Geitz’s name was not read out by national Head Coach Lisa Alexander at halftime, who revealed the squad for the upcoming Quad Series and Constellation Cup, after the star defender called time on her international career earlier this week – along with Susan Pettitt and Madi Robinson.
And Geitz put in a vintage performance to halt the Giants well-drilled squad and lead the Firebirds to an important win to stay in the hunt for a final’s position.
The Firebirds held the Giants to just nine goals in the second quarter and only 10 in the third, forcing the visitors to make multiple changes throughout the game in a bid to find a way through the Queensland defence.
The Giants found some of their mojo to win the bonus point for the final quarter, but the match was already lost, and the Firebirds had taken their foot off the pedal by that point.
One Firebirds player that was named in the Samsung Diamonds squad was goal attack Gretel Tippett, who performed incredibly and claimed Nissan MVP honours with 29 goals and seven assists.
Firebirds coach Rosalee Jenke made one change for this clash, elevating Townsville product Kim Jenner into the starting roster over wing defence Tara Hinchliffe – after her impressive performance last week against the Melbourne Vixens.
Match Ups
The numbers
| |
Firebirds |
Giants |
| Mins in possession |
34 |
25 |
| Gain |
15 |
5 |
| Intercepts |
7 |
2 |
| Deflections |
13 |
11 |
| Goal Shooting % |
78 |
84 |
It was a hot start for the Firebirds who dominated possession, forcing two turnovers and leaping out to a 5-1 early lead.
One of the Giants greatest strengths this season has been their transition speed, but the Firebirds were able to slow their march up court in the first quarter of this clash.
Tippett was excellent in the dying stages of the quarter, bamboozling the Giants defence before forcing a turnover herself, as the Firebirds took a 17-13 lead into quarter time.
Skipper Gabi Simpson led from the front early in the second term, ripping in an important intercept as the Firebirds increased their lead to 19-13.
It rattled the Giants, who began to make turning the ball over a habit.
The Firebirds were unable to punish them further on the scoreboard though and it was the Giants who managed to score a couple of settling goals.
A timeout didn’t steady the ship as the Firebirds defence continued to force turnovers and by the midway point of the quarter they had pushed their lead out to eight goals.
Giants shuffled the deck with Susan Pettitt and Jo Harten swapping roles on the offensive end, while Serena Guthrie swapped to wing defence with Jamie-Lee Price moving to centre.
The Firebirds defence – led by Geitz – locked the Giants down to just nine points for the quarter and the home side took the second bonus point and a 30-22 halftime lead.
Jo Harten scored the first three goals of the third quarter to peg things back for the Giants, but it all went backwards from there and the Firebirds streaked out to a 40-28 lead – their biggest advantage of the match.
The changes kept coming for the Giants as they desperately tried to stop the flow of goals, but the Firebirds onslaught continued – the home side taking a massive 48-32 lead into the final quarter – a margin too big to reel in.
Q1: Firebirds 17 v Giants 13
Q2: Firebirds 13 v Giants 9
Q3: Firebirds 18 v Giants 10
Q4: Firebirds 16 v Giants 18
Suncorp Super Netball premiership points
Queensland Firebirds 7
Giants Netball 1
Firebirds shooting statistics
Romelda Aiken 35/51
Gretel Tippett 29/31
Giants shooting statistics
Susan Pettitt 23/26
Jo Harten 25/29
Kristina Brice 2/4
Firebirds starting seven
GS: Romelda Aiken, GA: Gretel Tippett, WA: Caitlyn Nevins, C: Mahalia Cassidy, WD: Gabi Simpson, GD: Kim Jenner, GK: Laura Geitz
Giants starting seven
GS: Susan Pettitt, GA: Jo Harten, WA: Kim Green, C: Serena Guthrie, WD: Jamie-Lee Price, GD: Bec Bulley, GK: Sam Poolman
Nissan MVP: Gretel Tippett
