A third-quarter cameo from super-shot specialist Reilley Batcheldor helped the Sunshine Coast Lightning to a 69-62 win over the NSW Swifts on Saturday night.
The Queensland Firebirds rookie is set to become only the third Indigenous netballer to represent Australia after she was named in the Australian squad for 2022-23.
The English international kept her side in touch in the first half,but West Coast’s ultimately commanding win vaults them to the top of the ladder.
The Giants proved too strong for the Collingwood Magpies,without four key players because of COVID-19,while the NSW Swifts named academy product Sophie Fawns as the permanent replacement for injured shooter Sam Wallace.
Both teams will welcome back key players ahead of a jam-packed schedule where they will play three games in a week.
Saturday night’s clash saw the reigning premiers take on last year’s wooden spooners at home,but it was the Vixens who withstood a late surge to take pole position in the Sargeant-McKinnis Cup.
Super Netball bosses have rejected the Giants’ request to postpone their clash against the Thunderbirds after six players,including three Diamonds,were ruled out due to COVID-19.
The defending Super Netball champions’ worst fears have been realised after scans confimed Sam Wallace will play no further part in their 2022 campaign after rupturing her ACL in the season opener.
NSW Swifts enter the season as the team to beat but say any pressure is external and not spoken about within the change rooms.
Bianca Chatfield backs the Melbourne Vixens to go from bottom to top in Super Netball,while the Swifts will begin the pre-season tournament without their coach.
The state’s governing body was fined more than $57,000 after an investigation found team managers at the Giants and Swifts had delayed reporting links to exposure sites.