By Matt Fotia
It all started so well for the Swifts.
The NSW outfit looked to have put their agonising 2023 Grand Final defeat behind them when they took out the Suncorp Team Girls Cup and put themselves amongst the favourites to take of the SSN title.
But a combination of injuries, off court issues and an overwhelming lack of confidence culminated in the 2023 runners up not only missing the finals but trying to avoid the wooden spoon.
The Swifts finished the season with four wins for the year, but won just one of their last eight fixtures, going on a seven-game losing streak after round six, with round seven a particular low point, when the Thunderbirds kept them to just 33 goals.
The Swifts suffered four losses by more than 16 goals in 2024 and were off the boil in defence, conceding the most penalties of any side for the year and ranked last for gains and intercepts.
They remained the best exponents of the super shot, ranked first with 130 successful attempts and were ranked fifth for overall points scored and points conceded, despite the woeful run of form.
BEST WIN
They absolutely smashed the GIANTS in round six, but it was the Swifts thrilling one goal win in round 14 was their best win of the season.
Contextually this game had it all.
The Swifts had gone almost two months without a win and were facing the very real possibility of losing to their crosstown rivals and ‘winning’ the wooden spoon all at once.
Trailing by four at three quarter time the Swifts pulled together for one final push.
Replacement player Uneeq Palavi shot a perfect 17 from 17 in the final quarter and Paige Hadley went to another level with 12 feeds and eight assists.
The Swifts managed to open up a six-goal lead, which was pegged back by the GIANTS before Palavi cooly slotted the game winner with three seconds left.
Emotion poured out of the Swifts players after the final whistle, as if a giant weight had been lifted from their collective shoulders.
The Swifts finished their season on a high with a thrilling win over the GIANTS.MVP
Helen Housby wasn’t her usual self in 2024, much like the rest of her NSW Swifts teammates, but was still one of the best players in the competition.
The England spearhead was asked to carry a lot more of the scoring load in 2024 in the absence of a consistent goaling partner, but still managed to finish the season with 131 assists, notching up 10 or more in six games throughout the season.
She led the league for successful super shots and worked well with holding shooter Palavi in the later period of the season, something Swifts fans will hope continues alongside big signing Grace Nweke and understudy Sophie Fawns in 2025.
Helen Housby was the Swifts best in 2024.FOCUS AREA
The biggest focus for the Swifts this off-season is achieving a full-blown reset.
This team has earned the right to claim season 2024 as a mulligan and should enter the 2025 season with a clean slate.
Aside from clearing their heads, they can look at ways to make the most of their defensive pressure.
Yes, they conceded the most penalties in the competition this season, but they were ranked last for gains, despite creating the second most deflections in 2024. If they can start to convert more of those deflections into gains, they should improve at both ends of the court.
They’ll want to get skipper Maddy Proud back to full fitness as well, with their enigmatic leader missing a handful of games throughout the year through injury. Proud is so important to this Swifts outfit and mid court balance.
Victorian pathway product Sharni Lambden has joined the club, replacing Lili Gorman-Brown.
A defensively minded mid courter, who can also deputise in goal defence, Lambden will provide Briony Akle move cover and versatility in wing defence next season.
The Swifts can take some learnings from the Lightning as well when it comes to embedding a big star like Grace Nweke into their fold.
The Lightning grabbed some big signatures during the signing window last year but showed connections are not easily created.
If Briony Akle and Swifts can get Nweke and Housby on the same wavelength, the Swifts will be climbing the ladder sooner rather than later.
