By Sophie Taylor
The top four is locked and loaded with just one round remaining in the home and away season.
We run through the main talking points from Round 13.
TOP FOUR DECIDED
Thunderbirds, rightly, have top spot and the Major Semi Final hosting rights locked up.
Their 12-1 record this season is head and shoulders above the Vixens (10-3), boasting confidence and the winning attitude we all know and love.
While the Vixens will want a win this weekend to finish the home and away season on a high, they have the security blanket of a minor buffer to third and fourth on the ladder which keeps them in the running for a second chance in finals.
Third and fourth is where it gets interesting.
Both Mavericks and Fever sit on eight wins and five losses for the season, with the Mavs’ derby win on Sunday putting them ahead of the Fever on percentage.
With just one round remaining, the host of the Minor Semi Final is still up in the air.
Here's the deal:
If one team wins and the other loses, the team that wins will finish third.
If both teams win, Fever need to win by five more goals than the Mavericks. If the Mavs win by one, Fever must win by six. If the Mavs win by six, Fever must win by 11. And so on.
Similarly, if both teams lose, Fever need to lose by five less than the Mavericks.
The stakes have never been higher. Bring on Round 14!
THUNDERBIRDS AND MAVERICKS THE IN-FORM TEAMS
It’s safe to say no one is surprised by the Adelaide Thunderbirds claiming the Minor Premiership on Sunday afternoon.
They have been outstanding all season and despite a late scare against the Swifts on Saturday, they never looked like losing top spot and would have only done so if they had lost and the Vixens dominated.
New recruits Elmeré van der Berg and Kate Heffernan have been a revelation for the Thunderbirds, who many thought couldn’t become better than they already were, while Jamaican duo Shamera Sterling-Humphrey and Latanya Wilson continue to shine.
The Mavericks, however, are the smoky no one would have expected after their start to the season.
But with two three-game winning streaks this season, the Mavericks have become one of the premier teams in the competition with back-to-back wins over top four teams.
Their win over the Vixens on Sunday was a testament to their improved form and never-say-die attitude, piling on the pressure to pull off an outstanding nine-goal win over the reigning premiers.
Jamie-Lee Price has been outstanding all season, and Round 13 was no different. Australian Diamonds’ bolter Jessie Grenvold had another huge outing as she quieted her new international-level teammates in the goal circle.
For the Vixens, the Melbourne derby result marks their third loss of the season and second on the trot at the worst possible time for a team gearing up for finals.
Their saving grace is a guaranteed second chance, although the West Coast Fever will do everything in their power this week to get the win and secure a home Semi Final when the clash on Sunday afternoon.
With the Vixens and Fever going head-to-head this weekend, it’s safe to say Round 14 is set to be a blockbuster.
DISAPPOINTMENT IN BOTTOM FOUR
The GIANTS were so close to their first win of the season on Saturday, shocking the Fever in a huge effort before falling by just one goal.
And truly, that is a result that sums up their 2026 season. So close, and yet so far.
While Firebirds ran away with a Queensland Derby win and the Queensland Cup in the process, that result comes far too late in the season to make a last pounce at finals.
That said, after a wooden spoon finish in 2025, their four wins this season is a massive improvement and not one to be disappointed by.
Meanwhile, that derby win put an official end to the Lightning’s finals hopes – which were already mostly quashed by the Mavericks’ fine form.
It’s safe to say Lightning’s season has been a disappointment, falling short of hurdles they should not, given the calibre of players at their disposal.
Finally, the Swifts.
Another disappointing year, which was effectively a continuation of their fall from grace in the second half of the 2025 season.
While injuries have plagued the Swifts all season, forcing changes all round and in crucial weeks, they have struggled to have an impact in the big moments.
The GIANTS will have one last chance to get a win on the board when they host the Swifts in the NSW Derby on Sunday afternoon, while the Firebirds and Lightning will face the in-form Mavericks and Thunderbirds, respectively.
ON THE STATS SHEET
Van der Berg has all but sewn up the shooting leaderboard for the season with 655 games from 13 outings, ahead of Swifts sharpshooter Grace Nweke (624).
Matisse Letherbarrow and Kiera Austin have scored 48 Suncorp Super Shots apiece, though Austin leads Letherbarrow for accuracy (66 per cent to 51 per cent).
Sterling-Humphrey’s defensive dominance puts her well ahead for deflections with 83 to her name while Wilson sits on 34 intercepts ahead of Kelly Jackson (32) and Grenvold (31).
