It was another masterful display from Jamaican trio Shamera Sterling-Humphrey, Latanya Wilson, and Romelda Aiken-George that ensured Adelaide Thunderbirds retained their Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) League title as they edged Melbourne Vixens 59-57 in extra-time of a pulsating final at a sold-out Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Saturday.

The relentless efforts of dynamic defensive duo Sterling-Humphrey and Wilson, coupled with the shooting prowess of the towering Aiken-George, not only underscored their immense class and quality, but more importantly, spurred the Thunderbirds to back-to-back premiership glory, a feat that only one other club has ever achieved in the SSN era.

Aiken-George, who joined the franchise at the top of the season, was named Finals MVP for her 41 goals from 51 attempts. She was supported by Lauren Frew, who scored a perfect 10 goals from as many attempts, while Georgie Horjus scored seven goals from eight attempts.

Meanwhile, Sophie Garbin scored 22 goals from 24 attempts, and Kiera Austin scored 21 goals from 24 attempts and seven two-goal Supershot efforts from as many attempts.

Romelda Aiken-George was named Finals MVP.

The Thunderbirds, like they have done all season, showed grit and determination, as Sterling-Humphrey and Wilson did what they do best. While they didn't reach their usual heights on the stat sheet, the dynamic duo wore down their Melbourne-based opponent’s attack, which started in red-hot form.

Sterling-Humphrey and Wilson combined for six gains but didn’t have everything their way in the early exchanges, as Austin’s smarts in the circle and Vixens' quick ball movement proved a challenge for the world-class Thunderbirds defenders.

After trailing by five, the Thunderbirds were forced to call a timeout to reset, which worked to some extent as they reduced the deficit to trail by three, 13-16, at the end of the opening quarter.

With Matilda Garrett, Sterling-Humphrey, and Wilson quiet at that point, Thunderbirds Head coach Tania Obst was forced to make some changes.

Jamaica's Wilson (second left) and Sterling-Humphrey (second right) celebrate with teammates.

Wilson was moved into goal defence, Tayla Williams into wing defence and skipper Hannah Petty was injected into centre to steady the ship.

And it worked.

From there, the Thunderbirds forced the Vixens into a number of errors to claw back the margin, outscoring their opponents 15-12 as they went into the half-time interval 28-28.

Sterling-Humphrey worked herself into the game in the second half, with Wilson by her side, wearing Austin like a glove down the court.

At the other end, Simone McKinnis handed Emily Mannix the job of quelling Aiken-George, but it proved futile given the height miss-match as the Thunderbirds took a one-goal lead at 42-41 to end the third quarter. 

As anticipated, the Thunderbirds, spurred by the electric home crowd, rattled the Vixens in the final quarter and raced to a six-goal lead at one point.

Kiera Austin was the standout Vixens performer.

However, Austin, who enjoyed superb form on the night, cut the deficit with her hot hand from the Supershot range.

In fact, a late turnover from Laura Scherian gave the Melbourne team a sniff of victory with less than two minutes to go, but Sophie Garbin missed a crucial Supershot in the dying moments and so it took extra time to decide a winner.

It was heartbreak for Jamaica’s Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard, Shanice Beckford, and Kadie-Ann Dehaney as West Coast Fever narrowly missed out on making the Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) League grand final following a nail-biting 72-73 loss to Melbourne Vixens in the preliminary final at the John Cain Arena on Saturday.

Fowler-Nembhard, who enjoyed superb form throughout the season, scored 60 goals from 62 attempts, including four two-goal Super Shot efforts, while Beckford scored four goals from four attempts, and Alice Teague-Neeld scored two goals from two attempts and three from the Super Shot line.

However, it was not enough to deny the Vixens, who got their goals from Sophie Garbin, who scored 40 goals from 40 attempts, and Kiera Austin, who had 33 goals from 32 attempts, including four from the two-goal Super shot line.

With the win, the Vixens have booked themselves a date with reigning champions Adelaide Thunderbirds in next week's grand final.

In what was a keenly contested encounter, West Coast Fever showed first, with Dehaney getting her hands onto the ball early. 

The Fever defensive pressure suffocated the Vixens attack, allowing the Perth-based team to establish a five-goal lead before the home side were able to settle their nerves. The Vixens clawed back the deficit to make it a one-goal game at 18-19 heading into the second quarter.

There was nothing to separate the teams in the second quarter, as they exchanged 19 goals apiece in pulsating end-to-end action, but the Fever remained one-goal ahead at 38-37 at half-time. 

Though the Fever upped the tempo with consistent defensive pressure at the top of the third quarter, they later lost momentum as the Vixens came to live and outscored their opponents 20-14 to take a 57-52 leading heading into the final quarter.

The Vixens maintained the momentum at the top of the final quarter and even extended their lead at one point.

However, with their usual never-say-die response, the Fever produced a late rally through Fowler-Nembhard and Teague-Neeld, who both scored a few Super Shots in the dying minutes. But too late was the cry as the Vixens held firm for the one-goal win and more importantly, gets a another shot at the Thunderbirds, who hammered them in the major semi-final.

Jamaica’s trio of Shamera Sterling-Humphrey, Latanya Wilson, and Romelda Aiken-George will again grace the Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) League’s big stage, as Adelaide Thunderbirds secured a spot in the grand final with a dominant 68-43 win over Melbourne Vixens in the major semi-final at Adelaide 36ers Arena on Saturday.

Aiken-George again led from the front with 39 goals from 44 attempts, while Lauren Frew had 18 goals from 18 attempts, including a Super Shot worth two goals. Lucy Austin (10 goals from 11 attempts), and Georgie Horjus, with a solitary goal from three attempts, got in on the act in the 25-goal blowout.

An elated Wilson told SportsMax.TV that last week’s narrow two-goal win over Sunshine Coast Lightning, served as motivation for this, the biggest finals winning margin in Suncorp Super Netball history.

“From the outside looking in, it might seem easy, but it is never easy. However, I believe we needed that close game last week to motivate us to win this one by such a wide margin, especially with a spot in the final up for grabs,” she shared shortly after the win.

Sterling-Humphrey registered 300-intercept milestone.

While it will be back-to-back finals for Wilson and Sterling-Humphrey with the reigning champions, it will be Aiken-George’s first with the Thunderbirds, as she joined the franchise earlier in the season. However, the towering goal shooter won three Premierships in a 14-season stint with Queensland Firebirds and, as such, is no stranger to being in a final.

“I know the capabilities of my team, and I am sure that we have the ability to go back-to-back. We are a team that is evolving, and we are playing each game on its merit. We don’t talk about the game; we play it. So from here, it is just to rest, recover, and prepare for whoever we will meet in the final,” Wilson noted.

Meanwhile, the Vixens, who got their goals from Kiera Austin (16 goals from 19 attempts), Sophie Garbin (15 goals from 19 attempts), and Lily Graham (12 goals from 13 attempts), will have a second shot at making the grand final. They will face the winner of the minor semi-final to be decided between West Coast Fever and Sunshine Coast Lightning.

Spurred on by a sell-out crowd at Adelaide 36ers Arena, the Thunderbirds went straight to work from the start, as they opened up a six-goal lead at 19-13 to end the first quarter.

Defenders Sterling-Humphrey, Wilson, and company then applied consistent pressure to shut down Vixens’ attackers in the second quarter, and that resulted in the Thunderbirds outscoring the opponents 19-9 for a massive 16-goal lead—38-22—at the half-time interval.

The Vixens were well off colour where ball-handling and shooting accuracy are concerned, and that made life much easier for the Thunderbirds, who rode their momentum in the third quarter to extend the lead to 22 goals at 54-22 heading into the final quarter.

With such a wide lead, one would think the Tania Obst-coached Thunderbirds would relent, but not if Sterling-Humphrey had anything to say about it. The 28-year-old, as she has done all season, again paraded her athleticism and impressive timing to register a 300-intercept milestone.

In fact, she ended the contest with 14 gains and five intercepts, while Wilson had five gains, and Tayla Williams proved the link in mid-court with 19 goal assists and two gains as the Thunderbirds wrapped up an emphatic victory.

They are set to host the final at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on August 3.

Finals series are defined by big moments.  

Across the history of the Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) League, successful sides have had players who stand up when those big moments come along and Adelaide Thunderbirds, West Coast Fever, Melbourne Vixens, and Sunshine Coast Lightning are all equipped with such quality.

Throughout the 2024 season, these players made it their mission to push not only themselves, but also their teammates towards ultimate glory, and with the business end of the campaign now on the horizon, nothing less is expected.

In fact, it would be hard for many to disagree with the fact that these four players—Shamera Sterling-Humphrey, Kiera Austin, Alice Teague-Neeld, and Steph Fretwell—will be key in shaping their respective team’s chances in the bid to be crowned 2024 champions.

The top two teams, Thunderbirds and Vixens, will lock horns in the major semi-final, while Fever and Lightning will cross swords in the minor semi-final. Both are scheduled for Saturday.

Shamera Sterling-Humphrey

There is no denying the Adelaide Thunderbirds have the best defence in the competition, marshalled by one of the world's best, Shamera Sterling-Humphrey. 

Sterling-Humphrey has been sending shivers down shooters’ spines for years, but has become the games ultimate x-factor in recent times as she gains more big game experience. 

She played a crucial role in Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls success at the Commonwealth Games in 2022 and decided to make that a habit in 2023.

The superstar defender was named the 2023 SSN Most Valuable Player and played a starring role in the Thunderbirds unlikely premiership, finishing the finals series with 13 gains, 9 deflections, 6 intercepts, 5 rebounds, 4 pick-ups and 158.5 Nissan Net Points across two inspirational wins. 

Jamaica went deep in the 2023 World Cup, going down to Australia by three goals in a nail-biting semi-final. Sterling-Humphrey had 4 gains, 2 rebounds and 2 intercepts as she tried to push her side into their first ever World Cup final. But it wasn’t to be.

She hasn’t slowed down in 2024, leading the league in gains (108), deflections (96), intercepts (44), and defensive rebounds (36), contributing to the Thunderbirds standing as the number one goals from gain side in the competition.  

The 28-year-old’s presence behind the ball is intimidating, with sides forced to alter their ball movement in an attempt to nullify her influence on the game.  
 
Sophie Garbin and Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard are likely opponents for Sterling-Humphrey and her dynamism not only allows to negate their influence, but also start the Thunderbirds attacks through flying intercepts and outrageous deflections, an integral part of the Adelaide side’s push for back-to-back championships.

Kiera Austin (right) prepares to shoot under pressure from Jamaican Kadie-Ann Dehaney of West Coast Fever.

The World Cup final is the biggest stage in netball, and in 2023, Kiera Austin owned it. 

After not experiencing any court time in the Diamonds semi-final win over Jamaica, Austin was thrown on mid-way through the second quarter of the final against England, with Australia holding a one-goal lead. 

The Vixens superstar was unstoppable, finishing the game with 15 goals from 17 attempts, 18 feeds, 16 assists, one gain and one deflection in a player of the match performance, combining beautifully with now Vixens teammate Sophie Garbin in attack. 

However, SSN glory has evaded Austin to this point in her career, but she still has plenty of SSN finals experience to go alongside her big game credentials with the Diamonds, having appeared in both the 2022 and 2023 finals series. 

Austin is the most complete goal attack in the competition, if not the world, with her elite work rate allowing her to influence the game in both defence and attack. 

She’s the highest ranked in her position across the SSN in 2024 for intercepts (11), and gains (18), while only Sophie Dwyer (25) has more deflections this season than Austin (22). 

Austin is still one of the biggest attacking threats in the competition, sitting 8th for goals scored (293), 4th for super shots (55), 15th for goal assists (192) and 15th for feeds (265), as she has seemingly saved her best performances for the big sides this year. 

The 26-year-old is averaging 23.7 goals, 4.7 super shots, 17 feeds, 12.5 assists, 2 deflections, one gain and one intercept per game against the Thunderbirds and Fever, two sides she’ll likely have to face along the way to the ultimate prize.

Alice Teague-Neeld 

When you think West Coast Fever, you think about Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard. How could you not? But the Jamaican superstar can’t do much without the ball, and Fever's wing attack, Alice Teague-Neeld, is her main source.

Fowler-Nembhard’s abilities mean that most of the time, Teague-Neeld doesn’t get the credit she deserves. 

Teague-Neeld was named wing attack in 2023 SSN Team-of-the-Year, after averaging 85.5 Nissan Net Points across the campaign, and she has carried that form into 2024, fulfilling the role of chief creative outlet for the Fever. 

She is ranked second behind Diamonds captain Liz Watson for total feeds (494), assists (353), and a superior conversion rate, with 71.4% of her feeds resulting in goals.  

Teague-Neeld also rates highly for centre pass receives, ranked second with 294, and second phase receives, ranked 7th with 146. Her other strength is her durability and reliability.  

Interestingly, Teague-Neeld has recorded just 36 turnovers and only Fowler-Nembhard and Jess Anstiss have played more minutes for the Fever this season. 

The 28-year-old has tasted success at SSN level before, as a member of the Fever’s victorious 2022 side, and was one of their most consistent finals performers over the past two seasons, averaging 76.7 Nissan Net Points, 36.3 feeds, 22 assists and 29.5 centre pass receives across four finals appearances. 

Flair might not be her strong suit, but consistency is, and her Fever teammates love her for it.

Steph Fretwell 

The Lightning have been well off the pace set by the top three this season, but they still pose a huge finals threat. Such is the match-winning quality on their list, headlined by World Cup winner Steph Fretwell.

Fretwell has an enormous amount of finals experience, having played in five straight national league grand finals from 2015 to 2019, winning back-to-back premiership in 2017 and 2018 with the Lightning. 

Fretwell was as important to the Lightning then, as she is now, averaging 16.5 goals, 24.5 feeds, 18.5 assists and 22.5 centre pass receives in those dual premiership glories. 

Known for being one of the best ball handlers in the competition, Fretwell’s ability to find space and remain calm under pressure makes her the perfect player for the big moments, something she displayed in the Diamonds 2023 World Cup semi-final against Jamaica. 

Fretwell played the entire match and shot her 29 goals at 90.6%, as well as providing 14 assists and receiving 19 centre passes to help drag the Diamonds into another World Cup decider. 

The 32-year-old remains one of the best sharpshooters in the league, sitting in the top 10 league-wide for one-point goals and super shots, as well as doing plenty of work out the front, contributing 175 assists (17th) and 234 feeds (17th). 

Her connection with Liz Watson and Cara Koenen was built over a lengthy period of time, across multiple teams, and that synergy will come to the fore as the pressure intensifies across the finals series. 

Simply put, if Lightning requires a last second super shot to ice the game, they would certainly want the ball in Fretwell’s hands. 

Adelaide Thunderbirds extended their unbeaten run with another dazzling performance as they romped to a 73-58 win over Melbourne Vixens in a lopsided Round 12 top-of-the-ladder clash at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, on Saturday.

Thunderbirds attacking charge was again led by Romelda Aiken-George, who scored 47 goals from 53 attempts, as Georgie Horjus and Lucy Austin chipped in with 12 goals and nine goals from 11 and 10 attempts respectively. Lauren Frew had a perfect five goals from five attempts.

Meanwhile, Sophie Garbin had 29 goals from 31 attempts for the Vixens, with Kiera Austin (27 goals from 27 attempts) and Lily Graham with a single two-point Supershot, contributing the others.

Both teams produced a clinical display in the early exchanges as they demonstrated why they are the two best teams in the competition. The Vixens were first to slip up, with suffocating defensive pressure from the Thunderbirds forcing the visitors into a few errors.

Still, the contest remained evenly poised at 15-15 at the end of the first quarter.

However, the Thunderbirds found an extra spark in the second quarter and briskly raced to a seven-goal lead early, courtesy of some impressive defending by Jamaican Latanya Wilson, who robbed a few Vixens possession, which the shooters capitalised on.

The Vixens tried to trim the margin in the Power Five, but Matilda Garrett and another Jamaican standout Shamera Sterling-Humphrey, forced the Vixens to work overtime in the goal circle to find space and shoot. That coupled with a bit of magic from Aiken-George, ensured Thunderbirds remained seven goals ahead at 32-25 at halftime. 

Melbourne Mavericks in action against Sunshine Coast Lightning.

The Vixens were more settled to begin the third quarter, as the Thunderbirds found it harder to move the ball into their attacking third. Despite Vixens hard-fought battle to close the gap from 10 goals down during the Power Five, Thunderbirds remained eight goals up at 51-43 heading into the final quarter, which was a mere formality.

This, as the Thunderbirds went from strength-to-strength in that final quarter and outplayed the Vixens in all departments to power to a commanding 25-goal win, with Sterling-Humphrey named as the match MVP.

Elsewhere, another Jamaican Shimona Jok scored 42 goals from 43 attempts to assist Melbourne Mavericks to a 72-71 win over Sunshine Coast Lightning in a nail-biting encounter in Hobart.

Along with Jok, Mavericks had clinical performances from Gabrielle Sinclair, who scored a couple of two-point Supershots in her five goals from three attempts, while Eleanor Cardwell had four Supershots in her 25 goals from 22 attempts.

Cara Koenen (39 goals from 42 attempts), Steph Fretwell (26 goals from 26 attempts) and Reilley Batcheldor (six goals from six attempts) also showed good knick for the Lightning in a losing cause.

With both teams desperate to sit in that elusive top four spot as the road to finals closes in, every play and decision was critical throughout the thrilling contest.

But, it was the Mavericks, who held their nerves best and took a massive stride closer to breaking through that top four, as they now sit level with Lightning on the ladder on 20 points apiece.

In a highly anticipated top-of-the-table clash, the previously unbeaten West Coast Fever succumbed to their first loss of the season, falling 76-65 to the Melbourne Vixens at RAC Arena on Sunday.

Despite an impressive performance from Jhanielle Fowler-Nembhard, who scored 41 goals from 43 attempts, the Fever were unable to overcome the combined efforts of the Vixens’ Sophie Garbin and Kiera Austin, who scored 45 and 22 goals respectively. The Fever’s defeat came before their largest ever home crowd of more than 11,000 fans.

The Melbourne Vixens arrived in Perth determined to bounce back from their tough loss to the Sunshine Coast Lightning in Round Six. Their hunger to dethrone the undefeated Fever was evident from the opening whistle.

The Vixens executed a flawless game plan, capitalizing on uncharacteristic errors from the Fever. Defensive stars Emily Mannix and Rudi Ellis were instrumental in shutting down Fowler-Nembhard, while Kiera Austin’s exceptional performance in the GA position proved pivotal in securing the victory. Austin’s impressive stats—104.5 Nissan Net Points, 16 goal assists, 17 center pass receives, 22 feeds, and shooting at an impressive 95 per cent, underscored her critical role in the triumph.

“We worked really hard in training this week. I think we were all a bit disappointed in what we wanted to put out there (last week against the Lightning), and when you do the work, the results come,” said MVP Austin post-match.

From the start, the Vixens set the tone with clever play and speedy ball movement. Emily Mannix made a statement early with a spectacular intercept and multiple deflections, while Kiera Austin was strong against Sunday Aryang, scoring nine from 10 in the opening quarter. Despite Fran Williams’ electric defense for the Fever, which initially helped them to a 22-19 lead at quarter time, the Vixens’ resilience shone through.

A terrific second-quarter surge saw the Vixens seize control, with Austin continuing her dominant performance, amassing 44.5 Nissan Net Points for the quarter. Austin and Garbin executed flawless screens and rotations, keeping the Fever defenders on their toes. Emily Mannix and Rudi Ellis were clinical in defense, forcing turnovers and ultimately sending Shanice Beckford to the bench. By half-time, the Vixens held a six-goal lead (42-36).

In the second half, the Fever showed renewed vigor, lifting their pressure and chipping away at the scoreboard. However, the Vixens remained composed, sticking to their game plan and gradually widening their lead. Garbin’s seamless play and Austin’s consistent feeding under the post left the Fever’s defense in disarray. The Vixens’ defensive pressure disrupted the Fever's attacking flow, and despite intense collisions and physical play, they maintained their lead, heading into the final quarter with an 11-point advantage.

The Fever made several changes in a bid to orchestrate a comeback in the final quarter, but the Vixens' starting lineup remained steadfast. The Fever managed to narrow the gap with clutch Super Shots from Fowler-Nembhard, but the Vixens’ composure and Garbin’s offensive rebounds extended their lead.

Jhaniele Fowler scored 58 goals on Sunday to lead the West Coast Fever to the 2022 Suncorp Super Netball title following a keenly contested 70-59 victory over the Melbourne Vixens at the RAC Arena.

It was the Fever’s first league title in 25 years after losing in the finals in 2018 and 2020.

Fowler, who was recently appointed captain of Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls, missed one shot and got support from finals MVP Sasha Glasgow, who shot a perfect four for four from the field but who also hit four of her nine super shots. She also had 26 goal assists.

The Fever never trailed at the intervals having led 18-14 at the end of the first quarter and took a six-point lead (35-29) into half-time.

By the end of the third quarter, the Fever extended the lead to nine points after winning the interval 19-16 before closing out the championship outscoring their opponents 16-14 in the final stanza.

Mwai Kemwenda was outstanding for the Vixens scoring 28 of her 29 attempts while Keira Austin missed only two of her 19 shots during the contest.

The victory, which gave Fowler her first hold on the Super League title, capped another outstanding season for the four-time Fever MVP. Heading into the final, Fowler led the league in scoring – 804 goals, goal attempts (833), offensive rebounds (46) and Nissan Net Points (1438).