Latest news with #Dwyer
The Advertiser
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Advertiser
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." 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." 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."
Perth Now
2 days ago
- Sport
- Perth Now
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."
South Wales Guardian
3 days ago
- Sport
- South Wales Guardian
No King Charles repeat for Asfoora but still rest of the summer to look forward to
The six-year-old scorched the Berkshire turf to emerge victorious at Royal Ascot 12 months ago before going on to finish a close second in the King George at Goodwood and fourth in the Nunthorpe at York. Return trips to the Sussex Downs and the Knavesmire appear to be on the agenda for Dwyer's pride and joy who having been fitted with blinkers for the first time, was beaten around two lengths under Oisin Murphy, with the judge unable to split her and Kerdos in joint-fifth place. Dwyer said said: 'The horse did everything right, Oisin was just of the opinion we got stuck on the wrong part of the track. 'Us and Believing never really got into the race. Even though she loomed at the 150-metre mark like she had a fair chance, she probably just felt the pinch for having to do a fair bit to get into the race. 'She's run a good, honest race and certainly hasn't run poorly and we'll stick on with the plan here like last summer. There's not much for us at home so it will be Goodwood, York and beyond hopefully.' Asfoora beat Regional and Believing into second and fourth place last year, but while Ed Bethell's Regional again ran a stormer to place third this time around, the George Boughey-trained 3-1 favourite Believing was well held in 11th. Bethell said: 'He's an amazing horse. He's taken his owners on an amazing journey and I'm hugely appreciative of the horse and Callum (Rodriguez). Obviously I would have loved to win, but this is horse racing and the winner and second were faster than us and that's the bottom line. 'We'll keep kicking and try to win another big one somewhere. I entered him in the Prix Maurice de Gheest and I would like to go there – a flat six furlongs at Deauville on some nice ground would probably play to his strengths and then we'd like to go to the Sprint Cup (at Haydock). 'He's a legend and we're just very lucky to have him, I'm over the moon. Well done to Jim Goldie and Paul Mulrennan (trainer and rider of winner American Affair), they deserve a win like this, they've been in the game a long time and fair play to them.' Believing, who broke her Group One duck in the Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan on her previous start, is now in-foal to Frankel and it remains to be seen whether she will race on or be retired. Boughey said: 'There's a little bit of we were on the wrong side and we were quite aggressive out the gate with her, but Ryan (Moore) thinks she possibly ran the race a little back to front. 'She looked to be going well with a couple of furlongs to go and the horse next to her (Kerdos) kept getting pushed to the side. She's run with credit, it just wasn't to be today and the race happened a long way away from her. 'It will be a Coolmore decision (whether she continues to race) and they will make the call. We'll have a chat and see how she comes out of the race, that is the main thing. She's got plenty of time left and is only recently in-foal, but it will be the owners' decision.' A neck second to American Affair at 28-1 was Frost At Dawn, whose trainer William Knight said: 'A huge run and not unexpected, I thought she would run very well. I thought the stiff five furlongs really suited her and it's just annoying to not get the win. 'I've always had belief in this horse and campaigned her aggressively in that sense and we'll continue to do so. I think she's run a blinder there today and we'll stick at five furlongs – that's her trip. 'We'll go to Goodwood and York and follow that five-furlong Pattern and maybe try to get back to Del Mar and this time run in the turf race, which we'll hopefully get into this time. '
Glasgow Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
No King Charles repeat for Asfoora but still rest of the summer to look forward to
The six-year-old scorched the Berkshire turf to emerge victorious at Royal Ascot 12 months ago before going on to finish a close second in the King George at Goodwood and fourth in the Nunthorpe at York. Return trips to the Sussex Downs and the Knavesmire appear to be on the agenda for Dwyer's pride and joy who having been fitted with blinkers for the first time, was beaten around two lengths under Oisin Murphy, with the judge unable to split her and Kerdos in joint-fifth place. Dwyer said said: 'The horse did everything right, Oisin was just of the opinion we got stuck on the wrong part of the track. 'Us and Believing never really got into the race. Even though she loomed at the 150-metre mark like she had a fair chance, she probably just felt the pinch for having to do a fair bit to get into the race. 'She's run a good, honest race and certainly hasn't run poorly and we'll stick on with the plan here like last summer. There's not much for us at home so it will be Goodwood, York and beyond hopefully.' Asfoora beat Regional and Believing into second and fourth place last year, but while Ed Bethell's Regional again ran a stormer to place third this time around, the George Boughey-trained 3-1 favourite Believing was well held in 11th. Bethell said: 'He's an amazing horse. He's taken his owners on an amazing journey and I'm hugely appreciative of the horse and Callum (Rodriguez). Obviously I would have loved to win, but this is horse racing and the winner and second were faster than us and that's the bottom line. 'We'll keep kicking and try to win another big one somewhere. I entered him in the Prix Maurice de Gheest and I would like to go there – a flat six furlongs at Deauville on some nice ground would probably play to his strengths and then we'd like to go to the Sprint Cup (at Haydock). 'He's a legend and we're just very lucky to have him, I'm over the moon. Well done to Jim Goldie and Paul Mulrennan (trainer and rider of winner American Affair), they deserve a win like this, they've been in the game a long time and fair play to them.' Believing, who broke her Group One duck in the Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan on her previous start, is now in-foal to Frankel and it remains to be seen whether she will race on or be retired. Boughey said: 'There's a little bit of we were on the wrong side and we were quite aggressive out the gate with her, but Ryan (Moore) thinks she possibly ran the race a little back to front. 'She looked to be going well with a couple of furlongs to go and the horse next to her (Kerdos) kept getting pushed to the side. She's run with credit, it just wasn't to be today and the race happened a long way away from her. 'It will be a Coolmore decision (whether she continues to race) and they will make the call. We'll have a chat and see how she comes out of the race, that is the main thing. She's got plenty of time left and is only recently in-foal, but it will be the owners' decision.' A neck second to American Affair at 28-1 was Frost At Dawn, whose trainer William Knight said: 'A huge run and not unexpected, I thought she would run very well. I thought the stiff five furlongs really suited her and it's just annoying to not get the win. 'I've always had belief in this horse and campaigned her aggressively in that sense and we'll continue to do so. I think she's run a blinder there today and we'll stick at five furlongs – that's her trip. 'We'll go to Goodwood and York and follow that five-furlong Pattern and maybe try to get back to Del Mar and this time run in the turf race, which we'll hopefully get into this time. '
Rhyl Journal
3 days ago
- Sport
- Rhyl Journal
No King Charles repeat for Asfoora but still rest of the summer to look forward to
The six-year-old scorched the Berkshire turf to emerge victorious at Royal Ascot 12 months ago before going on to finish a close second in the King George at Goodwood and fourth in the Nunthorpe at York. Return trips to the Sussex Downs and the Knavesmire appear to be on the agenda for Dwyer's pride and joy who having been fitted with blinkers for the first time, was beaten around two lengths under Oisin Murphy, with the judge unable to split her and Kerdos in joint-fifth place. Dwyer said said: 'The horse did everything right, Oisin was just of the opinion we got stuck on the wrong part of the track. 'Us and Believing never really got into the race. Even though she loomed at the 150-metre mark like she had a fair chance, she probably just felt the pinch for having to do a fair bit to get into the race. 'She's run a good, honest race and certainly hasn't run poorly and we'll stick on with the plan here like last summer. There's not much for us at home so it will be Goodwood, York and beyond hopefully.' Asfoora beat Regional and Believing into second and fourth place last year, but while Ed Bethell's Regional again ran a stormer to place third this time around, the George Boughey-trained 3-1 favourite Believing was well held in 11th. Bethell said: 'He's an amazing horse. He's taken his owners on an amazing journey and I'm hugely appreciative of the horse and Callum (Rodriguez). Obviously I would have loved to win, but this is horse racing and the winner and second were faster than us and that's the bottom line. 'We'll keep kicking and try to win another big one somewhere. I entered him in the Prix Maurice de Gheest and I would like to go there – a flat six furlongs at Deauville on some nice ground would probably play to his strengths and then we'd like to go to the Sprint Cup (at Haydock). 'He's a legend and we're just very lucky to have him, I'm over the moon. Well done to Jim Goldie and Paul Mulrennan (trainer and rider of winner American Affair), they deserve a win like this, they've been in the game a long time and fair play to them.' Believing, who broke her Group One duck in the Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan on her previous start, is now in-foal to Frankel and it remains to be seen whether she will race on or be retired. Boughey said: 'There's a little bit of we were on the wrong side and we were quite aggressive out the gate with her, but Ryan (Moore) thinks she possibly ran the race a little back to front. 'She looked to be going well with a couple of furlongs to go and the horse next to her (Kerdos) kept getting pushed to the side. She's run with credit, it just wasn't to be today and the race happened a long way away from her. 'It will be a Coolmore decision (whether she continues to race) and they will make the call. We'll have a chat and see how she comes out of the race, that is the main thing. She's got plenty of time left and is only recently in-foal, but it will be the owners' decision.' A neck second to American Affair at 28-1 was Frost At Dawn, whose trainer William Knight said: 'A huge run and not unexpected, I thought she would run very well. I thought the stiff five furlongs really suited her and it's just annoying to not get the win. 'I've always had belief in this horse and campaigned her aggressively in that sense and we'll continue to do so. I think she's run a blinder there today and we'll stick at five furlongs – that's her trip. 'We'll go to Goodwood and York and follow that five-furlong Pattern and maybe try to get back to Del Mar and this time run in the turf race, which we'll hopefully get into this time. '
