In a stunning upset, the Adelaide Thunderbirds have dealt a decisive blow to the ladder leaders, the West Coast Fever, with an emphatic 18-goal victory. This defeat marks only the second loss of the season for the Fever.
The away side netted the first two goals, but the Thunderbirds quickly countered, finding free targets and keeping pace in a fast-paced, goal-for-goal opening term.
Shamera Sterling-Humphrey made her presence felt early, getting her hands on the ball within the first two minutes, though she couldn't quite secure it to make it count.
The Fever defenders focused on protecting the backspace with a split circle, aiming to stifle the tall timber, Romelda Aiken-George.
Meanwhile Tayla Williams shone early, racking up 53.5 Nissan Net Points, with eight goal assists, 11 feeds, and a deflection in the first term alone.
Latanya Wilson pulled off a crucial intercept, sprinting down the court to feed Georgie Horjus, who found Lauren Frew at the top of the circle, giving the Thunderbirds a two-point lead heading into the Power Five.
A dominant first quarter saw the Thunderbirds leading the West Coast Fever by five goals in front of an electrified home crowd.
The Thunderbirds carried the momentum into the second term, with Wilson soaring for another intercept, managing to keep possession in play even as she flew out of bounds. This play extended the Thunderbirds' lead and from that point on it was all Adelaide.
In a strategic move, Jordan Cransberg replaced Kelsey Brown in the C position four minutes into the second quarter, while Shanice Beckford stepped in for Olivia Wilkinson in GA, and Fran Williams took over from Kadie-Ann Dehaney.
Georgie Horjus’ work at ground level was crucial as the Thunderbirds pushed out their lead to 10 in the first eight minutes of the term, assisting Tayla Williams who was everywhere in the first half. They amassed a combined 146 Nissan Net Points, with 25 goal assists, 44 feeds and an intercept.
All eyes were on Horjus after her debutant inclusion into the Diamonds squad earlier this week.
Romelda Aiken-George soon gave the Thunderbirds their 33rd goal, from there, Fever’s backs were to the wall heading into the Power Five, amidst an Adelaide barrage.
The Fever's struggles with turnover to goal conversion were evident, with their rate at a mere 25% compared to the Thunderbirds' 75% in the first half. While Adelaide capitalised on every opportunity.
Shamera Sterling-Humphrey continued to dominate in defense, tallying eight intercept possessions by halftime, while Lauren Frew showcased her accuracy from long range, accumulating 42 Nissan Net Points to her name in the first half.
At halftime, the Adelaide Thunderbirds extended their lead to 15 goals over the Fever (39-24).
The third quarter got off to the best possible start from an Adelaide perspective, with Williams taking an intercept on the circle edge– leading to two consecutive goals and propelling them to their largest lead of the match so far (18 goals).
However, the Fever quickly stepped up their game, resulting in a quarter filled with back-and-forth scoring.
The Fever’s timing felt a bit disjointed at times and nothing was working in their favour–especially when Jhaneile Fowler-Nembhard and Alice Teague-Neeld missed consecutive Super Shots.
Diamonds invitee Lucy Asutin entered the game with three minutes left in the third term, making an immediate impact.
Despite the challenges, Teague-Neeld managed to sink a Super Shot with just 20 seconds remaining, narrowing the gap to 10 points.
With a momentum shift, the Fever gradually closed the deficit, bringing the margin down to 10 points and giving them a sniff heading into the final quarter (51-41).
In the final term, the Fever showcased moments of fluid play that seemed effortless, signaling a notable shift in energy and momentum, despite the scoreboard not reflecting it.
As the quarter unfolded like a marathon, the Fever's hopes began to dwindle.
Just before the Power Five, the Thunderbirds accelerated, extending their lead even further.
In a last-ditch effort, the Fever reintroduced Olivia Wilkinson into the game, but time wasn't on their side to make a significant impact.
Austin's successful Super Shot solidified the Thunderbirds' dominance, securing an 18-goal lead with only one minute remaining.
Adding insult to injury for the Fever, the reigning premiers capitalised on a missed shot, sealing an unexpected upset and claiming an 18-goal victory on the leader ladders.
