The final two video games have been performed of Tremendous Netball spherical three, with the league internet hosting a break up spherical throughout the Easter and ANZAC weekends.
On Saturday, the Sunshine Coast Lightning continued their dominance over the Firebirds within the Queensland derby, 64-50.
That marks six straight victories for the Lightning in opposition to their state rivals and 13 wins of their complete 18 conferences all through the historical past of the league.
Particular visitor Robert Irwin might have stolen the present at UniSC firstly of the night time, as he attended his first Tremendous Netball sport down the street from Australia Zoo and despatched the group right into a frenzy.
However two lengthy bombs within the closing minute had fully shifted the main focus in the direction of Cara Koenen by the top. Because the objective shooter celebrated her a centesimal milestone sport by sinking her first tremendous shot in two years.
On Sunday, the West Coast Fever secured their first victory of the season, defeating the Melbourne Vixens on their residence courtroom at John Cain Enviornment, 67-57.
Rob Irwin attends his first Tremendous Netball sport, delivering the match ball. (Getty: Russell Freeman)
All eyes had been on Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard as she returned to courtroom after a heartbreaking miscarriage in January. Regardless of lacking your entire pre-season, the Jamaican’s impression was felt instantly in a Participant of the Match efficiency.
In the event you missed it, don’t be concerned — we’ll get you on top of things with our Tremendous Netball Spherical-Up.
Fowler-Nembhard fires up Fever
The headline act of spherical three was the return of Fowler-Nembhard.
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The Fever objective shooter was initially supposed to sit down out the 2025 season on maternity depart however tragically misplaced her child in January. Final month, she gave her 4 week’s discover required to return to the membership surroundings, desiring to make a comeback.
However there was a cloud of thriller across the timing of her return, primarily based on when she can be cleared by the physician and excessive efficiency workers to truly play.
The Fever might have appeared stable within the pre-season Group Women Cup event with out Fowler-Nembhard, the place they completed runners as much as the Adelaide Thunderbirds within the closing by one objective.
However they’ve struggled to seek out kind within the first two weeks of the official season — notably in terms of feeding the circle and getting fast factors on the scoreboard.
Two heavy losses by 18 and 13 targets noticed them sink to the underside of the ladder. Plus, they’d scored lower than another crew within the league.
The membership had been dealt one other blow when information broke final Tuesday that defender Ruth Aryang had been dominated out or the remainder of the season after rupturing her achilles tendon at coaching. Her older sister Sunday was unavailable for spherical three too with an ankle niggle.
Ruth is because of have surgical procedure this week, whereas Sunday is predicted again for spherical 4.
Principally, the Fever wanted Fowler-Nembhard again within the line-up ASAP and on Friday, two days earlier than the match, the crew was introduced. Fowler-Nembhard’s identify was there and are available sport day, she completely delivered.
The five-time Tremendous Netball MVP tallied 59 targets at 97 per cent accuracy.
Sunday Aryang is predicted to be again on courtroom in spherical 4. (Getty Photographs: Chris Hyde)
However as her head coach Dan Ryan identified, after a lot emotional turmoil, what was really extra vital than the end result was how Fowler-Nembhard felt.
Judging by the smile on her face, she was comfortable to be again.
“We actually acknowledge the importance of right now [for Jhaniele] … She was enterprise as regular, with an incredible degree of calm and composure about her,” Ryan stated.
“She cherished it, and I feel that is crucial factor, all of us stated this to her forward of the sport, it is about getting on the market and doing what you like.
The Vixens tried two totally different objective keepers in opposition to Fowler-Nembhard. (Getty: Daniel Pockett)
“She seems to be superb, and I simply love seeing the arrogance that she instils in everybody that she performs with … We have actually missed her management, and she or he introduced us to life.”
Enormous kudos should go to defenders Fran Williams and Kadie-Ann Dehaney who had 14 good points between them. Each imports performed out of their skins within the absence of the Aryang sisters.
The unsung heroes of the night time had been Jess Anstiss and Jordan Cransberg within the midcourt. Because the Fever pair smothered Vixens wing assault Hannah Mundy and broke the hyperlink within the opposition’s entrance line to create alternatives for Dehaney to have a crack at unfastened ball.
Now Fowler-Nembhard is again, substitute participant Mwai Kumwenda has been relegated to a coaching companion and is predicted to hit the courtroom for the Fever in Tremendous Netball Reserves.
The one query remaining is what’s Ryan’s succession plan for the longer term?
If Fowler-Nembhard was to attempt for a child once more on the finish of this season, then in 2026 they’d doubtless discover themselves again in the identical sinking ship.
Koenen’s first tremendous shot in two years
There was quite a bit stated about Cara Koenen and the tremendous shot.
Koenen’s dip in kind and lack of tremendous photographs has been a speaking level. (Getty: Jason McCawley)
Because the Lightning’s third shooter Reilley Batcheldor additionally turns into extra prolific in that space, pushing for elevated courtroom time, there’s an ongoing battle between these two as to who will get to companion captain Steph Fretwell within the circle.
However on the weekend, in her a centesimal Tremendous Netball look — all as a one membership participant — Koenen slotted two tremendous photographs within the closing minute to shrug off the criticism. Her fist pump and beaming expression tell us precisely how she felt about it too.
It has been attention-grabbing to see how she has struggled with this rule innovation over the course of its six-year existence in Tremendous Netball.
Koenen was all smiles after celebrating her a centesimal match with two tremendous photographs. (Getty: Russell Freeman)
It was not a well-liked resolution and again then, different nations overtly mocked it — querying how it will impression the world primary Aussie Diamonds crew.
Now it appears they’ve modified their minds. Because the UK Tremendous League, New Zealand Premiership and South African League all incorporate their very own model of a two-point shot for 2025.
| Season | Koenen’s tremendous photographs | Two-point accuracy |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 4/12 | 30 per cent |
| 2021 | 5/14 | 36 per cent |
| 2022 | 1/6 | 16 per cent |
| 2023 | 2/5 | 80 per cent |
| 2024 | 0/1 | 0 per cent |
| 2025 | 2/3 | 67 per cent |
However again to Koenen … Within the first two years, she appeared comfortable to place up a protracted shot, even when it hampered her general accuracy. Then over the previous three seasons, that confidence dramatically dropped off as she developed a little bit of a psychological block.
It was irritating for Lightning followers, as Koenen was typically noticed nailing them within the warm-ups and spoke about how she was actually making an attempt to work on that factor of her sport. Regardless of her intentions, it appeared the stress would turn out to be to a lot in an precise dwell match situation.
Hopefully this efficiency now provides her the idea in her skill to shoot from the white arc.
Koenen’s first two outings this season have not confirmed her finest kind and it undoubtedly felt like this end result, spurred on by the Queensland rivalry has helped to steer the shooter and her crew again on monitor.
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“Credit score to the crew round me, in addition to the teaching workers and my different shooters, as a result of I really feel their unwavering help every time I get myself into that two-point zone,” Koenen stated.
“It is undoubtedly been a brand new problem that I am making an attempt to tackle extra … on the finish of this sport the stress was off, so it was an excellent little confidence enhance.”
In keeping with Koenen, the membership moved “heaven and earth” to get her dad and mom to the sport from Magnetic Island, regardless of some well being points. Koenen plans to reward her taking part in costume, which has the 100-milestone printed on the shoulder, to her mum and pa as a thanks for his or her help.
Mahalia Cassidy additionally celebrated her a centesimal Tremendous Netball look alongside Cara. Which was a pleasant coincidence, as they celebrated their fiftieth look collectively again in 2021 too.
“To have the ability to share this milestone with Mahalia is absolutely particular,” Koenen stated.
“She’s been an enormous a part of my journey and is such a tenacious attacker and defender on courtroom, with a lot coronary heart and soul off it.”
