By Chloe Pilkington
The Adelaide Thunderbirds secured a commanding 57-42 victory over GIANTS Netball, winning all four quarters at Ken Rosewall Arena. Demonstrating their exceptional depth and quality across the court, the reigning premiers have now climbed to second on the ladder, establishing themselves as a strong contender in the race to the finals.
All eyes were on the GIANTS in Round 10, with their formidable coach Julie Fitzgerald celebrating her 400th national league game. After coming off an all-important win last week against the Queensland Firebirds, the home side were looking to secure a back-to-back victory and keep their hopes of breaking through to the top four alive.
However, the relentless defensive pressure from the Thunderbirds, coupled with a high number of unforced turnovers, proved overwhelming for the GIANTS. This led to the home side finishing the game with their lowest score in Super Netball history, much to the dismay of their fans.
Both teams displayed composed netball in the opening minutes of the game, trading goals evenly until Tayla Williams' intercept gave the Thunderbirds the edge over the GIANTS. Play began to unravel for the hosts, forcing a timeout called by Julie Fitzgerald on the eve of the first Power Five. Super shot star Sophie Dwyer sank two crucial two-pointers to keep the GIANTS' spirit alive, but the travelling Thunderbirds took out the opening quarter with a 4-goal lead.
Momentum began to swing in the GIANTS' favour early in the second term, going on a 3-0 run to claw their deficit back to one goal. A clinical intercept by Amy Sligar was rewarded down the other end by Captain Jo Harten and the GIANTS took the lead for the first time of the match.
This lead was fleeting, quickly overshadowed by the Thunderbirds' intensified work rate across the court. Newly named Australian Diamonds squad member Georgie Horjus exhibited flawless form for her side, orchestrating cohesion in the attack line and delivering pinpoint passes to Romelda Aiken-George under the post.
Player of the match Latanya Wilson was another powerhouse player for the Thunderbirds, racking up three intercepts and five deflections in the first half alone. For the GIANTS, it was Jodi-Ann Ward who willed her side along with her relentless efforts. Ward finished on the highest Nissan Net Points for the GIANTS, along with three intercepts and six deflections.
With the home side conceding seven general play turnovers and only slotting in 8-goals throughout the second quarter, the Thunderbirds were able to push their lead out to 10 going into the main break.
Thunderbirds coach Tania Obst used the depth of her bench, bringing veteran Laura Scherian into the game at WA and moving Horjus into GA. The GIANTS were unable to quickly adapt to the positional changes, with the Thunderbirds going on an unanswered 3-goal run early in the third term.
After missing last week's game due to injury, GIANTS' fans were thrilled to see Matilda McDonell back into the starting line. Desperate to get back into the fight, an intercept from McDonnell over Aiken-George was a crucial win and sparked new energy into the home side. However, the Thunderbirds pushed their lead out to 11 goals with the GIANTS unable to treasure possession.
The Thunderbirds put their foot down in the final fifteen minutes of the match, dominating across all areas of the court. The long reach of Shamera Sterling-Humphrey took the wind out of the home side, with Sterling-Humphrey causing doubt into the minds of the GIANTS' feeders.
Despite two super shots from Sophie Dwyer in the final Power Five, it was a tough day at the office for the GIANTS, finishing on a concerning total of 31 general play turnovers and their lowest score in Super Netball history. However, the dominant performance from the Thunderbirds has sent a clear message to the other teams, with the reigning premiers gunning for top spot as the road to finals unfolds.
