Swifts stay unbeaten over the Firebirds as of Round 4 of 15 thanks to their comfortable 71-63 win earlier this afternoon on the home front at Ken Rosewall Arena. What a weekend also that rocks this place for NSW Netball with the Giants finally got away with their first win of 2025 following the one-goal win last night over the current champions Adelaide Thunderbirds by 64-63 – fantastic stuff.
Gotta say it was a tight first 30 minute distance with two decent goal shooters wanting goals so badly at each circle end.
However, it seems the Swifts’ use of subs where they’ve put on Maddy Turner for Teigan O’Shannessy along with Allie Smith at Centre, and pushing Paige Hadley to WA by hauling off Verity Simmons proved to be a game changer that Firebirds did not see coming.
Yes, goals were there from Firebirds too but the way they go back and forth jn and out of the circle with a touch of ill-discipline does little to help alienate Swifts, as if they were illusionists going up against a well-experienced back two.
Top 3 players of the afternoon
NSW Swifts
A keen fisherwoman, Sharni Lambden has been capturing those brilliant moments that makes the Firebirds so hard to unpack in the long game at Wing Defense for the Swifts. She has clearly set the benchmark between a tight first half-hour to an almighty unbeaten home win in the end in the same way Sharni throws at her other attacking end as always every time.
A few other Swifts players did so well with praise to Briony Akle on using her subs right that slowed the Firebirds’ momentum after half-time but England’s Helen Housby & also longtime stalwart here did the hard yards. Not only her class is permanent every time the ball is front of her to shoot inside the circle or within it at Super Shots, Helen also provided an excellent pass structure that resonates with her mid-courters where Swifts were unmatched in one area unlike Firebirds.
Plus, shoutout to the Silver Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua helping Briony out once again along with Grace as her player too but in the Swifts camp.
Here’s hoping that exception can be accepted by Netball New Zealand so Nweke can still play for them later this year. And yeah, Kiri Wills lost to Nweke yet again (Auckland-based rivalry) with another one to still play but on Kiri’s home side at Nissan Arena for Round 14 in mid-July.
Queensland Firebirds
And another England International also did well but with the Firebirds, Imogen Allison knows how to make things click at centre where restarts & inside crosses were made every time she has the Gilbert ball.
It’s damning their attacking plan with the tall Mary Chlohok showed cracks of hesitancy & miscommunication and that’s where the Swifts were right on the money as Firebirds better be on the same page next time.
