Thursday Takes: Round 12

By Matt Fotia 

The SSN season is a marathon, not a sprint. 

And deep down all fans will tell themselves not to overreact to one win, one loss, one quarter or even one moment. 

Basically, don’t ride the rollercoaster. 

Thursday Takes flies in the face of that logic. 

Each week you’ll find our raw, unfiltered views on your club and what the weekend’s performance means for them going forward. 

Check it out below. 

FEVER 
Shanice Beckford just played her best game for the club. 

The Fever have backed the occasionally maligned Beckford since her arrival at the club last year, starting the Jamaican International week in, week out, despite calls for local product Olivia Wilkinson to take her place. 

On Saturday we saw why. 

Beckford ran the show against the Lightning, shooting a season high 16 goals and 21 centre pass receives, to go with 10 assists, 10 second phase receives, three deflections, two gains and two pick-ups. 

It will be the goal tally which most pleases Dan Ryan as the Fever start to turn their attention towards finals. Ensuring they have multiple scoring threats will be key to their premiership charge.  

FIREBIRDS 
Have an attack end conundrum. 

The impressive performances of replacement player Abigail Latu-Meafou are about to create headaches for the Firebirds list management crew, as they try to squeeze four goaling options (Latu-Meafou, Emily Moore, Mary Cholhok and Tippah Dwan) into three spots. 

Import Cholhok is still finding her feet at SSN level but is a long-term prospect for the club and will take up on of those list spots for season 2026. 

And despite barely playing this season, it is likely that Tippah Dwan will take another one of those spots, given her ceiling as a player when injury free. 

That leaves one spot for either Moore or Latu- Meafou. The latter is one of the competition’s best exponents of the super shot (30/49), while Moore has at times showed real play-making ability further up court. 

While there is a world where all four players land contracts, it would buck the league wide trend of prioritising depth in the defence end or midcourt. 

Regardless of the Firebirds answer, a big question looms. 

GIANTS 
Another sign of maturity. 

Winning is a habit. 

This GIANTS team took another big step on their development journey this weekend, as they once again learned how to win from a position of adversity. 

With just 5:15 left on the clock in the final quarter, the Firebirds had climbed into a three-goal lead and looked likely winners. 

The GIANTS were able to steady the ship though and went on a 10-2 run to close out the game and claim their fourth win of the season. 

LIGHTNING 
Are becoming reliant on super shots. 

The Lightning have begun going to the two-point well a bit too much in recent weeks as they desperately try to override their poor form. 

Across the last three rounds the Lighting have had 55 super shot attempts, converting 30 of them, while their opponents have shot from distance just 17 times. 

The Lightning’s sudden reliance on the two-point game could stem from several issues, but the most obvious is their downturn in winning ball in other areas of the court. 

During this three-game losing streak the Lightning have averaged just 7.6 gains per game, well down on their season average of 12.4. 

MAVERICKS 
A club defining win. 

The Mavericks made it back-to-back victories for the first time this season in emphatic style on Saturday night, knocking off the ladder leading Swifts at John Cain Arena. 

It was the club’s first win against a top four side in their history and was made more impressive given they trailed by seven goals after just three minutes of game time. 

Even better, the Mavericks were able to withstand a late super shot influenced charge from the Swifts to secure the victory. 

The win showed real maturity and had all the hallmarks of being a pivotal victory in the club’s journey. 

SWIFTS 
The form line doesn’t lie. 

The Swifts will say publicly they aren’t worried about their recent form, but they should be. 

They were simply put, out worked, out hassled, and out played on Saturday night. 

Briony Akle’s side had just 45 per cent possession during their four-goal loss to the Mavericks, as they fell from top spot for the first time in two months. 

Interestingly there is a pattern emerging from the Swifts three losses this year.  

In each of their defeats they have been unable to break double figures for gains, managing just three against the Fever, four against the Vixens and eight against the Mavericks.  

They average 10.5 gains per game in their nine victories. 

Make of it what you will. 

TARNTANYA KARNTU  
A courageous win. 

Down by two at the final change, having lost the second and third quarters, the reigning premiers sent a message to the rest of the competition with a powerful final quarter display which not only moved them into the top four, but also placed them in the box seat to claim Minor Semi Final hosting rights. 

There was plenty of context adding to the enormity of the win. 

The Karntu were playing away from home, against one of the form teams in the competition and gave up 67 penalties yet still managed to grab the four points. 

Winners win we guess. 
 
VIXENS 
Have a bogey team. 

Whether they like it or not, the Vixens must admit the Karntu have the wood over them, after they recorded a fifth straight loss to the reigning premiers on Sunday. 

The Vixens suffered a poor last quarter fade out, managing just seven goals in the final term to throw away a three-quarter time lead. 

They missed the energy, dynamism and volume of the injured Hannah Mundy in the final third and are now at risk of having to travel to Adelaide for the Minor Semi Final.