WITH the home stretch in sight now that we have surpassed the midway point of the 2020 Suncorp Super Netball season, teams will be raring to go to prove that they are capable of pushing the top teams and get in the way of a finals berth. This round will be a repeat of Round 5’s proceedings, with the Melbourne Vixens, NSW Swifts, Adelaide Thunderbirds and Sunshine Coast Lightning all coming away with wins last time around making for some huge matches.

Melbourne Vixens v. West Coast Fever
Saturday, 5 September

A huge match opens Round 10 with Melbourne Vixens hoping to solidify top spot on the ladder with a second win against the Fever, while the Fever have had an excellent run over the past few rounds and will look to continue that against the ladder leaders.

There are a couple huge matchups in this game, none bigger than the battle inside the goal circle between Jhaniele Fowler and Emily Mannix. Last time these two sides met, it was the defensive effort from Kate Eddy and Jo Weston out the front that hindered Fowler’s ability to find the ball and put up a winning tally, meaning the Vixens will want to match that effort while Fever’s Alice Teague-Neeld will need to do more than just spot Fowler at the post. Fever speedster Ingrid Colyer will miss this round after going down with a suspected knee injury on Thursday night, meaning the Vixens may need to shuffle their defensive unit depending on who gets the start in wing attack. Verity Charles has had a huge few rounds and will be tested in this one against an in-form Kate Moloney, while Liz Watson has been on fire this season so will be the real challenge out the front for the Fever. In the Vixens goal circle, expect plenty of rotations between Caitlin Thwaites, Mwai Kumwenda and Tegan Philip, with all three players offering something different to post against a hugely versatile Fever defensive unit headed up by captain Courtney Bruce.

NSW Swifts v. Queensland Firebirds
Saturday, 5 September

The Queensland Firebirds have had an excellent few rounds coming into a second match against the NSW Swifts, meaning that this match is well within their reach if they can negate the Swifts who are yet to really put a four quarter effort together despite sitting in second on the ladder. 

Romelda Aiken has been in fine form in recent weeks and is coming up against Sarah Klau in an enticing battle, with the goal keeper putting on a show in patches but not quite yet hitting the heights of her 2019 season. Tippah Dwan has also had a solid few weeks, using her footwork and speed to find space with ease, and will likely take on Lauren Moore and Maddy Turner in defence while Sophie Craig is a smaller option to rotate through if Paige Hadley takes a step back to wing defence once more. While Hadley has typically plied her trade in the attack, her speed to shut down Jemma Mi Mi could be critical here with both Maddy Proud and Nat Haythornthwaite more than capable of holding down the midcourt. Question marks are still around Swifts goal attack Helen Housby at the other end, with fellow goaler Sophie Garbin forced off the court with a rolled ankle during the week, making for an interesting circle if the duo both cannot take the court, especially given the form of Kim Jenner and Tara Hinchliffe down back for the Firebirds, with the height of Rudi Ellis a great option if needed to negate the effort of Sam Wallace at the post.

GIANTS Netball v. Sunshine Coast Lightning
Sunday, 6 September

GIANTS have had a frustrating few rounds on the court, only just getting over the line against the Firebirds last weekend and dominated by the Vixens during the week, and will be tested again this round by a tough Lightning outfit who come in off the back of similar circumstances. It was in this matchup back in Round 5 that Kristiana Manu’a was sent off which ultimately resulted in the Lightning’s come from behind win, meaning the GIANTS will surely be back with a vengeance in this contest.

For the GIANTS, three highly impactful goalers is the name of the game, with two of the three able to hit the super shot with ease and unafraid of the long bomb. Jo Harten and Kiera Austin are the go-to girls from range but with the likes of Karla Pretorius and Phumza Maweni lifting defensively during the week, expect a tough battle both inside and outside the circle. Laura Scherian and Laura Langman are always a tough ask, able to keep going and going, but with two great defensive midcourters in Jamie-Lee Price and Amy Parmenter able to take them on, this match will really be won or lost through the midcourt. At the other end of the court, Steph Wood has lifted her game after a slow start to the season, while Cara Koenen continues to exploit defenders with her smooth movement along the goalline, although Sam Poolman’s netball nous could see her step up to the plate to block the speedy goal shooter on the drive.

Adelaide Thunderbirds v. Collingwood Magpies
Sunday, 6 September

A massive match between Thunderbirds and Magpies will complete Round 10, seeing the Thunderbirds running out in front of a home crowd for the first time all season. But the Magpies will be on a mission to honour their fallen troops in Browne sisters Madi and Kelsey, with Madi announcing her retirement during the week and Kelsey out for the rest of the season to recover from a knee tweak.

While the Magpies are missing two of their leaders through the midcourt, the side held up fairly well during the week before the Swifts lifted their game, with Molly Jovic, Kelly Altmann and Mel Bragg all doing their jobs well and standing up to the Swifts’ rotations. They will come up against a tough Thunderbirds midcourt though, with Chelsea Pitman and Hannah Petty leading through the centre and some influential defensive midcourters in Maisie Nankivell and Shadine van der Merwe holding up ball movement. But where the Magpies may be able to get a look in is in the attack, with no confirmation yet whether Shamera Sterling will take the court after a nasty ankle roll during the week, though the remaining defensive duo of Kate Shimmin and Layla Guscoth is more than capable of holding up the defensive end. Shimona Nelson will want to lift her game after a sloppy few weeks on the court, aided by Gabby Sinclair, while at the other end expect Lenize Potgieter and Georgie Horjus to come out flying once more although a tough defensive duo of Geva Mentor and Jodi-Ann Ward will do anything in their power to block the pair from hitting the scoreboard.