There have been zero modifications to Tremendous Netball’s ladder positions after spherical eight.
Melbourne Mavericks and the Sunshine Coast Lightning have been locked in a battle for fourth place for the previous month. Tied for factors and separated by aim share, they’ve taken turns leaping out and in of finals rivalry.
However a slim victory for the Mavericks over the NSW Swifts 62-60 helped them break the impasse and declare the spot outright.
It should really feel good to have somewhat additional respiration room this week.
The Lightning have not overwhelmed the West Coast Fever at house in Sippy Downs since 2019 and that poor report continued with a 58-54 defeat.
Though aim keeper Courtney Bruce was in superb kind (9 features) two black eyes stole the present. This match obtained us fascinated about the physicality of the league and Tremendous Netball’s strategy to Satisfaction Video games.
Elsewhere, the Queensland Firebirds put up a a lot better struggle towards the Adelaide Thunderbirds of their second assembly of the season, sticking with them for the primary half. Alas, a poor efficiency within the last half-hour meant they succumbed an analogous destiny by shedding by 24 targets, 73-49, in comparison with 27 targets in spherical three, 73-46.
And regardless of nonetheless being winless in 2026, the younger Giants proceed to problem prime groups. In spherical 5 they fell to the Thunderbirds 56-54 and on Sunday suffered the identical shedding margin to the Melbourne Vixens 66-64.
They are not far off the tempo. If they will strategy every of their remaining matches with the identical mindset they could simply be capable of wriggle up the ladder and keep away from the wood spoon.
When you missed it, don’t fret, we’ll get you up to the mark with our Tremendous Netball round-up.
Satisfaction Video games in Tremendous Netball
For the previous six seasons, Satisfaction Video games celebrating LGBTIQA+ inclusion have taken place in some capability in Tremendous Netball.
Ash Brazill, chatting right here with reporter Brittany Carter, was the primary brazenly homosexual netballer all over the world. (Provided: Narelle Spangher)
Again in 2021, the now defunct Collingwood Magpies hosted the very first towards the Firebirds.
In 2022, the Lightning and Fever joined in.
By 2023, the competitors had launched Inclusion Spherical encouraging all golf equipment to place their very own spin on championing range.
Some selected to highlight multiculturalism or individuals with a incapacity, however most centered on Satisfaction initiatives.
Inclusion Spherical ran for 2 seasons earlier than being deserted for 2025.
Though the precise motivations had been there the message did begin to really feel watered-down and non-committal. The catch-all strategy made it laborious to observe and fewer highly effective.
Stacey Francis-Bayman seems to be to cross for the Fever in a Tremendous Netball match in 2021. (AAP: Richard Wainwright)
This weekend gone, the Lightning held its annual Satisfaction Recreation with the Fever. The rainbow bibs on the participant clothes and Progress Satisfaction Flag hanging within the stadium had been a lifeless giveaway however it went unmentioned on the host broadcast till the third quarter.
There have been no interviews about its significance within the pre-game and little fanfare on social media about it taking place within the lead up. Blink and also you may need missed it.
Now, because it was again in 2021 when Collingwood led the way in which, it has been as much as the golf equipment to execute any Satisfaction Video games. In contrast to the AFL who’ve one devoted weekend the place tips are given by the league and all people is on board.
Olivia Lewis believes Tremendous Netball ought to introduce an official Satisfaction Spherical. (Getty: Jason McCawley)
In spherical eight the Mavericks held their annual Orange Recreation which raises consciousness and assist for victims and survivors of household and home violence. The Vixens and Thunderbirds held Play 4 Pink matches within the struggle towards breast most cancers.
Was this an unofficial Inclusion Spherical, we questioned? Nope. Pure coincidence.
In truth, most golf equipment have plans to stage a Satisfaction Recreation this season. However all at totally different instances.
The NSW Swifts host theirs in spherical 9. The Queensland Firebirds will host one in spherical 10 forward of IDAHOBIT. The Vixens and Mavericks will host theirs in spherical 14 proper earlier than the finals.
Meaning the Lightning, Firebirds and Fever will find yourself that includes in two Satisfaction themed matches every. The Thunderbirds are the one workforce that will not characteristic in any.
Olivia Lewis performed for the Mavericks final season earlier than switching to AFLW. (Getty: Graham Denholm)
Former Tremendous Netballer Liv Lewis identifies as a member of the LGBTIQA+ neighborhood and says the very fact there’s presently only one brazenly out athlete throughout the league’s pool of 88 gamers suggests it ought to think about implementing a correct Satisfaction Spherical.
The defender who performed for the Fever, Vixens and Mavericks throughout the course of her profession determined to make a cross-code swap on the finish of final season to AFLW.
“It’s a bit wishy washy, I really feel just like the league’s strategy to these rounds is sort of like they’re afraid of any backlash in order that they take a step again and go away it as much as the golf equipment,” Lewis stated.
“We had the Inclusion Rounds whereas I used to be enjoying however it was very a lot as much as the interpretation of every membership, the league did not need to get on board with any neighborhood particularly.
“If you examine it to another elite girls’s competitors within the nation, netball is probably the most under-represented sport for the LGBTIQA+ neighborhood, so I’d have thought that was a purple flag and perhaps extra of an incentive to champion a full Satisfaction Spherical.
“Within the NRLW, AFLW and WNBL the numbers are starkly totally different. There are a plethora of causes for that, however it does spotlight to me how necessary a Satisfaction Spherical can be in giving that visibility the place it’s not presently.”
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As a participant coming by way of the ranks Lewis was impressed by greats like Ash Brazill and Stacey Francis-Bayman, brazenly homosexual girls enjoying on the prime stage of the game.
“There’s so many noble causes that deserve consideration however should you do all of them directly the affect it could actually really feel diluted — the messaging is not as potent,” Lewis stated.
“It is a laborious one, as a result of it isn’t about one neighborhood being extra necessary than the opposite.
“I believe it is improbable that First Nations Spherical has develop into such a transparent fixture for fairly a number of seasons now. It is even break up throughout two weekends so there’s the area for themed rounds that focus in on sure communities, however I might like to see the league buy-in a bit extra.
“I used to be actually proud to be part of the Mavericks final 12 months as the primary Tremendous Netball facet to really put on a Satisfaction gown, just about each workforce had simply achieved bibs as much as that time.
“Nevertheless it blows my thoughts that in 10 seasons that’s the solely time a workforce has achieved that.
“Tremendous Netball appears to be behind the eight ball.”
Leisure vs security
A number of weeks in the past we touched on the rising physicality of the sport and the way a stability must be discovered between leisure and security.
A query is the place that line is and the way a lot accountability lies with the umpires in the case of defining these parameters, together with our considerations concerning the touchdown area being taken out from underneath gamers.
Gerard Murphy is in his first 12 months as head coach of a Tremendous Netball facet. (Getty: Kelly Defina)
Because the rounds have gone on there have been greater penalty counts, loads of gamers hitting the deck and coaches voicing their ideas about participant welfare — particularly with so many accidents hampering groups throughout the league.
An interview Mavericks coach Gerard Murphy gave to Fox Netball added one other aspect the place he shared his attention-grabbing method of assessing his workforce’s penalty depend and its effectiveness based mostly on its ratio to features.
What that system would not take note of is the sorts of contact. Is it late, is it harmful, or is it a good contest and simply normal play?
A detailed up of Cara Koenen’s black eye. (Getty: Mackenzie Sweetnam)
Within the first quarter of the Lightning and Fever match, aim assault Cara Koenen copped an elbow to the face. Her left eye bruised rapidly.
In some unspecified time in the future her direct opponent, aim defence Fran Williams, was additionally hit within the face and her proper eye started to swell.
Each gamers had been noticed icing their faces within the breaks.
Though these incidents had been clearly unintended we must be cautious we do not go down the trail of glorifying a lot of these accidents.
There have been a whopping 120 penalties on this recreation (Lightning 74, Fever 46). Within the Vixens and Giants match that adopted there have been 149 (Vixens 71, Giants 78).
Perhaps its time the league thought of a crackdown on harmful play?
