Collingwood shook off last week’s colossal defeat to move into fifth place and deliver Queensland Firebirds’ their fourth straight loss of the 2023 season with a 69-61 win on Easter Sunday.
It was an error-riddled match, but a huge third quarter from the Magpies sealed the eight goal victory.
The Firebirds came out of the blocks strongly to win the opening half by five goals.
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Their new defensive duo of Remi Kamo and Ruby Bakewell-Doran caused havoc to the Magpies’ front end.
In particular, Kamo’s aerial pressure caused uncharacteristic misses and offensive contacts from Jamaican Shimona Nelson.
But after a litany of first quarter ball-handling errors from the Magpies front end, frustrated coach Nicole Richardson called a timeout to give her charges instructions to be more accountable.
During the second term, experienced wing defence Ash Brazill took a knock to the jaw and left the court for a few minutes for a concussion assessment.
She re-entered the game and immediately got her hand to the ball, though was still experiencing discomfort.
The Magpies turned the game on its head with a 23-8 third term with goalshooter Nelson dominating.
It was the only quarter of the game the Pies won and Nelson score the vast majority of points, finishing with 61 goals from her 66 shots.
Tightening up in all areas of the court, Collingwood punished the Firebirds by scoring off 100 per cent of the ball they won.
Magpies’ goal defence and MVP Jodi-Ann Ward was one of a small number of consistently good players across the 60 minutes.
The Jamaican took five intercepts and four deflections while not giving away a single turnover. Perhaps more impressive was that she gave away just six penalties.
After the match, Ward was humble in accepting praise for her performance. She credited the team’s mindset for the turnaround in this game and in moving on from last week’s 27 goal drubbing.
“Last week was not the brand of netball that we wanted to play. We want to show that we are good enough to be up there on the ladder,” she said in a post match interview.
Despite winning the last quarter by two goals, the Firebirds will not be happy with letting the lead slip.
Yet another second-half fadeout cost them the match, with ten turnovers and 21 penalties in the third term the chief culprit.
Meanwhile Adelaide Thunderbirds coach Tania Obst has no doubt her side can create havoc this season and end its 10-year finals drought.
Not since claiming a second trans-Tasman crown in 2013 have the Thunderbirds tasted major round action, a decade of torment for the proud club.
After a 59-54 loss to Giants Netball on their Mile End court on Sunday, Obst said despite the youthful line-up, the Thunderbirds were poised to cause plenty of damage.
“We are still the youngest team by age and number of games,” she said. “But we are learning and they are hungry to make finals.
“The maturity of some of the younger players, the evolvement of the defence end and Eleanor (Cardwell) brings a completely different aspect to what she does in the forward line.”
The Thunderbirds faced the Giants with an unbeaten record after two wins and a draw to start the season and they are third on the ladder.
Obst said her side was really good in patches against the Giants, and described the second quarter comeback as great.
“We showed grit and an ability to change things up when needed,” she said.
“I thought we were in control in the final quarter, but missed a goal and had a loose ball.
“We did not play some of the moments and the Giants made the most of theirs.
“We are a team of 10 and we are going to need that. It is a strength, our ability to make changes.”
Despite dropping the first three games, Giants coach Julie Fitzgerald refused to lose trust in her players and she is adamant they can conquer any opponent.
The veteran mentor said the Giants went into round 1 with a depleted line-up, before confronting last year’s grand finalists in the next two rounds.
“We had a hard run to start the season, but I was pleased how we built through those weeks,” she said. “Last week, particularly in the first half, we were too scared to make mistakes.
“Today, we played with more freedom.
“Without a doubt we can win the flag. There is a lot of improvement and there are so many younger players who will get better each game.
“I’m always confident and I know we can beat anyone when we play well enough.”
