2023 was history-making for the Adelaide Thunderbirds.
The side lifting the Suncorp Super Netball premiership trophy for the first time after years of building towards the competition’s biggest prize.
The team finished the home-and-away season second on the ladder and with the determination to go all the way.
Nine wins, four losses and one infamous draw, the Thunderbirds hit the court running in Round 1 defeating the Queensland Firebirds to set themselves up for their best Suncorp Super Netball season yet.
BEST WIN
The Thunderbirds had no shortage of great wins in 2023. From the extra time victory against the Swifts in the Grand Final to their previous extra time heartstopper in the major semi final.
Week in, week out fans were glued to the Thunderbirds wondering just how far the side could go after finishing seventh in 2022.
The Thunderbirds faced their doubters head on, proving that they had what it takes to achieve every young netballer's dream.
The Thunderbirds won multiple close matches against the Swifts. It was no easy feat with one-goal victories against the 2022 premiers West Coast Fever in Rounds 11 and 6. The Thunderbirds battled their way through, winning a total of six matches that were decided by four goals or less.
However, the side’s best win during the season was against the Melbourne Vixens in Round 5. The 11-goal victory marking the first time many started to pay attention to the Thunderbirds as serious premiership contenders.
At home in Adelaide against one of last season’s best sides the Thunderbirds were firing on all cylinders.
After an even first quarter they upped the ante in the second term effectively shutting down the Vixens across the court before running out the match convincingly in front of a sea of pink.
Latanya Wilson was phenomenal throughout the match totalling three gains while keeping Vixens co-captain Liz Watson uncharacteristically quiet.
GAMECHANGER
Although there’s a handful of Thunderbirds players that could be named the team’s gamechanger in 2023, it’s hard to look past Visit Victoria Grand Final MVP Eleanor Cardwell as the Thunderbirds’ best player.
Eleanor Cardwell ranked third in the league for Super Shots on 2023.The addition of Cardwell to the shooting circle solved a piece of the puzzle the Thunderbirds had been missing in previous years.
Adding strength, speed and the confidence to slot the long shots under pressure, Cardwell quickly made her mark.
She finished third in the league for Super Shots with 61 shot and her ability to absorb pressure and lead from the front in the high stakes moments was invaluable to the side.
FOCUS AREA
The majority of wins for the Thunderbirds in 2023 were by four goals or less, although it makes for an interesting competition the Thunderbirds will want to stamp their authority early to prevent the opposition from working their way back into the games next season.
The side’s consistency fluctuated with opposition teams cutting down their leads with mistakes starting to creep into their game.
Although this wasn’t always the case, the grand final was a prime example with the Thunderbirds allowing the Swifts to come back from an eight-goal deficit at halftime to be level at the end of normal time. Although the Thunderbirds went on to win, it’s an area they’ll want to improve on despite playing some of their best netball throughout that match.
It’s no secret the Thunderbirds are strong in defence and attack with a midcourt that continues to get the job done, however, the latter is the area of the court that the Thunderbirds could benefit from bolstering their squad.
The Thunderbirds should aim to attract the likes of an Amy Parmenter to South Australia to improve the side’s competitiveness through the midcourt with Parmenter finishing the season with 34 gains and 24 intercepts.
