2026 SSN report cards

By Stephanie Smarrelli

The 2026 Super Netball season delivered just about everything you could ask for.

There was a new champion, fresh faces, breakout stars and results that left everyone scratching their heads.

Some clubs exceeded every expectation while others never quite found the consistency they needed to really be a threat.

Now that the dust has settled, it’s time to dish out report cards. 
 

Thunderbirds: A+
The Thunderbirds reclaimed the crown in season 2026.With only one loss to the Vixens in Round 6 there’s very little to fault.

The recruitment of Elmeré van der Berg and Kate Heffernan paid dividends.

The return of Shamera Sterling-Humphrey reunited the premiership-winning defensive trio of Sterling-Humphrey, Latanya Wilson and Matilda Garrett.  

Nothing summed up the Thunderbirds’ season more than the Grand Final. In front of a packed John Cain Arena, they dismantled the Vixens with a clinical performance that showcased exactly why they’re the competition’s benchmark.  

From pinpoint feeds to smothering defensive pressure, every one of the Thunderbirds played their role and excelled on Grand Final Day.

Wilson once again takes the honours as the Thunderbirds' MVP.

Her numbers speak for themselves; 72 deflections, 70 gains, 42 intercepts and 33 pick ups.

Add in the work she does to close space, build pressure and give her teammates opportunities to turn over the ball and you can’t deny Latanya Wilson is one of the best defenders in the world and critical to the Thunderbirds’ line-up. 
 

Vixens: B+
A B+ might seem harsh for a side that made the Grand Final and opened the season with nine straight wins but the Vixens’ second half simply wasn’t the same standard.  

They lost four out of their last five games before finals and then were demolished by the Thunderbirds in both the Major Semi and Grand Final.
For a team that looked unstoppable early in the season they lost momentum at the worst possible time.  

That said, there were still plenty of positives.

Under first-year coach Di Honey, the Vixens returned to the Grand Final – an achievement that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Their best win of the season has to go to the extra time thriller against the Mavericks in Round 3.  

The Mavs rocked up to challenge the then-reigning premiers, but the Vixens put their foot down showcasing their experience and will to find a way to win.

Sophie Garbin was prolific, aided by a sharp shooting Kiera Austin who slotted five Suncorp Super Shots.

Garbin was a deserving winner of the club’s Sharelle McMahon Medal but Kate Moloney deserves plenty of recognition too.

The heart and soul of the Vixens celebrated her 200th national league game this season and once again proved why she’s one of the competition’s premier leaders.

She tallied 1,364 net points, 430 feeds, 220 goal assists and 41 pick ups throughout 2026.
 

Fever: A
With club champion Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard and star defender Sunday Aryang missing from the court in 2026, plenty of people wrote Fever off before the first centre pass.

But if there’s one thing we’ve learnt over the years it’s to never underestimate West Coast Fever.

Romelda Aiken-George answered the call for Fowler-Nembhard, stepping seamlessly into the side and giving Fever the strong target in the circle that’s served them well over the years.

Without Aiken-George, it's hard to imagine Fever would’ve made another Preliminary Final, but she wasn't the only player to rise to the occasion.

Defender Fran Williams was outstanding all season, finishing with 62 deflections, 52 gains and 19 intercepts as she anchored a defensive unit that consistently kept Fever in contests.

While Preliminary Finals continue to be Fever’s Achilles heel, their best performance came in the Minor Semi Final against the Melbourne Mavericks.

Having lost to the Mavs only weeks earlier, Fever started slowly before working their way back into the contest.

Once they found their flow, they took control and ran out convincing four-goal winners. 
 

Mavericks: B+ 
A historic finals berth in just the club's third season earns the Mavericks a B+.

After significant roster turnover, a new head coach and plenty of uncertainty heading into 2026, not many people had the Mavs pencilled in as genuine finals contenders.

But they quickly proved they belonged.

They won nine games and lost six but four of those defeats came by less than five goals which is a positive the team will take out of the season.

Jamie-Lee Price was everything the Mavericks hoped she'd be in her first season at the Mavs, bringing composure and experience to the midcourt.  

It was no surprise to see her take out the side’s Club Champion award.

But the biggest story was Jessie Grenvold.

The 23-year-old had been steadily developing her game, and when Tara Hinchliffe suffered a third ACL injury, Grenvold grabbed her opportunity with both hands.

She finished the season with 61 deflections, 61 gains, 33 intercepts and 20 rebounds, earning a well-deserved call-up to the Australian Diamonds squad.

It was a breakout year that announced her as one of the competition's premier young defenders.

Swifts: C  
The Swifts never quite found their rhythm in 2026.

While injury blows such as losing Helen Housby hampered the team they’ll still be disappointed in their 2026 results.

Having been one of the teams to beat 12 months ago, missing finals is a step backwards no side wants to take.

Despite the fifth-place finish, there’s still plenty of good takeaways from the season.

Grace Whyte was one of them.

Whyte continued to develop into one of the competition's most exciting attacking players, finishing the season with 54 goals, including 29 Suncorp Super Shots, alongside 357 feeds and 269 goal assists.  

While the Swifts managed just five wins for the season, their best performance came in Round 10 against Fever.

After being blown away by 20 goals earlier in the year, the Swifts travelled west and produced one of their most complete performances of the season to win by six.

Maddy Turner and Sarah Klau set the tone in defence, combining for nine gains, while Grace Nweke dominated under the post with 53 goals in another commanding display.

The talent was still there. The challenge for the Swifts was turning flashes of brilliance into consistent performances.  
 

Lightning: C -

On paper, Lightning underdelivered.

Let’s not sugarcoat it.

The decision to shift Cara Koenen into goal attack was a bold one, but it didn’t pay off.

After spending so much of her career at goal shooter, it understandably took time to build chemistry with Donnell Wallam, and while that connection improved as the season progressed, it never quite reached the level it needed to.

The same could be said at the defensive end.

Courtney Bruce and Karin Burger looked like one of the competition's strongest defensive combinations, but they didn’t completely dominate games.

Liz Watson was her reliable self through the midcourt, controlling attacking play and doing everything she could to keep the Lightning in contests.

But as a team, the Lightning lacked that extra spark and too often fell just short in the moments that mattered.

It wasn't a poor season by any means, but they'll look back on several missed opportunities that could have seen them climb much higher up the ladder.

Their best win came in Round 10 against the Vixens, with the Sunny Coast outfit snapping the Vixens’ winning streak.

The Lightning controlled the opening three quarters before running away with a 10-goal victory, producing the sort of performance many expected to see more often throughout the year.

Watson was a deserving winner of the Steph Fretwell Medal after another outstanding campaign.

She finished the season with 1,067 net points, 314 feeds and 194 goal assists, once again proving why she's one of the game's elite midcourters.

Firebirds: D  
Even a trio of New Zealand stars couldn’t turn the Firebirds’ fortunes around in 2026.

That being said, they certainly made an impact.  

None more so than Kelly Jackson.

When one of the world’s best defenders was signed to the Firebirds, tongues got wagging and for good reason.

Jackson tallied 67 gains, 55 deflections and 35 intercepts throughout the season, cementing her spot among the world’s best.

Unfortunately for the Firebirds, her brilliance wasn't enough to lift the side up the ladder.

The Firebirds’ season as a whole left a lot to be desired, finishing with just four wins, and while there were moments that hinted at what this group is capable of, they came far too infrequently.

Their standout performance came in Round 13 against the Lightning.

Jackson was immense, collecting 10 gains and constantly giving her teammates opportunities to capitalise.

Maddy Gordon controlled the midcourt, while Mary Cholhok and Te Paea Selby-Rickit found plenty of rhythm in the goal circle.

The pieces are there but they need to turn find another gear or two to be a real threat in the future.  
 

GIANTS: D -
It was another rough season for the GIANTS. 
They fell short across the court and weren’t able to avoid back-to-back wooden spoons.

But the ladder doesn’t tell the full story.

Their only win came in the final round of the season with the GIANTS comprehensively dismantling the Swifts.

Hope White ignited in the midcourt, Matisse Letherbarrow played like she had a fire in the belly, Sophie Dwyer delivered alongside her and Erin O’Brien was strong in defence.

In a season where the small moments mattered Dwyer led the charge and was named their MVP, but Amy Sligar was integral to the side once again.

Sligar missed the last two games but played her role through the season to finish the year with 54 feeds, 30 goal assists, 21 deflections, 17 gains, and 12 intercepts.

Not a bad haul for someone who does their best work grinding down their opponent.  

It would've been easy to hand the GIANTS an E or even an F after another season at the bottom of the ladder.

But that doesn't quite reflect how they competed.

This is still a young side learning under a new coach, and while significant change is expected before 2027, close losses to the Thunderbirds, Vixens and Fever suggest the gap isn’t nearly as wide as the ladder suggested.