Mission Improbable: derby key to Giants' finals hopes
After managing a sole win in the opening two months of the Super Netball season, the Giants have reignited finals hopes that had seemingly been extinguished.
Julie Fitzgerald's crew head into Sunday's derby against the NSW Swifts at Ken Rosewall Arena aiming to extend a two-game winning streak.
With just four rounds left this season, there is scant time for the sixth-placed Giants (12 points) to leapfrog third-placed Sunshine Coast Lightning (24) or the fourth-placed Melbourne Vixens (24).
Go-to goal attack Sophie Dwyer accepts the road to finals would be tough, but not impossible.
"Mathematically, it's not out of the equation," she told AAP.
"It will be hard for us. We left it pretty late in the season to be in good form, and it will depend on other results as well."
A round-10 win over the Lightning marked the first time the Giants had scored back-to-back wins in two years.
The match reminded Dwyer of the 2021 season, when her team were crowned minor premiers.
"I'm not usually one to smile, and I was smiling and having so much fun," she said.
"We're playing with freedom, and I think our attacking unit does work the best when we are playing like that.
"There's a lot of belief and confidence in the group at the moment ... definitely a very special one for us."
The 23-year-old's breakout season came in 2021, after an injury to teammate Kiera Austin presented her with an early opportunity to excel.
Dwyer has paired perfectly under the ring with veteran shooter Jo Harten, tallying 181 goals this season.
"We've been playing for a few years now together, and it felt like back to 2021 Sophie and Jo which is really exciting," Dwyer said.
"Jo's been in some of her career-best form, and at her age, it's just amazing."
The experience of Kiwi great Casey Kopua, who returned from retirement in 2025 to replace injured Giants defender Jodi-Ann Ward, has also boosted the Giants.
Rival goal attack Helen Housby, a staple English Rose and Swifts centurion, described Kopua's recruitment as "huge" for the Giants.
"She can use her body well. She's strong, but I also think the way that she's leading the defence is probably something they were desperate for," Housby told AAP.
The Swifts' top ladder position is on the line after Briony Akle's side copped back-to-back losses, against the Vixens and West Coast Fever.
The results were out of character for the previously undefeated side, but Housby wasn't focused on the ladder.
"The top of the ladder, it's not ours," she said.
"It could be anyone's at any point in the season, and it's not ours to defend.
"We want a premiership and that can happen in a lot of different ways."
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Sydney Morning Herald
4 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Five things the Wallabies learned from the Lions' defeat in Dublin
The former rugby league star and his squad will brood on the defeat during the long flight to Perth, and will arrive desperate to consign the display to history and take out their frustrations on the Force next weekend. Top of the props The Lions were missing the majority of their Leinster contingent against Argentina, including loosehead prop Andrew Porter, who in the stand in the Aviva Stadium basking in rare Dublin sunshine. In his place, England's Ellis Genge made life brutally difficult for Puma's tighthead Joel Sclavi, winning two clear scrum penalties against the La Rochelle prop in the first half. Genge also won another set-piece penalty against his replacement, Brive's Francisco Coria. What is concerning for the Lions is that Porter is even stronger in the scrum than his English teammate. Wallabies scrum coach Mike Cron would have taken pages of notes over his morning coffee. Porter starting and Genge coming off the bench is a monstrous prospect. It is vital that Brumbies skipper Allan Alaalatoa can at least gain parity and then Taniela Tupou hold the Wallabies scrum in the final quarter against a fully firing Genge. Dealing with pressure After Santiago Cordero's spectacular try in the 58th minute, Argentina had to absorb 24 minutes of relentless Lions attacks to hold on to their four-point lead. One of Farrell's favourite players, Canberra-raised winger Mack Hansen, looked dangerous every time he touched the ball and it appeared there were more gears for the Lions to move through in attack. With three minutes left, the Lions were inches away from victory before stand-in captain Tadhg Beirne was penalised for an illegal neck-roll at the breakdown. Lions series are often won by the smallest of margins and this was a rare moment of indiscipline from a player known for his calmness under pressure. The Wallabies will look to sow doubt in the minds of their opponents at every opportunity. The battle at the breakdown The Wallabies squad is thin in parts, particularly the centres and props. But as ever, Australian rugby has an abundance of back-row talent. The Lions were missing one of the best breakaways in the world in Ireland's Josh van der Flier, but the combination of Wales' Jac Morgan and England's Ben Earl and Tom Curry was still a strong unit. It was notable that winger Rodrigo Isgro earned three turnovers at the breakdown, including one that ultimately won the game for his side. English prodigy Henry Pollock came on for 33 minutes, providing a mixed bag which included a crucial missed tackle on the outstanding Pumas playmaker Tomas Albornoz that led to Cordero's match-winning try and an abrasive performance in the loose. Wallabies breakaways Fraser McReight and Carlo Tizzano both have the potential to cause havoc to the Lions' ball at the breakdown. Familiarity will breed comfort for Lions It was not the Lions' strongest side in Dublin, with the likes of Scotland's Blair Kinghorn still playing for Toulouse. However, there were plenty of players who will be pushing for selection against the Wallabies. The Argentine defence was excellent when it came to scrambling against the Lions' attack and making crucial reads, knowing exactly when to shoot up and put pressure on the ball-carrier. In each tour game leading up to the Tests, Farrell will shuffle his deck before deciding whether to stick or twist with his combinations. One of the ultimate challenges for any Lions player is to unlearn years of programming with their club and country and quickly embrace new attacking patterns. Farrell has picked a large contingent of tried and tested Leinster players, for the very reason that they are so familiar with one another. Conversely, rested Scottish playmaker Finn Russell delights in unstructured, off-the-cuff play. This defeat Lions put the Lions under pressure before their plane had even left the tarmac, but they still have time to become a formidable side before the first Test in Brisbane in just under a month.
The Age
4 hours ago
- The Age
Five things the Wallabies learned from the Lions' defeat in Dublin
The former rugby league star and his squad will brood on the defeat during the long flight to Perth, and will arrive desperate to consign the display to history and take out their frustrations on the Force next weekend. Top of the props The Lions were missing the majority of their Leinster contingent against Argentina, including loosehead prop Andrew Porter, who in the stand in the Aviva Stadium basking in rare Dublin sunshine. In his place, England's Ellis Genge made life brutally difficult for Puma's tighthead Joel Sclavi, winning two clear scrum penalties against the La Rochelle prop in the first half. Genge also won another set-piece penalty against his replacement, Brive's Francisco Coria. What is concerning for the Lions is that Porter is even stronger in the scrum than his English teammate. Wallabies scrum coach Mike Cron would have taken pages of notes over his morning coffee. Porter starting and Genge coming off the bench is a monstrous prospect. It is vital that Brumbies skipper Allan Alaalatoa can at least gain parity and then Taniela Tupou hold the Wallabies scrum in the final quarter against a fully firing Genge. Dealing with pressure After Santiago Cordero's spectacular try in the 58th minute, Argentina had to absorb 24 minutes of relentless Lions attacks to hold on to their four-point lead. One of Farrell's favourite players, Canberra-raised winger Mack Hansen, looked dangerous every time he touched the ball and it appeared there were more gears for the Lions to move through in attack. With three minutes left, the Lions were inches away from victory before stand-in captain Tadhg Beirne was penalised for an illegal neck-roll at the breakdown. Lions series are often won by the smallest of margins and this was a rare moment of indiscipline from a player known for his calmness under pressure. The Wallabies will look to sow doubt in the minds of their opponents at every opportunity. The battle at the breakdown The Wallabies squad is thin in parts, particularly the centres and props. But as ever, Australian rugby has an abundance of back-row talent. The Lions were missing one of the best breakaways in the world in Ireland's Josh van der Flier, but the combination of Wales' Jac Morgan and England's Ben Earl and Tom Curry was still a strong unit. It was notable that winger Rodrigo Isgro earned three turnovers at the breakdown, including one that ultimately won the game for his side. English prodigy Henry Pollock came on for 33 minutes, providing a mixed bag which included a crucial missed tackle on the outstanding Pumas playmaker Tomas Albornoz that led to Cordero's match-winning try and an abrasive performance in the loose. Wallabies breakaways Fraser McReight and Carlo Tizzano both have the potential to cause havoc to the Lions' ball at the breakdown. Familiarity will breed comfort for Lions It was not the Lions' strongest side in Dublin, with the likes of Scotland's Blair Kinghorn still playing for Toulouse. However, there were plenty of players who will be pushing for selection against the Wallabies. The Argentine defence was excellent when it came to scrambling against the Lions' attack and making crucial reads, knowing exactly when to shoot up and put pressure on the ball-carrier. In each tour game leading up to the Tests, Farrell will shuffle his deck before deciding whether to stick or twist with his combinations. One of the ultimate challenges for any Lions player is to unlearn years of programming with their club and country and quickly embrace new attacking patterns. Farrell has picked a large contingent of tried and tested Leinster players, for the very reason that they are so familiar with one another. Conversely, rested Scottish playmaker Finn Russell delights in unstructured, off-the-cuff play. This defeat Lions put the Lions under pressure before their plane had even left the tarmac, but they still have time to become a formidable side before the first Test in Brisbane in just under a month.
News.com.au
5 hours ago
- News.com.au
Super Netball 2025: Housby, Nweke vs. Kopua in derby clash of NSW titans
One of Super Netball's greatest players has turned super fan of a game in which she'll be a central character. Champion goaler Helen Housby has snuffed out any idea the Swifts are disappointed the Giants are hitting their straps ahead of the NSW derby, saying she's excited at the prospect of playing in one of the most anticipated games of the season. The teams may be sitting at opposite ends of the competition ladder, with the Swifts on top and Giants in sixth place having just lifted themselves from the cellar. But it's the Giants who head in with the best form line, their back-to-back wins the first time they've had consecutive victories in two years, while the Swifts lost outright lead of the competition after two straight losses in the last fortnight. Throw in the Giants' recruitment of Silver Ferns legend Casey Kopua setting up a clash between New Zealand netball's past and future - in super shooter Grace Nweke - and there's every ingredient needed for a fantastic feast. 'It's the kind of game that you want to play in,' said Housby, who believes the form guide has to be thrown out ahead of Sunday's match in front of a sold out crowd of about 10,000 fans at Ken Rosewall Arena. 'It's got a story to it, and it's got excitement to it and we love trying to figure out ways to play on different players, special players - and I think this is no different.' As strong a player as Kopua is in her own right - despite having been retired for the past six years - it's the way she's bringing the Giants' young defenders into the game that's helped them take such a step forward and Housby will have her own battle against outstanding young goal defence Erin O'Brien, who has flourished under the former Fern's on-court guidance. 'I think she was a really great recruitment for them,' Housby said of Kopua. 'She's obviously been retired for a little while but I don't think she's lost any of her game sense, game smarts … and more than anything, it's the confidence and the composure that she gives to the defenders around her. 'I think they've probably been desperate for a little bit of leadership back there and especially with Jodi-Ann (Ward's) sad (knee) injury, she was the perfect person to come in and kind of wrap them into a solid defensive game plan and mindset. 'She's an absolute stalwart of netball, one of the best defenders that the Silver Ferns have ever produced and for the (Giants) to have picked her up, they'll just be gaining information from her, learning from her and in turn, they can use her body, her physicality, to their advantage, so she's going to be huge for them and I'm quite excited by the prospect (of playing her).' Kopua's likely direct match-up will be Nweke though, the outstanding shooter who has given up her New Zealand eligibility this year to cross the ditch and play Super Netball with the Swifts to improve her game. 'I've got no doubt that most young Silver Ferns probably see Casey as a bit of an idol,' Housby said. 'I haven't actually spoken to Grace personally about it, I'll have to have a few words with her and see how she's feeling about it but I think it's going to be incredible. 'I think if you are a Silver Ferns supporter, you'll definitely be tuning in to watch this across the ditch, because I think it's a pretty special match-up … and it's pretty awesome to see the changing of the guard in the Silver Ferns superstars and I can't wait to be involved and to see, hopefully Gracie shine.'
