By Charlotte Knoke
GIANTS Netball produced a strong performance, winning by four goals against the Collingwood Magpies. Winning the first two quarters, the GIANTS were able to hold on and seal the win; their second of the 2023 Suncorp Super Netball season.
The Magpies scored quickly to get the game underway, but the defence from the GIANTS was strong which caused a turnover early in the first two minutes of the match.
Jodi-Ann Ward was great in the defence for the Magpies, getting a gain. But the Magpies were unable to hold possession as the ball spilled over the baseline, and the GIANTS were able to capitalise through Jo Harten.
The GIANTS’ defensive efforts were strong all the way down the court with Jamie-Lee Price getting a deflection, and the GIANTS converted.
A few wayward balls gave the Magpies possession once again, but Maddie Hay got an intercept and gave the home side a three-goal lead (9-6).
Magpies' coach Nicole Richardson called a time-out just before the Power Five to try and slow the momentum of the GIANTS.
Hay picked up yet another ball and the GIANTS punished the Magpies as Sophie Dwyer scored a supershot, bringing their lead out to six (14-8).
Price got another intercept, this time on the circle edge, and with a centre pass to follow, the GIANTS scored again.
Hay and Price were very strong in defence for the GIANTS, gaining multiple turnovers each.
Sophie Garbin scored a supershot for the Magpies which helped to minimise the margin, but Harten responded immediately at the other end with a supershot of her own.
Another supershot from Garbin and an offensive contact against Price allowed the Magpies to claw back a few goals.
It was a strong first quarter from the GIANTS, leading the Magpies 20-15 heading into the second quarter.
Both teams started the second quarter goal-for-goal for a while, but the defensive pressure of the GIANTS caused multiple turnovers and gained balls for the home side.
Shimona Nelson had a few uncharacteristic misses from right under the post during the quarter, which could be due to the immense pressure that the GIANTS defenders were putting her under.
Tilly McDonnell picked up a clean intercept and the GIANTS made quick work of getting the ball down to the other end of the court, where the shooter-to-shooter combination between Harten and Dwyer was looking seamless.
A fumble from Nelson was picked up by April Brandley and once again the GIANTS gained possession, but after a bit of back and forth, the Magpies regained the ball and scored through Nelson.
Maddie Hinchliffe came on in Centre for the Magpies, sending Molly Jovic to the bench, to try and disrupt the momentum of the GIANTS who were out to an 8-goal lead (28-20).
The Magpies attacking end seemed quite disjointed, and the GIANTS defenders were effective in shutting down Kelsey Browne’s quick feeds into the circle.
The GIANTS were also quite effective in shutting down Ward who is usually very dominant in defence for the Magpies.
A missed supershot from Garbin was rebounded by Nelson who scored for the Magpies, but the GIANTS kept their dominant lead against the visitors.
In the final minutes of the quarter, Kelly Singleton came on in GS for the Magpies to give them more options for long-range supershots, but it wasn’t to be for Collingwood.
A supershot on the buzzer from Dwyer punished the Magpies even more, and gave the GIANTS an 11-goal advantage heading into the second-half (36-25).
Dwyer scored to get the third quarter underway.
The Magpies returned to their starting 7 line-up with Hinchliffe going to the bench and Jovic returning to the court in C.
Amy Parmenter picked up a fumbled ball in the pocket and the GIANTS got it down to their shooting circle, but Price was called for an offensive contact and the Magpies scored.
A missed shot from under the post from Garbin was capitalised on by the GIANTS through Harten.
An unusually quiet Ward finally picked up an intercept for the Magpies who converted, and followed with a goal on their centre pass.
The shooting circle started to look a little stagnant for the home side but the GIANTS held on to their lead.
Both GIANTS shooters maintained 100% shooting accuracy in supershots until the Power Five where Harten and Dwyer both missed a supershot each.
The Magpies kept opting for 1-goal shots during the Power Five which meant that the margin stayed at 10. Nelson attempted a super shot but missed.
Dwyer also missed a supershot right on the three-quarter time buzzer, but the GIANTS stayed in control of the game.
It was an even quarter with both sides scoring 13 goals each, but the dominating first half from the GIANTS allowed them to go into the final quarter up by 11 (49-38).
Harten gained possession for the GIANTS off of the Magpies’ centre pass early in the fourth quarter and capitalised, with their own centre pass to follow.
Brazill moved into C for the Magpies and Hinchliffe moved into WD to try and switch up their strategy and confuse the opposition.
The GIANTS’ attacking end found their flow early in the final quarter.
McDonnell picked up an intercept in the air for the GIANTS, allowing them to extend their lead out to 12 (54-42).
Amy Sligar came on in WD for Parmenter as she seemed to be suffering a calf cramp.
Coach Richardson called a time-out to bring Singleton back on in GS as the Magpies needed to score supershots to claw back the deficit.
A misplaced pass from Hay to Harten gave the Magpies an opportunity to convert. Singleton and Garbin both missed multiple supershot attempts until Singleton finally landed one in. With a centre pass to follow, Singleton scored another supershot and brought the margin back to six (57-51).
Mentor also picked up a loose ball for the Magpies, but Brandley immediately reciprocated at the other end for the GIANTS.
Singleton scored yet another supershot for the Magpies in the final minute and suddenly the margin was back to four.
It was a strong fourth quarter from the Magpies, winning the quarter 17-10.
But the GIANTS were able to hold on and seal the win (59-55).
