.

No matter how hard they tried, the home side just could not pick up those crucial intercepts to try and work away at the deficit.

Sterling-Humphrey against instigated a boost for the Thunderbirds off one of her intercepts, but this time it really worked for them and the score was evened up and the Thunderbirds then took the lead.

However, as quickly as they took the lead they lost it again after they gave away an offensive contact and the Vixens pounced.

In the end, the score was dead even at the main break, with it all to play for in the second half.

The Thunderbirds got the better of the starts to the second half, but their lead was not one they could rest their laurels on.

However, once Sterling-Humphrey really started to lift and cause real mayhem for the Vixens, and as such the Thunderbirds started to gain some momentum.

However, with Austin continuing to fire from Super Shot range and an important intercept from Jo Weston, the Vixens took a bit of that momentum back.

Ultimately a late goal saw the Thunderbirds take a single goal lead into the final break, with no further certainty as to who was going to win.

The Thunderbirds quickly built a lead in the opening passages of the final quarter as Aiken-George was proving impossible to beat on the rebound, and Georgie Horjus was providing a much needed boost of speed heading into and inside the circle.

The margin saw at about five or six goals for much of the middle part of the quarter, but with Austin in such form at Super Shot range the match was far from over.

However just as Austin was starting to deliver again from distance, the Thunderbirds’ defence lifted and double teamed Austin, which brought the Vixens undone. The Adelaide defence continued to hold strong and the shooters did not panic, and despite a late super shot from the Vixens it was not enough as the Vixens ran out of time.

ADELAIDE THUNDERBIRDS     13 | 15 | 14 | 17 (59)
MELBOURNE VIXENS                 16 | 12 | 13 | 16 (57)