There have been zero adjustments to Tremendous Netball’s ladder positions after spherical eight.

Melbourne Mavericks and the Sunshine Coast Lightning have been locked in a battle for fourth place for the previous month. Tied for factors and separated by aim share, they’ve taken turns leaping out and in of finals competition. 

However a slender victory for the Mavericks over the NSW Swifts 62-60 helped them break the impasse and declare the spot outright.

It should really feel good to have slightly further respiration room this week.

The Lightning have not crushed the West Coast Fever at residence in Sippy Downs since 2019 and that poor file continued with a 58-54 defeat.

Though aim keeper Courtney Bruce was in tremendous type (9 features) two black eyes stole the present. This match acquired us fascinated by the physicality of the league and Tremendous Netball’s strategy to Delight Video games.

Elsewhere, the Queensland Firebirds put up a significantly better battle in opposition to the Adelaide Thunderbirds of their second assembly of the season, sticking with them for the primary half. Alas, a poor efficiency within the ultimate half-hour meant they succumbed an analogous destiny by dropping by 24 targets, 73-49, in comparison with 27 targets in spherical three, 73-46.

And regardless of nonetheless being winless in 2026, the younger Giants proceed to problem prime groups. In spherical 5 they fell to the Thunderbirds 56-54 and on Sunday suffered the identical dropping margin to the Melbourne Vixens 66-64.

They don’t seem to be far off the tempo. If they’ll strategy every of their remaining matches with the identical mindset they could simply be capable to wriggle up the ladder and keep away from the picket spoon.

When you missed it, don’t be concerned, we’ll get you up to the mark with our Tremendous Netball round-up.

Delight Video games in Tremendous Netball

For the previous six seasons, Delight Video games celebrating LGBTIQA+ inclusion have taken place in some capability in Tremendous Netball.

Again in 2021, the now defunct Collingwood Magpies hosted the very first against the Firebirds.

In 2022, the Lightning and Fever joined in. 

By 2023, the competition had introduced Inclusion Round encouraging all golf equipment to place their very own spin on championing variety.

Some selected to highlight multiculturalism or individuals with a incapacity, however most targeted on Delight initiatives.

Inclusion Spherical ran for 2 seasons earlier than being deserted for 2025.

Though the fitting motivations have been there the message did begin to really feel watered-down and non-committal. The catch-all strategy made it arduous to comply with and fewer highly effective.

This weekend gone, the Lightning held its annual Delight Sport with the Fever. The rainbow bibs on the participant clothes and Progress Delight Flag hanging within the stadium have been a lifeless giveaway however it went unmentioned on the host broadcast till the third quarter.

There have been no interviews about its significance within the pre-game and little fanfare on social media about it taking place within the lead up. Blink and also you might need missed it.

Now, because it was again in 2021 when Collingwood led the best way, it has been as much as the golf equipment to execute any Delight Video games. Not like the AFL who’ve one devoted weekend the place tips are given by the league and all people is on board.

In spherical eight the Mavericks held their annual Orange Sport which raises consciousness and assist for victims and survivors of household and home violence. The Vixens and Thunderbirds held Play 4 Pink matches within the battle in opposition to breast most cancers.

Was this an unofficial Inclusion Spherical, we puzzled? Nope. Pure coincidence.

Actually, most golf equipment have plans to stage a Delight Sport this season. However all at completely different instances.

The NSW Swifts host theirs in spherical 9. The Queensland Firebirds will host one in spherical 10 forward of IDAHOBIT. The Vixens and Mavericks will host theirs in spherical 14 proper earlier than the finals.

Meaning the Lightning, Firebirds and Fever will find yourself that includes in two Delight themed matches every. The Thunderbirds are the one group that will not characteristic in any.

Former Tremendous Netballer Liv Lewis identifies as a member of the LGBTIQA+ neighborhood and says the very fact there’s at the moment only one overtly out athlete throughout the league’s pool of 88 gamers suggests it ought to take into account implementing a correct Delight Spherical.

The defender who performed for the Fever, Vixens and Mavericks in the course of the course of her profession determined to make a cross-code swap on the finish of final season to AFLW.

“It’s a bit wishy washy, I really feel just like the league’s strategy to these rounds is nearly like they’re afraid of any backlash so that they take a step again and go away it as much as the golf equipment,” Lewis stated.

“We had the Inclusion Rounds whereas I used to be taking part in however it was very a lot as much as the interpretation of every membership, the league did not need to get on board with any neighborhood particularly.

“If you examine it to some other elite girls’s competitors within the nation, netball is probably the most under-represented sport for the LGBTIQA+ neighborhood, so I might have thought that was a pink flag and perhaps extra of an incentive to champion a full Delight Spherical.

“Within the NRLW, AFLW and WNBL the numbers are starkly completely different. There are a plethora of causes for that, however it does spotlight to me how necessary a Delight Spherical can be in giving that visibility the place it isn’t at the moment.”

As a participant coming via the ranks Lewis was impressed by greats like Ash Brazill and Stacey Francis-Bayman, overtly homosexual girls taking part in on the prime degree of the game.

“There’s so many noble causes that deserve consideration however should you do all of them without delay the impression it could possibly really feel diluted — the messaging is not as potent,” Lewis stated.

“It is a arduous one, as a result of it isn’t about one neighborhood being extra necessary than the opposite.

“I feel it is improbable that First Nations Spherical has change into such a transparent fixture for fairly a number of seasons now. It is even break up throughout two weekends so there’s the house for themed rounds that focus in on sure communities, however I might like to see the league buy-in a bit extra.

“I used to be actually proud to be part of the Mavericks final yr as the primary Tremendous Netball aspect to truly put on a Delight gown, just about each group had simply carried out bibs as much as that time.

“Nevertheless it blows my thoughts that in 10 seasons that’s the solely time a group has carried out that.

“Tremendous Netball appears to be behind the eight ball.”

Leisure vs security

A few weeks ago we touched on the growing physicality of the game and the way a steadiness must be discovered between leisure and security.

A query is the place that line is and the way a lot duty lies with the umpires in terms of defining these parameters, together with our considerations concerning the touchdown house being taken out from underneath gamers.

Because the rounds have gone on there have been increased penalty counts, loads of gamers hitting the deck and coaches voicing their ideas about participant welfare — particularly with so many accidents hampering groups throughout the league.

An interview Mavericks coach Gerard Murphy gave to Fox Netball added one other ingredient the place he shared his fascinating means of assessing his group’s penalty rely and its effectiveness based mostly on its ratio to features.

What that system does not take note of is the varieties of contact. Is it late, is it harmful, or is it a good contest and simply commonplace play?

Within the first quarter of the Lightning and Fever match, aim assault Cara Koenen copped an elbow to the face. Her left eye bruised shortly.

In some unspecified time in the future her direct opponent, aim defence Fran Williams, was additionally hit within the face and her proper eye started to swell.

Each gamers have been noticed icing their faces within the breaks.

Though these incidents have been clearly unintentional we have to be cautious we do not go down the trail of glorifying all these accidents.

There have been a whopping 120 penalties on this recreation (Lightning 74, Fever 46). Within the Vixens and Giants match that adopted there have been 149 (Vixens 71, Giants 78).

Perhaps its time the league thought-about a crackdown on harmful play?