Here’s something to cheer about! How good is it that the NSW Swifts are back! We wish them the best of luck with the rest of the season and can’t wait to see them in action. And here’s something else to be happy about… Save $75 on new comprehensive car insurance online* qbe.com/au *Conditions apply, read the PDS to decide if the product is right for you. QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited ABN 78 003 191 035. ROUND 7 Show your Support from Home! Captain'sColumn Welcome back to Suncorp Super Netball 2020 everyone and to another massive clash with the Sunshine Coast Lightning at Brisbane’s Nissan Arena. Check what goodies I have been very pleased by our team’s are inside our 2020 reaction since we last played the Lightning, Membership Packs! registering back-to-back wins after the Sunny Coast inflicted our first loss of the year in View Packages Round 4. The Queensland Firebirds really pushed us in the third quarter of our Round 5 clash, while Collingwood matched us play-for-play on the Match Broadcast weekend but I felt we showed good composure Watch NSW Swifts take on Sunshine Coast at the death. Lightning LIVE on Wednesday at 5:00PM AEST on That said, there are a lot of things we need Telstra TV or the Netball Live App. to improve. What we need to work on is making the most of the turnovers we create. Sarah Klau, Lauren Moore and Paige Hadley (where can’t Paigey play?!) have been superb in generating vital possession gains but we’ve not been converting. We must get better at this. Being the Premiers brings its own set of challenges but it is a problem every team wants STAY UP TO DATE so we need to embrace being the hunted. nswswifts.com.au The Lightning have been our biggest rivals over the past 12 months and they remain one of the standard-bearers of this competition. From a personal point of view I can’t wait to hit the court and face the likes of Laura Langman and Laura Scherian. They are brilliant opponents and players I want to test myself against. V There are similar battles up and down the court. How good is midweek netty? We play for the love and history of this amazing club. COMING UP IN ROUND 8: Together We Can. Go NSW Swifts. Melbourne Vixens v NSW Swifts Saturday 29 August 2020 Nissan Arena, Brisbane 1:00PM (AEST) Fixture subject to change. 3 MATCH REPORT Round 6 Recap The NSW Swifts claimed a thrilling 60-58 The Magpies had the chance to take a four- Round 6 Suncorp Super Netball win over the goal lead to the sheds but missed a Super Shot, Collingwood Magpies on Saturday, making it five resulting in a long-range pass from Paige Hadley wins from their opening six outings. to Sam Wallace who was free in the two-goal The Magpies were in search of their second zone. The Trinidad & Tobago international made victory of the year and pushed the Premiers to the no mistake, getting her side back on level terms limit in a tight game at Brisbane’s Nissan Arena. by halftime. The Swifts created plenty of turnovers in the The Swifts opened up a five-goal lead early opening exchanges however they didn’t convert in the second half but weren’t able to shake a on the scoreboard. Midway through the first dogged Collingwood outfit. NSW looked to be quarter Collingwood were only a goal in arrears managing the third quarter well but contrasting and when Gabi Sinclair landed the first Suncorp fortunes in the Rebel Power Five meant the Super Shots of the afternoon the Pies led. teams were still tied at the last break. Collingwood looked more composed at the The final quarter was a tense affair as the start of the second quarter and scrambled well sides went goal for goal early on. Confusion in to cause the Swifts a host of problems. Five the goal circle for Magpies allowed Housby the consecutive Shimona Nelson goals put the Pies in opportunity to add two more goals and put the control before the Premiers upped the ante. Swifts four clear. Confusion in the Magpies attack started to Sinclair had the last say with another two- creep in and the Swifts took their opportunities. goal shot but the Swifts ran the seconds down Helen Housby wasn’t afraid to shoot from range to win with defender Sarah Klau named MVP for and when she landed a pair of Super Shots NSW the first time this season. were back. Ladder leading into Round 7 P W D L GF GA % TOTAL Melbourne Vixens 6 5 0 1 382 324 117.9 20 Sunshine Coast Lightning 6 5 0 1 344 318 108.18 20 NSW Swifts 6 5 0 1 384 364 105.49 20 Adelaide Thunderbirds 6 3 0 3 331 343 96.5 12 West Coast Fever 6 2 0 4 393 408 96.32 8 GIANTS Netball 6 1 1 4 363 372 97.58 6 Queenland Firebirds 6 1 1 4 338 384 88.02 6 Collingwood Magpies 6 1 0 5 329 351 93.73 4 4 2020 ROSTER Your NSW Swifts VICE CAPTAIN Sophie Craig Sophie Garbin Paige Hadley Nat HaythornthwaitE Helen Housby C/WD GS/GA C/WA/WD WA/GA GA/GS 16/5/93 177cm 6/4/97 184cm 26/8/92 173cm 9/12/92 174cm 19/1/95 183cm @sophiebear135 @sophiegarbin @paigeyhadley @natsymone @helenhousby1 CAPTAIN LEADERSHIP GROUP Sarah Klau Lauren Moore Maddy Proud Maddy Turner Sam Wallace GK/GD GD/GK/WD C/WA GD/WD GS 30/9/94 190cm 30/1/98 184cm 4/12/93 174cm 17/12/95 183cm 16/1/94 193cm @sarahklau @loz_mooore @maddyproud @maddyturnerr @tallsamsam4 Extended Squad Briony Akle Anita Keelan Tayla Fraser Leilani Kelly Nic Styles Head Coach Assistant Coach Rohweder singleton 5 OPPOSITION Sunshine Coast Lightning CAPTAIN CARA KOENEN LAURA LANGMAN ANNIKA LEE-JONES PHUMZA MAWENI MADDY MCAULIFFE GS/GA C/WD GK/GD GK/GD WD/C 27/2/96 190cm 16/4/86 173cm 31/10/96 197cm 4/9/84 186cm 5/12/94 180cm VICE-CAPTAIN KARLA PRETORIUS PEACE PROSCOVIA JACQUI RUSSELL LAURA SCHERIAN STEPH WOOD GD/WD GS WD/C WA/C GA/WA 12/3/90 181cm 1/11/89 193cm 1/6/88 176cm 26/6/88 167cm 28/11/91 175cm EXTENDED SQUAD KYLEE BYRNE Binnian Hunt Ashlee Unie Head Coach 6 FEATURE A little update from Queensland We miss playing in front of our home crowds he Sunshine State has lived up to its to win back-to-back Premierships and a seventh billing so far as the NSW Swifts get title since the club was founded in 1997. used to calling Queensland home The locals also love their netball. The for the 2020 Suncorp Super Netball Sunshine Coast Lightning are the big show in season. town. There aren’t 50 pages of TIf you have to go into a hub THE SETTING MAY BE rugby league in the paper before environment, then the Sunny BEAUTIFUL BUT THE WORK netball gets a mention. Coast is a pretty nice place to Cameron who? Ignore the do it. Fantastic beaches, great AND EFFORT REQUIRED FOR footy players, on the Sunny weather, breath-taking scenery THE SWIFTS TO REMAIN Coast it’s Laura Langman and and a wonderfully friendly Steph Wood (both former Swifts) locals – it really is a little slice of SUCCESSFUL HASN’T who are the big news. heaven. CHANGED. THIS IS HIGH Obviously, the two-time The Swifts have made their PERFORMANCE SPORT AND champion Lightning are most home in Mooloolaba on the people’s team, but the Swifts Sunshine Coast, travelling in and AS THE SAYING GOES; FAIL TO have been fast to make friends out to Brisbane and Sippy Downs PREPARE, PREPARE TO FAIL. up north and don’t be surprised for games. if you see the odd Lightning fan On the face of it, the situation is pretty picture smile when Helen Housby sinks a Super Shot perfect: the Premiers getting to stay in one of (unless it’s against Sunny Coast, of course). the most beautiful parts of Australia as they look But hub life isn’t all sunny beaches and 8 FEATURE good coffee. The setting may be beautiful but the work and effort required for the Swifts to remain successful hasn’t changed. This is high performance sport and as the saying goes; fail to prepare, prepare to fail. “This is such a wonderous backdrop to stay in but we are not tourists,” Head Coach Briony Akle says. “The view from the office may be spectacular but we’ve got a job to do. “We are playing three games a week against the best netballers in the world in the fastest and most physical netball competition in existence. It's not home, but it's also not a bad backdrop for a media call It’s pretty crazy when you think about it, but that’s what 2020 has been for everyone. “A lot of people see the front-facing side, when the team have a rare day off and rightly make the most of this amazing region - but they don’t often see the extra training, team meetings, recovery and separation from loved ones that can balance your mood out. “Our players and staff have made a temporary home for themselves here but they “WE ARE PLAYING THREE GAMES A WEEK When Briony Akle isn't coaching, she's home schooling AGAINST THE BEST NETBALLERS IN THE WORLD IN THE FASTEST AND MOST PHYSICAL Arena.