By Stephanie Smarrelli
From breathtaking upsets to surprise call ups, it was a blockbuster season of Suncorp Super Netball.
Here’s some of the biggest headlines from the year.
FIREBIRDS START 2-0
The Queensland Firebirds came charging out of the blocks.
They shocked the league with two wins in a row, registering their best start to a season in the SSN era.
Under the new leadership of Kiri Wills’, it seemed the side had turned a new leaf.
Isabelle Shearer and Ruby Bakewell-Doran dominated in defence while Macy Gardner and Lara Dunkley were prolific with ball in hand.
Recruit Mary Cholhok was finding her feet but a strong option in the goal circle and her connection to Emily Moore was solid.
The Firebirds were thrilled with their start to the season.Unfortunately for the Firebirds, the wins ended there in 2025, but sitting in the top four at the end of the first two rounds gave Firebirds fans a glimpse of what the future could look like.
And while 2025 may not have panned out in their favour, there were plenty of positive moments throughout the season and learnings they’ll take into 2026.
HARTEN'S LAST GOAL
No one was quite ready to say goodbye to a giant of the game, but Jo Harten went out in style.
With seconds left on the clock teammate, Sophie Dwyer passed the ball to Harten who did what she did best.
Score.
The Suncorp Super Shot the perfect ending for the goaler in front of a roaring GIANTS crowd.
After the match fans lined up outside the stadium for the chance to wave her off one final time.
The star finished the year with 262 goals at 86 per cent accuracy including 36 Super Shots.
Her fierce competitiveness, tactical skills and shooting prowess will undoubtedly go down as one of the best in history.
KOPUA ANSWERS THE CALL
While on the topic of the GIANTS, even if you had a crystal ball at the start of the season, you would not have predicted Casey Kopua’s SSN debut.
The New Zealand great had spent six years in retirement from elite netball when she answered the call from Julie Fitzgerald.
Kopua gave the GIANTS an injection of experience.Kopua stepped onto the court in the orange dress for the first time in Round 8 and while they may not have won, the seeds of victory were planted.
She directed the play in the back half of the court, coming up with three deflections, two gains and a rebound as she adjusted to life back on court and with SSN’s Super Shot.
The 40-year-old's wealth of knowledge instantly made an impact with the likes of Amy Sligar and Erin O’Brien playing with newfound confidence as the season progressed.
The stats of the young GIANTS improving tremendously with the experience of Kopua alongside them.
The GIANTS went on to win four games and ultimately finished the season in sixth place.
FEVER SET RECORD
West Coast Fever started the season shaky, missing bookend Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard proved challenging.
But upon her return they reached new heights.
The side went on to a record-breaking win streak that only came to an end on Grand Final day.
It was in Round 13 against the GIANTS the record broke, 11 wins in a row, a feat no other team has achieved in the SSN era.
Fever's season was close to perfect, with the minor premiership and record for most consecutive SSN wins.Adding two more wins to the tally they cemented their place in the history books, even if they weren’t able to secure the league’s ultimate prize.
VIXENS PREMIERSHIP SURGE
Midway through the season the prospect of the Vixens winning the premiership felt a lifetime away.
But the Vixens weren’t going to give up on the dream.
The pressure to win each week grew as the season wore on and they delivered.
But it was the Preliminary Final against the Swifts when they really arrived.
10 goals down at three-quarter time, with the odds stacked against them, they let it rip.
Having nothing to lose but everything to gain is often enough in sport.
The Vixens turned their season around in spectacular fashion.They turned momentum in their favour and left the Swifts shell-shocked.
Then came the big dance.
The odds were stacked against the Vixens again; on paper it was a match up Fever should have dominated.
But strange things happen on Grand Final Day.
It’s the one day of the year you should throw away your rule book (sorry umps) and embrace the energy on the day.
Which is exactly what the Vixens did, coming out with a ferocity and intent the Fever couldn't match.
While the margin was close and the ball seesawed back and forth, the Vixens surge never really looked like coming to a halt.
