Al-anwar Newspaper English news in Australia
In what captain Jo Harten described as a “game of two halves”, Giants Netball have overcome a midseason slump to return to the winner’s circle, overcoming a spirited Collingwood Mapgies outfit by nine points.
The result comes as a welcome relief for the Giants, who are seeking redemption for last year’s grand final loss, and have clung to third place on the ladder.
The Magpies’ first loss in Tasmania anchors them in sixth, and will go close to snuffing hopes of their first finals campaign since 2019. After a messy start of fumbles and umpiring attention, Magpies settled first and dominated early play. However, every time they threatened to blow the margin out in the first half, Jo Harten’s ability to sink supershots drew the Giants back into the game.
With pivotal match-ups all over the court, none was more enticing than the physical Giants’ midcourt trying to slow down the league’s fastest midcourt. The Magpies wing attack/centre combination of Kelsey Browne and Molly Jovic left opponents in their rear-vision mirror, and with minimal turnovers provided a dangerous amount of ball to their shooters.
At the opposite end of the court, Ash Brazill and Jodi-Ann Ward kept Giants’ Maddy Hay and Sophie Dwyer well under wraps, with neither attacker able to have their usual impact early on. It was left to centre Jamie-Lee Price to do the bulk of the feeding into the circle until the game settled.
The Magpies threatened to run away with the game in the second quarter, clearing out to an 11 goal lead. However, Giants coach Julie Fitzgerald said of her team’s performance, “We really addressed that at half time and came out firing.”
