Adelaide Thunderbirds coach Jane Woodlands-Thompson labelled NSW Swifts the team to beat after they flogged her defending champions 60-40 in the trans-Tasman netball competition season opener on Sunday.
Last season’s minor premiers, the Swifts were far too strong for revamped Adelaide who’ve lost three premiership players including star Mo’onia Gerrard, who lined up at wing defence for NSW.
The 60-goal haul at Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre equalled the Swifts’ highest ever trans-Tasman competition total against Adelaide.
Swifts Australian squad shooter Susan Pratley, who has had to contend with Gerrard as a direct opponent for the last three years, made all 27 of her attempts.
The new-look Adelaide circle defence combination of Sharni Layton and Kara Richards struggled to contain Pratley, veteran Catherine Cox (22/29) and recruit Carla Dziwoki (11/11).
Pre-seaon favourites NSW led 15-10 at quarter-time and a flurry of goals late in the second set up a 29-16 halftime advantage after they limited Thunderbirds to just eight attempts in the second term.
The relentless Swifts continued to dominate, bolting to a 44-28 lead at the last break.
“I think they (NSW) will be the team to beat, absolutely,” Woodlands-Thompson said.
The Thunderbirds mentor said her defenders needed to make more second efforts and her attack to be less hesitant.
” We were quite happy with some of the signs we saw,” Woodlands-Thompson said.
“The young defenders did some great stuff that we were working on although they did get burned by some great experience out there.”
NSW won a couple of crucial matchups, with Kimberlee Green outpointing Natalie von Bertouch at centre and Swifts defender Sonia Mkololma containing prolific Adelaide spearhead Carla Borrego (31/36).
Jamaican Borrego only returned to Australia last week and Woodlands-Thompson said her spearhead was carrying an injury and hadn’t spent enough time back with the team.
“That was clearly evident in the misunderstandings that we had, but we didn’t give up, we kept at it,” Woodlands-Thompson said.
“There’s some promising signs to come for us, we just need to get better at a very quick rate.”
She made multiple changes to her team at halftime, while Swifts counterpart Julie Fitzgerald, renowned for sticking largely to her starting seven, gave most of her bench a run.
Fitzgerald was delighted with her defensive unit and the first up effort of Green.
“Kim Green is historically a player that takes a long time to build in a season whereas today I thought she nailed it in the first game.
“Looking back on previous seasons that’s a really good sign for us,” Fitzgerald said.
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