By Sophie Taylor
Halfway through the season and each week continues to provide more questions than answers…
We run through the main talking points.
IS THIS THE FINAL LADDER?
Eight rounds down, six to go.
Vixens, Thunderbirds, Fever, Mavericks… Lightning.
How will the top four look heading into finals?
Realistically, the top three are just about locked in. A handful more wins, and perhaps some shuffling of positions within the three, to come in order to lock in finals.
For the Mavs and Lightning, it really is all or nothing right now with neither team wanting to leave it to the final weeks of the season.
Both have been burned before and need to start putting commanding performances on the board to ensure they are without any doubts heading into finals.
As for the remainder of the ladder – they’re still technically not ruled out. Though, there is something to say for the GIANTS’ likelihood sitting 0-8.
The Firebirds and Swifts are tricky ones and need to start getting wins on the board now if they are to shove the Mavs and Lightning out of their path.
Realistically, their finals chances are much more hinged on their opposition not making it, than their ability to make finals on their own steam.
Mavericks got a crucial win on the board in Round 8.
So again, all attention turns to the Mavericks and Lightning. Which team can take better control of their own season and steer towards the finish line?
Will it be the Mavs in their finals debut? Can the Lightning overcome their woes to command the second half of the season? Or will it be a Firebirds or Swifts that come from behind to challenge late in the season?
WHERE TO NEXT FOR LIGHTNING?
So close. Yet once again, just a bridge too far.
The Lightning have done the work this season to match it with the best in the league, but they just can’t seem to find the extra gear it takes to get wins on the board.
Against Fever, the Lightning had snatches of momentum at crucial points in the final term but were unable to cleanly impose themselves on the contest.
And to the Fever’s credit they weathered the storm, forcing turnovers in Lightning’s midcourt and attack especially in a heart-in-mouth final five minutes.
Pressure was the name of the game. Both teams came up with a handful of turnover ball, with the Lightning (11 gains) just pipping Fever at the post (nine).
Courtney Bruce had a confident outing with nine gains alone (eight deflections, three rebounds, three intercepts) while Leesa Mi Mi, Liz Watson and Karin Burger all popped up with two pickups apiece.
But while the dominant nine-gain performance could have gotten the job done, it was the Fever’s even spread of defensive contributors that enabled them to get over the line.
Can the Lightning recover to make finals this season?
Zoe Cransberg continues to improve in leaps and bounds, picking off four pickups to go with 14 assists while Kadie-Ann Dehaney (six deflections, three gains, one intercept), Fran Williams (three gains, two rebounds) and Ruth Aryang (two intercepts) all picked up turnover ball at critical points.
So, where to next for the Lightning?
They will take on the Swifts next week in another relatively well-matched battle, with a crucial win required away from home next week before they take on the ladder-leading Vixens in Round 10.
GIANTS SO CLOSE AGAIN
It seems to be the GIANT way this year: push the ladder leaders, scrap with the rest.
The GIANTS put out a commanding fight against the Vixens this week in a performance reminiscent of their close battle with the Thunderbirds just a few weeks ago.
But once again, it was the experienced, ladder-leading team that got over the top in the dying stages to keep an unblemished record alive.
Sophie Dwyer (10 goals, five Suncorp Super Shots and 25 feeds) and Jo Weston (10 deflections, three gains) went head-to-head in an enthralling battle, while Amy Sligar was her typical workhorse self in her 50th match.
Sophie Garbin’s excellent form continued with 45 goals, even against the hot hand of Erin O’Brien (seven gains), as GIANTS’ Matisse Letherbarrow piled on 38 goals and six Suncorp Super Shots in her best performance of the season.
The Vixens experience once again reigned supreme, but the GIANTS can once again take some really important confidence and positivity away from the match.
With the Mavs up next, once again a win is within their grasp – if they can find the same drive, consistency and pressure they have against the ladder leaders.
ON THE STATS SHEET
Elmeré van der Berg’s handy haul on the weekend puts her atop the scoring tally with 390 goals ahead of the Swifts’ Grace Nweke (387) and Lightning’s Donnell Wallam (374). Letherbarrow’s hot hand on the weekend keeps her ahead for Suncorp Super Shots (32 from 55 attempts).
Georgie Horjus stays on top for goal assists (164) with teammate Shamera Sterling-Humphrey just ahead of Bruce for deflections (51 and 50 respectively).
Mavs’ Maddie Hay leads all comers for centre pass receives (172) while teammate Jessie Grenvold is flourishing with more court time, sitting even on intercepts with Latanya Wilson (22 apiece).
