Last Week
Fever faced a dangerous Sunshine Coast Lightning side at home last weekend in front of a record 10,764 fans who spurred their team on to win 69-65.
The home side got off to a strong start winning the first half by 10 goals. Verity Simmons impressed with her high work-rate while Jess Anstiss and Alice Teague-Neeld, playing her 100th National League game, completed a dominant centre court performance.
Early in the third quarter, Jhaniele Fowler slotted in her 5,000th Suncorp Super Netball Goal on her way to 54 Goals for the game.
Not even a spirited surge by the Lightning was enough to chase down Fever’s lead and while it came down to the dying minutes, the team in green were able to hold on.
Over on the East Coast, the Giants played the Swifts in the Sydney Derby, falling by five goals, 68-63.
Despite an early lead, the Giants soon succumbed to the Swift’s pressure as the top-of the-table side flexed their muscles and held steady. It wasn’t until the third quarter Power Five where Giants struck back, scoring five Super Shots to take the lead just before three-quarter time.
The Swifts took back control of the match in the last term, to secure their eighth straight win and ensure Giants could no longer reach finals.
Match Ups
Fever’s defensive duo of Courtney Bruce and Sunday Aryang will have their work cut out for them to stop the Giants’ Super Shot ability.
Last time the sides met the Giants scored 15 Super Shots thanks to Jo Harten and Sophie Dwyer. Giants also proved the depth they possess last week as Matisse Letherbarrow scored four Super Shots in the third quarter.
On the other end of the court, Sasha Glasgow will be looking to repeat her previous performance against the Giants as she recorded a season-high number of Goal Assists and Feeds. She’ll have to contend with Amy Parmenter and April Brandley, who both boast international experience.
There will also be an electrifying battle in the centre of the court as Simmons will face her counterpart in Jamie-Lee Price. Simmons played one of her best games of the season against the Lightning with 22 Goal Assists and three Pick Ups. Jamie-Lee Price also shone last week as she produced 30 Feeds and an Intercept.
Last Time they Met
Round 2, 2023 Fever 74 defeated Giants 73
Back in Round Two, Fever and Giants met for a one-goal thriller in Sydney in a game that seesawed constantly.
After a cagey first 15 minutes, where neither side could manage more than a four-goal lead, Fever took control in the second term and pushed their lead to 10 goals before the Power Five. However, the Giants were able to maximise their Super Shot opportunities to bring the margin back down to four at the main break.
The away side steadied the ship in the third term as Anstiss moved to Centre and Glasgow took the Super Shot battle back to the Giants, as Fever ended up with an 11-goal lead heading into the final quarter.
Fever were able to hold on by the skin of their teeth as the Giants grabbed momentum in the final term and scored another four Super Shots to level scores with less than a minute to play.
It was the familiar suspect of Fowler who put through the winning goal with 15 seconds to play before Anstiss pulled off an incredible Intercept to quash any chance of a Giants’ equaliser as Fever secured the four points on the road.
Stats and Facts
Alice Teague-Neeld has had a stellar season so far this year and that is reflected in her numbers. She has recorded 293 Goal Assists so far this season, just 28 off her SSN record and 43 away from Fever’s SSN record. She has reached 28 Assists three times this season so could well break the side’s record before finals even start.
Fever’s defensive pressure will be important in this weekend’s game and last time the sides met it the team’s best performance in terms of Intercepts. Signs point to another quality display as last week Fever recorded a season-high 20 Deflections.
Match Preview By Oliver Lane
