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Perth Now
4 days ago
- Sport
- Perth Now
Vixens to exploit home comforts in netball grand final
The Melbourne Vixens are aiming to go full throttle as they enter the dangerous comfort zone of hosting a Super Netball grand final. Vixens coach Simone McKinnis is urging her side to stay hungry as they prepare to take on a formidable West Coast outfit on Saturday at Rod Laver Arena. The Vixens booked their spot in the decider with a stirring comeback over the NSW Swifts, turning around a 10-goal deficit at the final change to win by one in the dying seconds. West Coast finished on top of the table but McKinnis's side avoid the RAC Arena fortress thanks to Super Netball's controversial policy of selling hosting rights for the decider. A hostile environment at RAC Arena went a long way towards helping West Coast undermine top-two side NSW, with the Fever pulling off a 77-45 semi-final mauling. McKinnis won't let her side become too carried away, given the Vixens' season almost ended when the Swifts powered to a 51-41 lead at three quarter-time. "We lacked a bit of dynamic movement and punch and attack at times," McKinnis said. "When changing in the defensive structures, we didn't adapt well all the time. "We've got to take what we have to out of this because up against a Fever, you don't get a second chance or a look. "They don't give you much chance." Vixens captain Kate Moloney, who played in the club's 2020 grand final win at Brisbane venue Nissan Arena during COVID-19, can only imagine the bonus of creating a fortress for a decider. "It hasn't quite sunk in. That game, just the fight that we showed, I'm pretty exhausted right now," Moloney said. "It's amazing that we get to have (a grand final) at home. "The last grand final that we won was in a hub, and we didn't get to share that with our Melbourne Vixens fans. "They've been with us this whole time. They've sold out John Cain Arena each week. "It's an amazing reward for them as well, that we get to go home and we get the opportunity to hopefully go all the way." The NSW Swifts were left lamenting what could've been after suffering straight-sets finals exits. "We probably just looked a bit too far ahead today," Swifts co-captain Maddy Turner said. "We probably saw ourselves already like, that foot in the grand final at three-quarter time, so again, another learning."
West Australian
4 days ago
- Sport
- West Australian
Vixens to exploit home comforts in netball grand final
The Melbourne Vixens are aiming to go full throttle as they enter the dangerous comfort zone of hosting a Super Netball grand final. Vixens coach Simone McKinnis is urging her side to stay hungry as they prepare to take on a formidable West Coast outfit on Saturday at Rod Laver Arena. The Vixens booked their spot in the decider with a stirring comeback over the NSW Swifts, turning around a 10-goal deficit at the final change to win by one in the dying seconds. West Coast finished on top of the table but McKinnis's side avoid the RAC Arena fortress thanks to Super Netball's controversial policy of selling hosting rights for the decider. A hostile environment at RAC Arena went a long way towards helping West Coast undermine top-two side NSW, with the Fever pulling off a 77-45 semi-final mauling. McKinnis won't let her side become too carried away, given the Vixens' season almost ended when the Swifts powered to a 51-41 lead at three quarter-time. "We lacked a bit of dynamic movement and punch and attack at times," McKinnis said. "When changing in the defensive structures, we didn't adapt well all the time. "We've got to take what we have to out of this because up against a Fever, you don't get a second chance or a look. "They don't give you much chance." Vixens captain Kate Moloney, who played in the club's 2020 grand final win at Brisbane venue Nissan Arena during COVID-19, can only imagine the bonus of creating a fortress for a decider. "It hasn't quite sunk in. That game, just the fight that we showed, I'm pretty exhausted right now," Moloney said. "It's amazing that we get to have (a grand final) at home. "The last grand final that we won was in a hub, and we didn't get to share that with our Melbourne Vixens fans. "They've been with us this whole time. They've sold out John Cain Arena each week. "It's an amazing reward for them as well, that we get to go home and we get the opportunity to hopefully go all the way." The NSW Swifts were left lamenting what could've been after suffering straight-sets finals exits. "We probably just looked a bit too far ahead today," Swifts co-captain Maddy Turner said. "We probably saw ourselves already like, that foot in the grand final at three-quarter time, so again, another learning."
ABC News
5 days ago
- Sport
- ABC News
Super Netball preliminary final — NSW Swifts vs Melbourne Vixens live blog, stats and scores
The NSW Swifts host the Melbourne Vixens in a sudden-death encounter, with the winner to face the West Coast Fever in the season decider. Follow our live blog.
West Australian
20-07-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
Super Netball 2025: Perth turns green as West Coast Fever thrash NSW Swifts in major semifinal
Perth turned green as fans flocked in droves to witness Super Netball history as West Coast Fever booked their place in the 2025 grand final. And the home side gave the 11,838 supporters that packed RAC Arena a show, thrashing the NSW Swifts by 32 goals in the major semifinal to extend their winning streak to a remarkable 13 games. And it was a party inside the venue as the 'Green Army' watched the record-breaking afternoon unfold in front of their eyes. Among the VIP invitees was Olympic polevault gold medallist Nina Kennedy, while Perth Lynx stars Steph Gorman, Alex Ciabattoni and Kiara White also turned out courtside. Liberal leader and former Perth Mayor Basil Zempilas also turned out to be part of the Green Army as he continues his rising political career. Education Minister Sabine Winton — who played netball at the Wanneroo Districts Netball Association — was also courtside, as was Netball Australia chief executive Stacey West who watched the heavyweight clash. Fever coach Dan Ryan praised the immense support they had all season which had helped drive them to a premiership. 'I always have a moment just before the first centre pass where everyone has got their mobile phones out and I make sure I do a 360 and take in the experience because it's so easy to take this for granted,' he said. 'It's the best netball arena in the world; it's in front of the most passionate fans in terms of numbers and merchandise in this competition. It's something to be very connected to because it's not normal, it's elite. We really try to embrace that. 'You do take it in because they're very much a part of the journey and you've got to make sure that you embrace that. What we get to do here is something pretty special.'
West Australian
20-07-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
Super Netball 2025: West Coast Fever thrash NSW Swifts to book place in grand final
A merciless West Coast Fever are on the verge of Super Netball immortality, thrashing NSW Swifts by 32 goals in a record-breaking major semifinal victory to book the first place in this year's decider. Fever are one win away from a second premiership in their history, extending their league-record winning streak to 13 games with a 77-45 victory at RAC Arena on Sunday. They will now await the winner of the preliminary final between the NSW Swifts and Melbourne Vixens next weekend to determine who they will face in this year's grand final at John Cain Arena on August 2. And it was on the back of shooter Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard who equalled her own record for most goals in a final with 67 to send them into the biggest game of the year in front of 11,838 fans. In defence Sunday Aryang was clinical with seven gains and three deflections, while Kadie-Ann Dehaney kept prized Swifts recruit Grace Nweke to only 23 goals. New Diamond Alice Teague-Neeld was exceptional with 26 goal assists and 35 feeds, while Shanice Beckford provided plenty of nuisance value in goal attack. It took less than two minutes for Fever to get the first break in the game as the Swifts struggle to settle into the high-pressure final. Swifts centre Allie Smith was doing her best to try to rough up Fever counterpart Jordan Cransberg (22 goal assists), but she couldn't keep up with the midcourt dynamo. It took Fever only five minutes to gain a six-goal lead, forcing Swifts coach Briony Akle to call a time-out to try to compose the visitors. The crowd was silenced late in the term when former Fever star Verity Simmons went down with an ankle injury to send a scare through the Swifts camp. Fever continued to pile on the scoreboard pressure through clinical ball movement and the work of Fowler-Nembhard to lead by nine goals at the first break. NSW were their own worst enemies, coughing up eight turnovers to only three to Fever in the opening quarter. The Swifts needed everything to go right early but a pair of misses from Nweke opened the door for Fever to further take control on the scoreboard. To make matters worse for NSW, the Fever's defence began to have an influence as they started forcing turnovers and grabbing intercepts. Akle swung the changes, bringing Simmons back on into centre and the combination of Helen Housby and Sophie Fawns to try to bring them back into the game through super shots. By half-time the lead had blown out to a remarkable 26 goals, and it was not by if but by how many goals Fever would win by. The third term was a tighter tussle but Fever were still too strong defensively, as the Swifts did their best to close the gap through a series of late super goals. Fever coach Dan Ryan brought on rising star Olivia Wilkinson into goal attack to start the final term and she like her teammates had an instant impact with the first three goals. It looked as if the Swifts were going to win the last quarter until Fever hit some late super shots to ensure the crowd would go nuts and celebrate the most remarkable of victories.
