By Stephanie Smarrelli
With the 2025 Suncorp Super Netball season just around the corner, the Suncorp Team Girls Cup gave us a sneak peak of what’s to come in season 2025.
From thrilling finishes and epic Super Shots, the pre-season tournament had it all.
While no team revealed all their tricks there were plenty of talking points to take from the weekend.
Three-peat?
The Thunderbirds came out firing in Adelaide.
With the home crowd roaring behind them, the reigning premiers proved they’re still the league’s top dogs.
Alarm bells will be ringing for the rest of the competition as the Thunderbirds did not miss a beat, even with stars Shamera Sterling-Humphrey and Romelda Aiken-George spending much of the weekend on the sidelines managing their loads.
Sunday’s final against the West Coast Fever was electric with unlikely hero Sophie Casey stepping up in the final moments to secure the win.
While star Latanya Wilson’s seven gains, six deflections and five intercepts earned her title of MVP.
Wilson was strong throughout the weekend for the Thunderbirds.With back-to-back premierships in their pocket, the Thunderbirds are heading into the season with their heads held high.
But nagging in the back of their minds will be the Suncorp Team Girls Cup curse.
No team who has won has been able to carry that momentum with them all the way to lift the Suncorp Super Netball trophy at season’s end.
But the Thunderbirds could be the first to beat the curse and cement their dynasty.
Young stars rise
The weekend was the perfect opportunity for coaches to throw their young talent into the deep end.
Thunderbird Kayla Graham made the most of her time on court, racking up 44 feeds and 12 goals while teammate Casey also proved how well she slots into the premiership-winning side.
Ruth Aryang’s defensive prowess was lethal, while she only tallied up a handful of gains her movements to cover her opponents was instrumental to Fever. And with sister Sunday plus Kadie-Ann Dehaney and Fran Williams backing her up, Aryang’s game is only going to continue to get better this year.
Aryang was among a handful of youngsters who stood out throughout the tournament.Speaking of Fever, Olivia Wilkinson was a machine. She shot at 86 per cent across the weekend dominating the goal circle.
The young guns didn’t stop there though with strong goalers a hot topic across the board.
Swifts’ recruit Grace Nweke who only just turned 23 was shooting at an average of 92 per cent. Her addition to the Swifts having an immediate impact as the side finished third.
Swifts’ 11th player Grace Whyte also showed she’s got the goods, taking control of the goal circle both inside of it and out as she swung between there and the midcourt.
The GIANTS rolled through a few players, but it was permanent replacement player Hope White who really made her mark with 48 feeds across the weekend.
The two teams up north finished the weekend at the bottom of the competition but there were plenty of promising signs for them both.
With Lightning midcourter Leesa Mi Mi ruled out, 19-year-old Baylee Boyd stepped up to the plate. The midcourter held her own against the world’s best tallying up 35 feeds with just over an hour on the court.
Boyd put herself forward as a future star with her performance throughout the weekend.
Fans also got a good look at Firebirds defender Ashlee Barnett who made waves when the side signed her at the end of last season. With her nine gains, Barnett proved she’s more than ready to take on the world’s best.
The Melbourne teams also had their young defenders on show with Jessie Grenvold a standout for the Mavericks and temporary replacement player Maggie Caris stepping up for the Vixens.
Fever fire
Bad news for anyone who thought Fever were one-trick ponies. This weekend they proved they’re not.
Without Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard the team tested a few combinations in attack.
The most potent combo?
Fever were prolific throughout the tournament.A moving circle made up of Wilkinson and Shanice Beckford.
The hours spent together training came to life, keeping everyone on their toes as they led the charge for Fever’s attack.
While permanent replacement player Mwai Kumwenda slotted into the side as needed, still building her connections in Fever green but showing shades of the MJ magic fans know and love.
Finishing top of their pool with only one loss (the nail-biting final against the reigning premiers) Fever fired a warning shot to the rest of the league.
