Super Netball Round-Up: Firebirds legend’s snide remark, Fowler-Nembhard set to return and Diamonds struggle at Lightning

The tables have turned in Tremendous Netball — after two rounds of play, a powerhouse is caught on the backside of the ladder, while final yr’s troubled membership is on the appropriate path for redemption.

It is uncommon for the West Coast Fever to sit down outdoors the highest 4 they usually face a really explicit problem — how rapidly can they get taking pictures goal Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard again on courtroom?

The Queensland Firebirds 67-54 victory handed the Fever a second straight defeat as incoming coach Kiri Wills guided her staff to their first back-to-back wins to start out a season since 2016 — the identical yr they final gained a premiership — just for a Firebirds legend to make a snide comment in regards to the membership’s tradition.

The NSW Swifts and Melbourne Mavericks introduced us the match of the spherical, because the Swifts obtained it accomplished 68-62 on the again of a greater tremendous shot technique. An intense and bodily battle made for entertaining viewing, because of minimal interference from the umpires.

On Sunday, Shamera Sterling-Humphrey admitted she felt ailing all through the Adelaide Thunderbirds’ 60-45 defeat of the Sunshine Coast Lightning but it surely did not cease the objective keeper from racking up 11 good points, selecting up the participant of the match award and embarrassing a few Australian Diamonds alongside the way in which.

To spherical out the weekend, the Melbourne Vixens bounced again from their horror begin to the season final week, overcoming the Giants 61-55 in a grinding contest.

Should you missed it, don’t fret — we’ll get you on top of things with our Tremendous Netball Spherical-Up.

How badly do Fever want Jhaniele?

Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard has been the main objective scorer in each season of Tremendous Netball since she signed with the Fever in 2018.

All through that point, the 1.98m tall Jamaican has averted main damage to spearhead their assault with unbelievable accuracy and rebounding functionality.

For therefore lengthy the Fever’s sport plan has targeted on feeding a participant unmatched anyplace else on the earth and with that in thoughts it is no shock they’re struggling to carry out with out her.

Some ripping type from 21-year-old upcoming shooter Olivia Wilkinson of their pre-season, alongside one other certainly one of their Jamaican imports Shanice Beckford, gave followers possibly a false sense of safety about their prospects with Fowler-Nembhard off on maternity depart. Particularly as substitute participant and Malawi veteran Mwai Kumwenda continues to work on her health after having a child final July. She is but to play a full Tremendous Netball sport.

Two weeks into their official marketing campaign, the Fever have misplaced their opening matches by a mixed 31 factors and scored fewer targets than another staff (103).

It says loads in regards to the staff’s reliance on Fowler-Nembhard that their season now hinges on her return. Prior to now month, she has indicated her need to come back again and play after tragically dropping her child in January.

Netball Australia clarified that when Fower-Nembhard is again, Kumwenda will turn into a coaching accomplice and proceed to be paid the identical wage as her substitute participant contract. That is lined by insurance coverage cash and sits outdoors the wage cap.

So how rapidly may we see Fower-Nembhard hit the courtroom? And the way potent will she be after lacking your complete pre-season with the remainder of her staff?

No precise date has been locked in, however the membership has confirmed she has already accomplished the 4 weeks’ discover required to return to work from maternity depart. As quickly as she is cleared match by high-performance workers and the staff physician, she will probably be obtainable for choice.

With a break up spherical up subsequent, the Fever have gotten an additional week up their sleeve as effectively, that means Fowler-Nembhard could possibly be again throughout the fortnight to play the Vixens in Melbourne.

Former Firebirds take a shot 

The Firebirds have gotten off to their best-ever begin in Tremendous Netball and from the surface wanting in, the vibes are excessive beneath new coach Wills and new captains Hulita Veve and Ruby Bakewell-Doran.

Clearly the followers really feel they’re on observe to have a superb yr too, as Saturday’s sell-out crowd of 4,526 on the Queensland State Netball Centre set an attendance document for his or her first dwelling sport in a season.

There’s loads to have a good time as they attempt to depart the turmoil of final season behind, however what soured the lead to our eyes, was the disappointing angle of membership legends.

In an effort to restore the staff surroundings, Wills sat down the taking part in group and obtained them to re-watch the Firebirds’ trans-Tasman premiership wins of 2015 and 2016.

The legacy of the membership was at an all-time excessive. They have been the one staff to ever win consecutive titles within the mixed Australian and New Zealand league that ran from 2008-16.

Previous champions of this period Laura Geitz and Kim Ravaillion have been a part of these groups and have all the time been revered amongst the group for the way in which they left all of it on the road.

Younger netballers idolised them. They have been additionally widespread for his or her shiny picture. You would recommend their capability to toe the road gained them brownie factors with those who ran the sport.

Amidst the chaos of 2024, when Bec Bulley and the Firebirds parted methods with 5 weeks left to play, captain Ravaillion fronted the media and denied there was any animosity between the gamers and coach — regardless of a number of sources confirming in any other case.

Defender Remi Kamo and shooter Donnell Wallam weren’t re-signed. Each headed abroad for a recent begin and Kamo submitted an official grievance in regards to the membership’s tradition.

On the weekend, Geitz and Ravaillion appeared to mock the pair’s expertise once they shared a narrative to Instagram of the gamers singing the staff tune with the caption: “I reckon the tradition is in fairly secure arms.”

Sure, the membership might have turned over a brand new leaf, because of recent management and training personnel. However to publicly make this comment is one other occasion of key Firebirds’ figures suggesting there’s nothing to see right here and undermining the experiences of upset gamers.

Romelda Aiken-George, Beryl Friday and Helena Saunders are another examples of Firebirds which have left the membership over its historical past on unhealthy phrases.

Athletes must be inspired to talk up and comply with the complaints course of once they really feel like one thing is unsuitable — not ridiculed. This take from Geitz and Ravaillion solely reinforces the troublemaker narrative and the unfair energy dynamic at present in place within the sport.

Diamonds beneath the microscope

There was numerous critique about Cara Koenen’s unwillingness to aim two-point tremendous photographs over the previous two seasons. Koenen herself admitted final week that if she would not begin placing them up, she’ll turn into redundant.

Within the warm-ups you may usually see Koenen can shoot comfortably from that distance however there’s a hesitance and uncertainty from her in stay play.

All of this additional stress appears to have put Koenen off her sport and once you compound that along with her struggles towards Sterling-Humphrey on Sunday, it is clear she’s not in the very best type.

To take the warmth off the shooter and take a broader have a look at the staff, there’s one thing to be mentioned in regards to the type of their different Diamonds gamers.

Each defender Bruce and mid-courter Liz Watson left the Tremendous Netball golf equipment they’d been at for nearly a decade to affix the Lightning in 2024 beneath coach Belinda Reynolds.

Neither of them has accomplished groundbreaking issues because the shift. In reality, it seems like their sport has really regressed.

Watson should be tallying 41 feeds however the Australian captain has had 12 turnovers throughout two video games — greater than another Lightning participant. There have been footwork calls and some events the place Watson tried to feed the shooters and handed the ball straight to Sterling-Humphrey.

Bruce has battled damage. She nearly obtained a full sport in on Sunday (one achieve), however her 21-year-old successor Ash Ervin was extra spectacular in objective keeper (5 good points) and solely awarded 28 minutes of taking part in time. Bruce was additionally probably the most penalised participant on courtroom (18).

Does Koenen must elevate her sport? Completely. However why is the dialog round her type so sturdy for the time being compared to these different Diamonds?