Super Netball round eight brought a top of the table clash, but it was a dominant performance from West Coast Fever that had heads turning.
Round eight of Super Netball kicked off with a top-of-the-table clash between powerhouses the Melbourne Vixens and the NSW Swifts. The Vixens took home the points and solidified their position on the top of the ladder, now one game clear of the Swifts. But while that game, and the rest of round, provided plenty of entertainment, much of the conversation this weekend surrounded the appointment of the new Australian Diamonds coach.
On Saturday afternoon, Netball Australia announced that current coach of the West Coast Fever, Stacey Marinkovich would lead the team as head coach. Interestingly, in making the announcement Netball Australia said that Marinkovich would continue in her role at West Coast Fever until the end of the 2021 Super Netball season, after which she would step into the role full-time.
Marinkovich has big shoes to fill with the former head coach, Lisa Alexander being the most capped Australian coach ever. As Brittany Carter wrote, “never once did the team drop below their number-one world ranking with Alexander in charge”.
Big shoes they may be, but Marinkovich told Super Netball that coaching the Diamonds was something she had been working towards her entire professional life.
“I’m absolutely honoured and humbled that Netball Australia have granted me the opportunity to lead the world’s best netball team,” she said.
“I am acutely aware of the expectations, the history and responsibility of taking on such a position and I am very much looking forward to growing the success of the Origin Diamonds program.”
Melbourne Vixens v NSW Swifts, Saturday August 29 @ Nissan Arena, Brisbane
Melbourne Vixens – 63
NSW Swifts – 60
Score breakdown
Q1: Vixens 14 v Swifts 15
Q2: Vixens 16 v Swifts 15
Q3: Vixens 17 v Swifts 13
Q4: Vixens 16 v Swifts 17
Player of The Match
Jo Weston (Melbourne Vixens)
Vixens shooting statistics: 63/71 (89%)
Mwai Kumwenda: G1 46/49 (94%) G2 0/1 (0%), total points 46
Caitlin Thwaites: G1 5/5 (100%) G2 0/0 (0%), total points 5
Tegan Philip: G1 12/16 (88%) G2 0/0 (0%), total points 12
Swifts shooting statistics: 56/64 (88%)
Sam Wallace: G1 43/45 (96%) G2 3/5 (60%), total points 49
Helen Housby: G1 3/3 (100%) G2 1/3 (33%), total points 5
Sophie Garbin: G1 6/8 (75%) G2 0/0 (0%), total points 6
Firebirds starting seven
GS – Mwai Kumwenda GA – Caitlin Thwaites WA – Liz Watson C – Kate Moloney WD – Kate Eddy GD – Jo Weston GK – Emily Mannix
Swifts starting seven
GS – Sam Wallace GA – Helen Housby WA – Nat Haythornthwaite C – Maddy Proud WD – Paige Hadley GD – Lauren Moore GK – Sarah Klau
Related—Super Netball Round Seven wrap up
Collingwood Magpies v GIANTS Netball, Saturday August 29 @ Nissan Arena, Brisbane
Collingwood Magpies – 54
GIANTS Netball – 69
Score breakdown
Q1: Magpies 19 v GIANTS 11
Q2: Magpies 13 v GIANTS 20
Q3: Magpies 11 v GIANTS 21
Q4: Magpies 11 v GIANTS 17
Player of The Match
Jamie-Lee Price (GIANTS Netball)
Magpies shooting statistics: 49/62 (79%)
Shimona Nelson: G1 37/43 (86%) G2 0/0 (0%), total points 37
Gabby Sinclair: G1 7/11 (64%) G2 3/5 (60%), total points 13
Nyah Allen: G1 0/0 (0%) G2 2/3 (67%), total points 4
GIANTS shooting statistics: 59/76 (78%)
Caitlin Bassett: G1 7/9 (78%) G2 0/0 (0%), total points 7
Jo Harten: G1 19/23 (83%) G2 8/11 (73%), total points 35
Kiera Austin: G1 23/28 (82%) G2 2/5 (40%), total points 27
Magpies starting seven
GS – Shimona Nelson GA – Gabby Sinclair WA – Kelsey Browne C – Molly Jovic WD – Mel Bragg GD – Jodi-Ann Ward GK – Geva Mentor
GIANTS starting seven
GS – Caitlin Bassett GA – Jo Harten WA – Kiera Austin C – Jamie-Lee Price WD – Amy Parmenter GD – Kristiana Manu’a GK – Sam Poolman
Queensland Firebirds v Adelaide Thunderbirds, Sunday August 30 @ Nissan Arena, Brisbane
Queensland Firebirds – 54
Adelaide Thunderbirds – 53
Score breakdown
Q1: Firebirds 20 v Thunderbirds 12
Q2: Firebirds 14 v Thunderbirds 13
Q3: Firebirds 12 v Thunderbirds 17
Q4: Firebirds 8 v Thunderbirds 11
Player of The Match
Tara Hinchcliffe (Queensland Firebirds)
Firebirds shooting statistics: 52/60 (87%)
Romelda Aiken: G1 40/44 (91%), total points 40
Tippah Dwan: G1 10/11 (91%) G2 2/5 (40%), total points 14
Thunderbirds shooting statistics: 49/62 (79%)
Sasha Glasgow: G1 21/25 (84%) G2 0/1 (0%), total points 21
Georgie Horjus: G1 19/22 (86%) G2 4/8 (50%), total points 27
Lenize Potgieter: G1 5/6 (83%), total points 5
Firebirds starting seven
GS – Romelda Aiken GA – Tippah Dwan WA – Jemma Mi Mi C – Mahalia Cassidy WD – Gabi Simpson GD – Kim Jenner GK – Tara Hinchliffe
Thunderbirds starting seven
GS – Lenize Potgieter GA – Georgie Horjus WA – Chelsea Pitman C – Maisie Nankivell WD – Shadine van der Merwe GD – Layla Guscoth GK – Shamera Sterling
West Coast Fever v Sunshine Coast Lightning, Sunday August 30 @ Nissan Arena, Brisbane
West Coast Fever – 80
Sunshine Coast Fever – 56
Score breakdown
Q1: Fever 20 v Lightning 17
Q2: Fever 24 v Lightning 8
Q3: Fever 19 v Lightning 11
Q4: Fever 17 v Lightning 20
Player of The Match
Verity Charles (West Coast Fever)
Fever shooting statistics: 75/83 (90%)
Jhaniele Fowler: G1 57/58 (98%) G2 0/1 (0%), total points 57
Alice Teague-Neeld: G1 7/10 (70%) G2 3/4 (75%), total points 13
Kaylia Stanton: G1 6/8 (75%) G2 2/2 (100%), total points 10
Lightning shooting statistics: 49/63 (78%)
Cara Koenen: G1 18/21 (86%) G2 0/2 (0%), total points 18
Steph Wood: G1 14/18 (78%) G2 7/9 (78%), total points 28
Peace Proscovia: G1 9/9 (100%) G2 0/1 (0%), total points 9
Annabelle Lawrie: G1 1/1 (100%) G2 0/2 (0%), total points 1
Fever starting seven
GS – Jhaniele Fowler GA – Alice Teague-Neeld WA – Ingrid Colyer C – Verity Charles WD – Jess Anstiss GD – Stacey Francis GK – Courtney Bruce
Lightning starting seven
GS – Cara Koenen GA – Steph Wood WA – Laura Scherian C – Laura Langman WD – Maddy McAuliffe GD – Karla Pretorius GK – Phumza Maweni