By Sophie Taylor
Blowouts, scoring blitzes and a true separation of top from bottom.
We run through some of the major talking points from Easter weekend.
THE BEST VERSUS THE REST?
As the season progresses, it’s become more and more evident that it’s a two-horse race.
The Adelaide Thunderbirds are yet to drop from the top of the 2026 ladder, reminiscent of the NSW Swifts’ enormous run in 2025.
The Thunderbirds have a calmness and confidence about them, even in the face of a fired-up Melbourne Mavericks outfit on the weekend, and look like a true ladder-leader this season.
Meanwhile the Melbourne Vixens have had a slightly harder go at it but continue to find the big moments to come out on top despite the odds.
With the Thunderbirds and Vixens both yet to drop a game, their Round 6 clash is looming large on the SSN calendar.
And that’s exactly when the Fever should swoop.
West Coast Fever were relentless on the weekend.
The new-look Fever have come out of their shell this season despite a host of changes, both expected and unexpected, and with the Firebirds and Mavericks next on their list will come in reasonably confident after a solid start to the season.
Fever’s 3-1 record sits them marginally ahead of the Lightning (2-2) but with three 1-3 records sitting in the bottom half of the ladder, the team in green will be feeling confident in the face of their finals chances at this stage of the season.
GIANTS NEED A MIRACLE
Only four weeks into the season, and it’s looking grim for the rebuilding GIANTS.
The battle between the GIANTS and Firebirds was always set to be an intriguing one over the weekend with neither team having a win on the board in the lead-up, but no one could have predicted the monster 55-78 result.
It was a win to remember for the Firebirds, who brought confidence despite the late loss of Kelly Jury meaning two rookies finalised the team list.
As for the GIANTS, it is one they walk away from with disappointment and the question that sits in everyone’s minds: where will they find the four points this season?
Of course, losing veteran defender Jane Watson shortly after half time will have jolted their confidence, but they were already staring down a 19-goal deficit before the main break. Not ideal.
Suffice to say, the GIANTS need a miracle to gain back some confidence to get a win on the board.
Last year that confidence came in the form of Casey Kopua.
But will it be a player again or could it be an important upset that gets the job done? Only time will tell with the table-topping T’Birds up next on Saturday night.
The Vixens hoisted their premiership flag at their first home game this week.
LIGHTNING’S ATTACK IS BUILDING
On paper, things aren’t looking amazing for the Lightning.
In person, however, it’s a bit of a different story.
The Lightning have all the makings of a successful team, down to the players on court.
Unfortunately, they just haven’t been able to put it together for a full four quarters yet.
Cara Koenen may be shooting less goals this year, but the Australian Diamonds goal shooter is finding some great form out of position in goal attack and forming a really solid partnership with Donnell Wallam.
Add greater volume back into her repertoire and greater accuracy to Wallam’s, and the Lightning’s attack will keep on ticking ahead.
Continue to play Liz Watson in her arguable better wing attack role with the combination of Leesa Mi Mi and Mahalia Cassidy through the middle, and things will keep moving forward.
The next step is combining those two areas of the court, and then bringing it together with the defensive end.
Defensively, the Lightning have been suffering from a lack of consistency on gained balls.
The lack of second half defensive gains on the weekend – just one in 30 minutes – is especially telling when you factor in the Vixens’ 38-26 second half to turn around a one-goal deficit at half time.
Connect the three thirds and get the points on the board.
Separate them, as the Vixens did, and things will continue to trend down for the Lightning.
The battle between van der Berg and Grenvold was immense.
ON THE STATS SHEET
Romelda Aiken-George is edging closer to Elmeré van der Berg on the scoring ledger, sitting on 202 goals for the season to van der Berg’s 206 after a 67-goal charge on the weekend.
Donnell Wallam isn’t far off with 196 to her name and leads the attempts tally with 249 and both Aiken-George and van der Berg not far off. Of the trio, van der Berg leads for accuracy shooting at 90 per cent.
Thunderbirds co-captains Georgie Horjus and Shamera Sterling Humphrey hold top spot for goal assists (98) and deflections (25) respectively, while teammate Latanya Wilson has 15 intercepts for the season.
GIANTS goal shooter Matisse Letherbarrow leads the charge for Suncorp Super Shots (20) and attempts (31) while former teammate Maddie Hay is on top of the leaderboard for centre pass receives with 94.
Mary Cholhok and Sterling-Humphrey top the tally for offensive and defensive rebounds respectively.
