Super Netball round 13 results: NSW Swifts vs Sunshine Coast Lightning

The Australian

12 hours ago

Sunshine Coast Lightning have overcome a dismal start and dogged NSW Swifts pressure to claim a 71-70 victory and keep their Super Netball season alive.
Trailing with just seconds on the clock, captain Steph Fretwell sunk a long range shot to put her side in front and keep them in the hunt for a top-four finish, but they'll have to anxiously await the outcomes of other Round 13 games.
'The biggest thing for us is that we want to be brave and we want to have courage and that is something that this season we have shied away from. But that was a do-or-die moment for us and if it didn't come off and we had a one goal loss, at least we didn't walk off court and wonder what would've been,' Fretwell said.
It's a tough state of affairs for the Swifts who, earlier in the season, looked unbeatable but have shown chinks in their armour after dropping four of their last five games.
Given the loss, they'll stay in second place on the ladder, and are unlikely to reclaim the minor premiership or home final.
The lead changed throughout the match and the physicality amped up, such was the desperation by both teams for the win. Bodies were hitting the floor as both teams battled the nerves, the crowd and each other. In the end, it was Fretwell's cool head who nailed a supershot to secure the win.
The Swifts skipped out to an early lead with Sarah Klau wasting no time getting a positive stat on the board by collecting her first intercept at the two-minute mark. It was national teammate versus national teammate as she matched-up on Lighting's Cara Koenen, who made her return after spending two weeks resting a foot strain.
Koenen eventually got the wood over Klau, taking MVP honours along the way, as she nailed 48 from 57 including one super shot.
Steph Fretwell drained the decisive shot.
With Lightning's Courtney Bruce out due to a leg injury, the pressure was on young gun Ash Ervin to contain the Swifts' formidable goal shooter, Grace Nweke, who finished the match with 58 from 65 at 89 per cent but was shooting as low as 63 per cent at one point in the game.
The Swifts were forced to bench captain Paige Hadley at halftime due to load management. One of the in form midcourters of the competition, Hadley was spotted wearing a moon boot at the airport last week and with the team guaranteed a finals spot, they didn't want to risk a more permanent injury by allowing her to play increased minutes too early. Post match, Hadley said that had she been on court in those final 30 seconds, she would have encouraged her team to play around the ball a bit more before taking a shot.
'We will have to go back and look at it. Swifts of old used to hold the ball for longer [than 30 seconds] at times. We will have to go back and have a look at it. But I think we just weren't on the same page and we were thinking more about getting the goal in and then applying pressure on defence,' Swifts goal attack Helen Housby said.
Paige Hadley needed to be managed by the Swifts.
Goal attack Helen Housby started the match well but as she has done over the last few rounds faded away as the match, and physicality, wore on. Housby was not the only one coping knocks with the umpires ordering both sides to tidy up and, at one point, telling Lightnings' wing defence Mahalia Cassidy and Swifts wing attack Grace Whyte, to 'knock it off' as they got caught up in overly physical play.
DIAMONDS DILEMMA
The Diamonds squad is expected to be announced within the next two weeks.
Out of this game, it is safe to say that at least five players will get another call-up with a further two (at least) likely on the invite list.
The timing of Teigan O'Shannassy's lower back injury — which kept her out of today's match — could not be worse with many predicting she would receive her maiden invite.
She will be hoping that consistent form, and existing connection with Diamonds' Sarah Klau and Paige Hadley, is enough for selectors to take a chance on her.
DOMINANT THUNDERBIRDS STAY IN FINALS MIX
— Georgia Doyle
Inspired by MVP Latanya Wilson's dominant defensive performance, Adelaide Thunderbirds have kept their Super Netball finals hopes alive with a comfortable 60-49 win over the Melbourne Mavericks.
Known as Tarntanya Karntu for First Nations Round, Adelaide's 11-goal victory sets up an enthralling last game against Sunshine Coast Lightning next week.
The winner of that match will earn themselves a finals berth.
A brief third-quarter resurgence from the Mavericks had Karntu coach Tania Obst visibly frustrated, slamming her notebook to the floor as her team made a raft of uncharacteristic errors that saw the lead begin to narrow.
However, the Mavericks continued to be plagued by inconsistency and they were left with a margin too big to overcome in the last term despite a last ditch super shot effort from Uneeq Palavi.
Shimona Jok of the Mavericks competes with Latanya Wilson.
Despite missing finals, Mavericks captain Amy Parmenter has been vocal about wanting to mess with the placement of the top four. However, her side had limited impact against Karntu, who piled on the pressure from the opening whistle.
Wilson was at her best for Karntu, matching up against fellow Jamaican Shimona Jok. Finishing with a record equalling nine intercepts as part of her 12 gains, plus nine deflections, Wilson caused mass confusion for the Mavericks' attackers, forcing Jok to continually reposition to take the ball safely.
Georgie Horjus played a key role after being forced from the field with injury.
Reigning league MVP Georgie Horjus was forced from the court early with a thumb injury and was seen in tears on the sideline getting close attention from medical staff. She re-entered the court in the second quarter, and was key to Karntu pushing out their lead as the game progressed with 10 goal assists and only one turnover.
Lauren Parkinson, nee Moore, saw her first minutes for the Mavericks after she was signed for their inaugural 2024 season but ruptured her ACL before taking to the court. The defender played 16 minutes, and contributed one gain to the stat sheet.
Speaking to broadcast, after over 700 days on the sideline she said 'I feel elated. I have been on cloud nine all day. It is a very surreal moment to be here. I think I just really want to enjoy my netball. I am here for a reason and that's because I love it. And if I only have one more for this season I am going to take it with two hands and play for everyone that has got me here today.'
Tayla Fraser was a strong performer for the Mavericks, one of the few players with the patience to work the ball to the circle edge to find Jok. Despite some time on the bench she finished with 10 goal assists and 18 centre pass receives.
CAPTAIN FANTASTIC
Melbourne Mavericks' inaugural captain Amy Parmenter has officially put pen to paper for 2026, joining defender Kim Brown as the only two players signed to the club for next season. After two seasons where the team has failed to reach finals, despite a raft of international talent, there will need to be a few changes to their roster if they are to contest their first finals campaign.
UNLUCKY LUCY
Karntu shooter Lucy Austin has only taken the court for 26 minutes so far this season, despite being an invitee to Australian Diamonds camp in 2025. Standing at 190cm, and with the ability to hold, move and shoot from range, she would be considered hot property to most netball teams. Off contract heading into 2026, she is sure to be looking elsewhere, perhaps even overseas, to ply her trade.
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