After a record equaling 80-goal performance, the Swifts look dangerous but they sit second on the ladder behind a Vixens team that hasn’t lost a quarter since the first of the season.
But, the red hot Sunshine Coast Lightning are right behind them and look the team most likely to challenge in the early stages of the season.
Let’s take a closer look at the Round 4 games, with some help from the legendary Laura Geitz.
Game 1 – Collingwood Magpies Vs Adelaide Thunderbirds
The only Friday night game of the season is sure to be beauty, as both the Magpies and Thunderbirds will be desperate to get their first wins since Round 1.
The Magpies came into the season as premiership favourites, but will be disappointed with their performances in the last two rounds, losing to the win-less GIANTS last week and drawing with the Firebirds in Round 2.
After two weeks on the road, maybe a game in-front of the home faithful will be exactly what they need against an Adelaide team who came out firing in Round 1 but have stalled since then.
Shimona Nelson’s first game against her old team should have her fired up and her mouth watering match-up against fellow Jamaican dynamo Shamera Sterling is Geitz’s key-match up of the game.
“Nelson is going to have that fire in her belly you always get when you’re playing against your old team. And the two Jamaican’s will really know each other’s games.”
“But Sterling is playing such great netball for Adelaide right now. If Shimona can’t figure her out, the Magpies are going to struggle to find another way to to score.”
Game 2 – NSW Swifts Vs Sunshine Coast Lightning
The game of the round, if not of the season so far, is a clash between two offensive juggernauts in the Swifts and Lightning.
The Lightning have scored an incredible 151-goals in the last two weeks, including a record breaking 80-goal performance in Round 2.
But the Swifts are fresh off dropping 80-goals of their own, thanks to the incredible shooting efforts of Helen Housby and Sam Wallace as well as the phenomenal play of Nissan Net Points Player of the Week Paige Hadley.
She is in career best form right now and it will be up to Laura Langman to slow her down this weekend, a match-up Laura Geitz thinks could decide the outcome.
“Paige has had an incredible start to the season and this will be a great opportunity to test herself against, in my opinion, the best player in the world in Langman.”
“Both players do such a good job of dictating the speed of the game. It’s going to be great watching them try to match each other.”
Game 3 – West Coast Fever Vs Melbourne Vixens
The top of the table Melbourne Vixens will travel to Perth to take on a Fever team desperate to get their first win of the 2019 season.
Without their number one defender and captain Courtney Bruce, the Fever have given up a record 160-goals in the last two weeks.
And it doesn’t get any easier in Round 4, playing against a Vixens team that has won an incredible 11 of 12 quarters to start the year.
If the Fever are going to pull off an upset Jhaniele Fowler and Kaylia Stanton are going to have to get on the same page in attack and Jess Anstiss is going to have to shut down Liz Watson, a task Laura is calling the match-up of the game.
“Jess has been solid and you can see that she’s playing with a lot of heart. With Courtney (Bruce) out, I feel like she is the kind of player who can step up and take the reins.”
“She’ll have to be at her best to stop Lizzy, who is so good around the circle edge and is so relentless. It’s a huge test for Jess and I think she’s up for it.”
Game 4 – Queensland Firebirds Vs GIANTS Netball
The final match of the round will see the win-less Firebirds host the GIANTS who are fresh off winning their first game of the 2019 season.
The GIANTS looked shaky in rounds 1 and 2, particularly in attack where Jo Harten and new recruit Caitlin Bassett didn’t seem to be on the same page. But things really started to come together in Round 3, which should have the other seven teams on high-alert.
The Firebirds have looked good at times this year but have had some major consistency issues. They will have to lift if they want to knock off the visiting GIANTS.
And that all starts in the engine room, where Firebirds captain Gabi Simpson will go head-to-head with the ageless Kim Green and try to frustrate an attack end still trying to find their groove.
“Kim Green and Gabs always have a good tussle when they play against each other. They are such fierce competitors and have been the focal points for their teams for a long time.”
“The GIANTS still look a little scratchy in attack so if Gabs can shut down Kim then I think the GIANTS are going to struggle.”
