Shimona Jok poured in an impressive 37 goals, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the Melbourne Mavericks from falling 69-59 to the Sunshine Coast Lightning in a thrilling opening-round clash of the 2025 Suncorp Super Netball League at John Cain Arena on Saturday night.

The matchup pitted two teams eager to reset after mixed fortunes in 2024. The Mavericks, still building in only their second season, had shown plenty of promise with six wins in their debut campaign. The Lightning, on the other hand, underachieved last year despite boasting a strong squad—also finishing with six wins and a first-round exit from the finals. With revenge on their minds after suffering two one-goal losses to Melbourne in 2024, the Sunshine Coast outfit arrived determined to turn the tide.

The packed arena buzzed with anticipation, with Delta Goodrem delivering a rousing pre-game performance and Liz Watson marking her 150th national league appearance—an occasion she honoured with a polished performance, tallying 25 goal assists from 44 feeds.

From the outset, the game was a tight, goal-for-goal battle. Sasha Glasgow made a welcome return to the Mavericks' starting line-up at goal attack after an injury-impacted 2024 season. She linked effectively with Jok, who once again showed her class in the shooting circle.

Rising star Uneeq Palavi also made a strong debut for the Mavericks, proving her range with 5 of 6 super shots. Despite the unfamiliar role, Amy Parmenter impressed in the centre position, registering two intercepts and a deflection in a high-energy opening half.

But the Lightning responded in kind, with Cara Koenen thriving in goal attack and Steph Fretwell holding steady in the shooting role. The visitors displayed fluid ball movement and smart rotation through the midcourt, which began to wear down the Mavericks as the match progressed.

The turning point came in the third quarter when the Lightning surged ahead, using sharp feeds and high-speed transition to stretch the margin to eight. Head coach Belinda Reynolds rotated all ten of her players throughout the game, with substitutions paying dividends as her side found balance and momentum.

Although the Mavericks landed a handful of super shots during their third-term push, Fretwell responded with some clutch long-range shooting of her own to maintain the buffer.

A fired-up home crowd lifted the Mavericks for one last push in the final quarter, and Ash Ervin was forced to step up defensively for the Lightning. She delivered a standout performance down the stretch, finishing with six gains and two intercepts to halt Melbourne’s rally.

Coach Tracey Neville rolled the dice late by reintroducing Palavi to partner with Glasgow and increase the Mavericks’ super shot threat, but the Lightning held firm to close out a well-earned 10-goal win—their first ever over the Mavericks.

The loss was a disappointing start for Melbourne, but Jok's shooting accuracy and Palavi’s debut promise plenty to build on. Meanwhile, the Lightning delivered a well-rounded team performance that suggests they may yet live up to their preseason billing in 2025.