Best bits from Round 10

It was a weekend of huge numbers and record-breaking performances. 

The Melbourne Vixens put on a clinic in front of their home crowd to topple the ladder-leading Thunderbirds.

West Coast Fever recorded the biggest score ever in SSN history, while the NSW Swifts proved why they're one of the competition leaders.

And there was a new shooting combination in town helping lead the GIANTS to a much-needed victory.

Here is a break down on the best bits from Round 10.

MANNIX MASTERCLASS IN VIXENS FORTRESS

The Melbourne Vixens came away as the big winners on Saturday night, with the 2022 minor premiers sending a statement to the rest of the Super Netball top four with a resounding 60-39 win over the ladder leading Adelaide Thunderbirds.  

And it was the often-unsung hero Emily Mannix who stole the show for the Vixens, putting on a defensive masterclass, rendering the Thunderbirds goal circle almost inactive after quarter time. 
 
Mannix finished the game with a match high 120.5 Nissan Net Points and had 11 gains and eight intercepts. The Drysdale product also collected six deflections and three rebounds in one of the better outings by a goal keeper this season. 

The 28-year-old was at her absolute best in the second and third quarters, helping the Vixens turn a three-goal quarter time deficit into a 17 goal three-quarter time lead, forcing Thunderbirds coach Tania Obst to bench her star English goaler Eleanor Cardwell late in the second term. 

The 21-goal win means the Vixens remain unbeaten at John Cain Arena this season and moves them to just half a game behind the top two sides on the ladder, leaving them nicely placed for a run at another minor premiership with just a month of the regular season remaining.  

Simone McKinnis’ side will go into each of their remaining fixtures as favourites, with this weekend’s home fixture against the second placed NSW Swifts a big test, before games against the Firebirds, Magpies and GIANTS to finish the home and away season. 

Last week’s announcement that this year’s Super Netball Grand Final will be held at John Cain Arena should be music to Vixens’ fans ears as well, with the possibility that the 2020 premiers could have home court advantage if they make the big dance.

A GIANT DUO

Life after Jo Harten isn’t looking as daunting as it did a fortnight ago for the GIANTS faithful after young goaling combination Matisse Letherbarrow and Sophie Dwyer helped lead Julie Fitzgerald’s side to a come from behind 70 – 64 win over the Sunshine Coast Lightning.
 
It was the second win in a row for the GIANTS without Harten on court and their fourth victory of the season, keeping their very slim finals chances alive, and Harten’s replacement has played a starring role in their successful fortnight. 
 
The 21-year-old Letherbarrow shot 42 from 47 attempts in the GIANTS 13 goal win over Collingwood last weekend, including five supershots, and followed it up with 46 from 52 on Saturday with another five two-pointers in another strong showing against the Lightning.  
 
Both Letherbarrow and Dwyer have been a part of the GIANTS program since 2020 when they both joined the club as training partners and this familiarity is regularly on show when paired together on court, with Dwyer finishing Saturday’s win with 15 assists, an improvement on her 11 against the Magpies in round nine.  

No timeline has been given on a return to court for Harten, meaning Letherbarrow is likely to be given more opportunity to grow at the elite level, with next weekend’s – very winnable - fixture against the Queensland Firebirds another chance for the up-and-coming shooter to test herself against the ever-improving defensive duo of Ruby Bakewell-Doran and Remi Kamo. 

And whilst all of the orange army will be eager to see their inspirational leader Harten back fit and firing sooner rather than later, watching Letherbarrow and Dwyer combine on court should give them plenty of reasons to be bullish about their future in the meantime. 

FEVER’S RECORD-BREAKING WIN

Big scores are back, and in a big way.

The West Coast Fever broke the record for most points scored in a Suncorp Super Netball match, after putting a staggering 97 on the board against a struggling Queensland Firebirds outfit.

They put on a clinical display to run out 34-goal victors (97-63) in front of a home crowd at RAC Arena.

After a disappointing one goal loss last week, the Fever came out with a point to prove.

Courtney Bruce had a day out, earning 12 gains – six of those were intercepts. While Alice Teague-Neeld had 43 feeds.

Jhaniele Fowler slotted 53/60 and was backed up by Sasha Glasgow who scored 14 super shots.

The huge win boosted the Fever’s percentage to more than 112 (the best in the competition) which could prove handy as we get to the pointy end of the season.

The Fever will have a bigger task on its hands this weekend though, when they travel to Adelaide to face the ladder-leading Thunderbirds.