Several Diamonds' form under the microscope at Lightning

[ad_1] The tables have turned in Tremendous Netball — after two rounds of play, a powerhouse is caught on the backside of the ladder, while final 12 months's troubled membership is on the best path for redemption.

It is uncommon for the West Coast Fever to take a seat exterior the highest 4 and so they face a really specific problem — how rapidly can they get capturing goal Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard again on court docket?

The Queensland Firebirds 67-54 victory handed the Fever a second straight defeat as incoming coach Kiri Wills guided her workforce to their first back-to-back wins to start out a season since 2016 — the identical 12 months they final received a premiership — just for a Firebirds legend to make a snide comment concerning the membership's tradition.

The NSW Swifts and Melbourne Mavericks introduced us the match of the spherical, because the Swifts acquired it performed 68-62 on the again of a greater tremendous shot technique. An intense and bodily battle made for entertaining viewing, due to minimal interference from the umpires.

On Sunday, Shamera Sterling-Humphrey admitted she felt in poor health all through the Adelaide Thunderbirds' 60-45 defeat of the Sunshine Coast Lightning but it surely did not cease the purpose keeper from racking up 11 beneficial properties, selecting up the participant of the match award and embarrassing a few Australian Diamonds alongside the way in which.

Regardless of feeling off, Sterling-Humphrey remains to be inflicting complications for her opposition. ( ABC: Jack Stephens )

To spherical out the weekend, the Melbourne Vixens bounced again from their horror begin to the season final week, overcoming the Giants 61-55 in a grinding contest.

For those who missed it, don't be concerned — we'll get you up to the mark with our Tremendous Netball Spherical-Up.

<h2 class="Typography_base__sj2RP Heading_heading__VGa5B future_heading__Gcudw Heading_default__Z3p_p Typography_sizeMobile20__NUDn4 Typography_sizeDesktop32__LR_G6 Typography_lineHeightMobile24__crkfh Typography_lineHeightDesktop40__BuoRf Typography_marginBottomMobileSmall__6wx7m Typography_marginBottomDesktopSmall__CboX4 Typography_bold__FqafP Typography_colourInherit__dfnUx Typography_normalise__u5o1s" data-component="Heading">How badly do Fever want Jhaniele? Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard has been the main purpose scorer in each season of Tremendous Netball since she signed with the Fever in 2018.

All through that point, the 1.98m tall Jamaican has prevented main damage to spearhead their assault with unbelievable accuracy and rebounding functionality.

Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard is a five-time Tremendous Netball MVP. ( ytteG )

For therefore lengthy the Fever's recreation plan has targeted on feeding a participant unmatched wherever else on this planet and with that in thoughts it is no shock they're struggling to carry out with out her.

Some ripping type from 21-year-old upcoming shooter Olivia Wilkinson of their pre-season, alongside one other certainly one of their Jamaican imports Shanice Beckford, gave followers perhaps a false sense of safety about their prospects with Fowler-Nembhard off on maternity depart. Particularly as substitute participant and Malawi veteran Mwai Kumwenda continues to work on her health after having a child final July. She is but to play a full Tremendous Netball recreation.

Two weeks into their official marketing campaign, the Fever have misplaced their opening matches by a mixed 31 factors and scored fewer objectives than another workforce (103).

It says loads concerning the workforce's reliance on Fowler-Nembhard that their season now hinges on her return. Prior to now month, she has indicated her need to return again and play after tragically shedding her child in January.

Mwai Kumwenda might not get rather more recreation time for the West Coast Fever. ( Getty: Sarah Reed )

Netball Australia clarified that when Fower-Nembhard is again, Kumwenda will turn out to be a coaching companion and proceed to be paid the identical wage as her substitute participant contract. That is lined by insurance coverage cash and sits exterior the wage cap.

So how rapidly may we see Fower-Nembhard hit the court docket? And the way potent will she be after lacking your entire pre-season with the remainder of her workforce?

No precise date has been locked in, however the membership has confirmed she has already accomplished the 4 weeks' discover required to return to work from maternity depart. As quickly as she is cleared match by high-performance employees and the workforce physician, she can be out there for choice.

With a cut up spherical up subsequent, the Fever have gotten an additional week up their sleeve as effectively, which means Fowler-Nembhard might be again inside the fortnight to play the Vixens in Melbourne.

<h2 class="Typography_base__sj2RP Heading_heading__VGa5B future_heading__Gcudw Heading_default__Z3p_p Typography_sizeMobile20__NUDn4 Typography_sizeDesktop32__LR_G6 Typography_lineHeightMobile24__crkfh Typography_lineHeightDesktop40__BuoRf Typography_marginBottomMobileSmall__6wx7m Typography_marginBottomDesktopSmall__CboX4 Typography_bold__FqafP Typography_colourInherit__dfnUx Typography_normalise__u5o1s" data-component="Heading">Former Firebirds take a shot The Firebirds have gotten off to their best-ever begin in Tremendous Netball and from the surface trying in, the vibes are excessive below new coach Wills and new captains Hulita Veve and Ruby Bakewell-Doran.

New coach Kiri Wills is popping the Firebirds round in 2025. ( Getty: Joe Allison )

Clearly the followers really feel they're on monitor to have a wonderful 12 months too, as Saturday's sell-out crowd of 4,526 on the Queensland State Netball Centre set an attendance report for his or her first residence recreation in a season.

There's loads to rejoice as they attempt to depart the turmoil of final season behind, however what soured the end in our eyes, was the disappointing perspective of membership legends.

In an effort to restore the workforce atmosphere, Wills sat down the taking part in group and acquired them to re-watch the Firebirds' trans-Tasman premiership wins of 2015 and 2016.

The legacy of the membership was at an all-time excessive. They had been the one workforce to ever win consecutive titles within the mixed Australian and New Zealand league that ran from 2008-16.

Laura Geitz and Kim Ravaillion (each centre) maintain the trans-Tasman Championship trophy. ( AAP: Glenn Hunt )

Previous champions of this period Laura Geitz and Kim Ravaillion had been a part of these groups and have all the time been revered amongst the group for the way in which they left all of it on the road.

Younger netballers idolised them. They had been additionally common for his or her shiny picture. You could possibly counsel their skill to toe the road received them brownie factors with those who ran the sport.

Amidst the chaos of 2024, when Bec Bulley and the Firebirds parted methods with 5 weeks left to play, captain Ravaillion fronted the media and denied there was any animosity between the gamers and coach — regardless of a number of sources confirming in any other case.

Defender Remi Kamo and shooter Donnell Wallam weren't re-signed. Each headed abroad for a contemporary begin and Kamo submitted an official grievance concerning the membership's tradition.

<img alt="Firebirds players sing their team song with a caption over the top 'I reckon the culutre is in pretty safe hands'." class="Image_image__5tFYM ContentImage_image__DQ_cq" sizes="100vw" src="https://live-production.wcms.abc-cdn.net.au/8b58b70686bd6bb223341f6cdfcd1270?impolicy=wcms_crop_resize&cropH=1260&cropW=945&xPos=0&yPos=0&width=862&height=1149" loading="lazy" data-component="Image" data-lazy="true"/> Laura Geitz and Kim Ravaillion shared this story on Instagram. ( Provided: Instagram )

On the weekend, Geitz and Ravaillion appeared to mock the pair's expertise once they shared a narrative to Instagram of the gamers singing the workforce tune with the caption: "I reckon the tradition is in fairly secure palms."

Sure, the membership might have turned over a brand new leaf, due to contemporary management and training personnel. However to publicly make this comment is one other occasion of key Firebirds' figures suggesting there may be nothing to see right here and undermining the experiences of upset gamers.

Romelda Aiken-George, Beryl Friday and Helena Saunders are another examples of Firebirds which have left the membership over its historical past on dangerous phrases.

Athletes ought to be inspired to talk up and observe the complaints course of once they really feel like one thing is unsuitable — not ridiculed. This take from Geitz and Ravaillion solely reinforces the troublemaker narrative and the unfair energy dynamic at present in place within the sport.

<h2 class="Typography_base__sj2RP Heading_heading__VGa5B future_heading__Gcudw Heading_default__Z3p_p Typography_sizeMobile20__NUDn4 Typography_sizeDesktop32__LR_G6 Typography_lineHeightMobile24__crkfh Typography_lineHeightDesktop40__BuoRf Typography_marginBottomMobileSmall__6wx7m Typography_marginBottomDesktopSmall__CboX4 Typography_bold__FqafP Typography_colourInherit__dfnUx Typography_normalise__u5o1s" data-component="Heading">Diamonds below the microscope There was loads of critique about Cara Koenen's unwillingness to aim two-point tremendous pictures over the previous two seasons. Koenen herself admitted final week that if she would not begin placing them up, she'll turn out to be redundant.

Watson moved to Lightning in 2024 and hasn't developed a lot additional as a participant. ( Getty: Jenny Evans )

Within the warm-ups you'll be able to usually see Koenen can shoot comfortably from that distance however there's a hesitance and uncertainty from her in stay play.

All of this further stress appears to have put Koenen off her recreation and whenever you compound that along with her struggles in opposition to Sterling-Humphrey on Sunday, it is clear she's not in the most effective type.

To take the warmth off the shooter and take a broader have a look at the workforce, there's one thing to be stated concerning the type of their different Diamonds gamers.

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Each defender Bruce and mid-courter Liz Watson left the Tremendous Netball golf equipment they'd been at for nearly a decade to affix the Lightning in 2024 below coach Belinda Reynolds.

Neither of them has performed groundbreaking issues for the reason that shift. The truth is, it appears like their recreation has really regressed.

Watson should be tallying 41 feeds however the Australian captain has had 12 turnovers throughout two video games — greater than another Lightning participant. There have been footwork calls and some events the place Watson tried to feed the shooters and handed the ball straight to Sterling-Humphrey.

Bruce has battled damage. She virtually acquired a full recreation in on Sunday (one achieve), however her 21-year-old successor Ash Ervin was extra spectacular in purpose keeper (5 beneficial properties) and solely awarded 28 minutes of taking part in time. Bruce was additionally probably the most penalised participant on court docket (18).

Does Koenen have to carry her recreation? Completely. However why is the dialog round her type so sturdy for the time being compared to these different Diamonds?