By Matt Fotia
With the halfway point of the season now firmly in the rearview mirror, it’s time to look ahead and focus on finishing strong.
The Fever’s 11-goal win against the Swifts has muddied the waters at the top of the ladder, while the GIANTS impressive victory in Adelaide has made things tough for the two-time reigning champs.
Get your head around all the permutations and complications of the final five rounds with the return of The HCF Run Home below.
NSW Swifts (32 points, 110.7%)
Current ladder position: 1st
Round 9 HCF Team Health Score: 168
To come:
Melbourne Vixens (Away)
GIANTS (Home)
Melbourne Mavericks (Away)
Sunshine Coast Lightning (Home)
Queensland Firebirds (Away)
Are cracks starting to appear at the Swifts?
After getting out of jail against the Thunderbirds in Round 8, the runaway premiership favourites finally tasted defeat on Saturday Night, going down to the Fever 79-68, in a bruising affair at Ken Rosewall Arena.
Fortunately for Briony Akle’s side it is impossible for them to drop out of the top four and almost impossible for them to miss out on the top two, especially with games against the GIANTS, Mavericks and Firebirds on the horizon.
West Coast Fever (28 points, 107.1%)
Current ladder position: 2nd
Round 9 HCF Team Health Score: 219
To come:
Melbourne Mavericks (Away)
Adelaide Thunderbirds (Home)
Sunshine Coast Lightning (Away)
GIANTS (Home)
Melbourne Vixens (Home)
Have the Fever pushed themselves into flag favouritism?
Since the return of their all-conquering champion Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard in the lead up to Round 3, the Fever have been infallible, winning seven games in a row highlighted by Saturday’s big win on the road against the Swifts.
In even better news for the Fever the only real danger game remaining is their Round 12 trip to UniSC Arena to take on the Sunshine Coast Lightning, but is any game a real danger in their current form?
The Fever are the form team of the competition.Sunshine Coast Lightning (24 points, 108.6%)
Current ladder position: 3rd
Round 9 HCF Team Health Score: 269
To come:
GIANTS (Away)
Melbourne Vixens (Home)
West Coast Fever (Home)
NSW Swifts (Away)
Adelaide Thunderbirds (Away)
On current form the Lightning look a safe bet to host a semi-final, but Belinda Reynolds’ team has arguably the toughest run home of anyone in the competition.
They hit the road this week to take on an inspired GIANTS outfit, before facing all four of their fellow finals contenders to round out the home and away season.
At a minimum, two wins from their remaining five games should be enough for the Lightning to play finals but given their recent history against fellow top four aspirants that is easier said than done.
Melbourne Vixens (20 points, 101.5%)
Current ladder position: 4th
Round 9 HCF Team Health Score: 183
To come:
NSW Swifts (Home)
Sunshine Coast Lightning (Away)
Adelaide Thunderbirds (Home)
Queensland Firebirds (Home)
West Coast Fever (Away)
It was the perfect weekend for the Vixens.
They scored another win against their crosstown rivals, played in front of a sold-out crowd at John Cain Arena and rounded out their Sunday with news of the GIANTS win against the Thunderbirds, which pushed them into the top four.
There are trickier seas ahead though.
Simone McKinnis and her crew have a similar run home to the Lightning, taking on the Swifts, Fever, Lightning and Thunderbirds in their final five weeks.
The Vixens will back themselves to win all five of their remaining fixtures, but clashes against the Lightning and Thunderbirds loom largest. Win at least one of them and they should be fine.
Lose them and it might be an early exit for these finals regulars.
Adelaide Thunderbirds (16 points, 104.5%)
Current ladder position: 5th
Round 9 HCF Team Health Score: 207
To come:
Queensland Firebirds (Home)
West Coast Fever (Away)
Melbourne Vixens (Away)
Melbourne Mavericks (Home)
Sunshine Coast Lightning (Home)
The Thunderbirds threepeat dream is hanging by a thread following another loss to the GIANTS on Sunday.
At their best, the Thunderbirds are still a massive premiership threat, with flexibility in the front end, x-factor in defence and reliability through the midcourt.
Unfortunately, their biggest challenge will be making the finals.
Two uber-winnable home games against the Firebirds and Mavericks are mixed in with three enormous fixtures against the Fever, Vixens and Lightning.
Three wins from their remaining five games could be enough for Tania Obst’s team to squeeze into the four on percentage, while four wins would make it a sure thing.
Adelaide must win at least three of their next five.Melbourne Mavericks (8 points, 93%)
Current ladder position: 6th
Round 9 HCF Team Health Score: 163
To come:
West Coast Fever (Home)
Queensland Firebirds (Away)
NSW Swifts (Home)
Adelaide Thunderbirds (Away)
GIANTS (Away)
A disappointing season for the Mavericks, who have, at times, shown their best netball is more than good enough to threaten the top four, but have been unable to put it together consistently to make a real play on the finals.
Tracey Neville will be looking for to find said consistency in their final five games of the season and will have circled their Round 11 game against the Firebirds and Round 14 fixture against the GIANTS as two huge chances to taste victory once again.
Queensland Firebirds (8 points, 89.2%)
Current ladder position: 7th
Round 9 HCF Team Health Score: 178
To come:
Adelaide Thunderbirds (Away)
Melbourne Mavericks (Home)
GIANTS (Home)
Melbourne Vixens (Away)
NSW Swifts (Home)
It seems an age since the Firebirds were sitting pretty in the top four with a 2-0 record.
The Firebirds, like the Mavericks, have shown signs of improvement during the season, but have been unable to put together the four-quarter effort required to win games consistently.
They are of course at the start of a new journey and will be hoping they can make the most of their Round 11 and 12 fixtures.
The Firebirds are at the start of their journey.GIANTS (8 points, 88.4%)
Current ladder position: 8th
HCF Round 9 Team Health Score: 202
To come:
Sunshine Coast Lightning (Home)
NSW Swifts (Away)
Queensland Firebirds (Away)
West Coast Fever (Away)
Melbourne Mavericks (Home)
Julie Fitzgerald will be asking whether her side can play the Thunderbirds every week, after the GIANTS rolled the reigning premiers for the second time this season.
The GIANTS have been playing the best netball of the bottom three sides in recent times and will be confident they can make the most of their games against the Firebirds and Mavericks to finish 2025 on a high.
Predicted Ladder
1. NSW Swifts – 52 points, 111.5%
2. West Coast Fever – 48 points, 109.1%
3. Sunshine Coast Lightning – 32 points, 105.3%
4. Adelaide Thunderbirds – 28 points, 104.8%
5. Melbourne Vixens – 28 points, 103.3%
6. GIANTS – 16 points, 90.4%
7. Melbourne Mavericks – 12 points, 91.8%
8. Queensland Firebirds – 8 points, 88.9%
Predicted first week of finals.
Major Semi Final
NSW Swifts v West Coast Fever
Minor Semi Final
Sunshine Coast Lightning v Adelaide Thunderbirds
To get your own HCF Team Health Score™ and for the chance to win a SSN Grand Final Experience and more* play the HCF Team Health Score game now.
Disclaimer: * Competition closes 11.59pm 13 July 2025 AEST. Full T&Cs visit hcf.com.au/netball. Authorised under SA Permit T25/490 and ACT Permit TP 25/00643
