Sport

Netball

Queensland Firebirds captain Gabi Simpson.

Firebirds calm despite poor season start

Queensland Firebirds captain Gabi Simpson insists there will be no panic within the side despite the defending champions going winless from their opening two games of the 2017 campaign.

Giants demolish West Coast to stay unbeaten

All too easy: The Giants had it all their own way against the Fever.

The most frightening thing about the Giants' 66-51 win over West Coast on Saturday night is that this team is still playing nowhere near the potential offered by their star-studded roster.

Give us time, says Magpies coach

Caitlin Thwaites was heroic for the Magpies in the opening game.

For the all-star team many thought could not be beaten, loss No.1 came on opening night.  Yet although Collingwood coach Kristy Keppich-Birell believes it may take at least half a season for her fledgling squad to find the flow and consistency to collectively play its best netball, the optimist within declares herself "always hopeful that it will be this weekend".

Melbourne Vixens eye another scalp

One down ... the Vixens are on the guard against a round two let-down against Lightning.

As sweet as their upset two-goal victory over title favourites Collingwood was in the opening Super Netball round, the Melbourne Vixens are determined to avoid any potential let-down in the second against another much-touted newcomer, the Sunshine Coast Lightning.

Don't forget the Vixens, say Sydney Super Netball rivals

Leaders: Kate Maloney of the Melbourne Vixens and Madi Robinson of the Collingwood Magpies will do battle for the first ...

Amid the clamour to hail Collingwood as the Super Netball standout before Saturday's historic three-state series of opening round derbies, the Melbourne Vixens have received some unexpected support from north of the border, via rival Sydney captains Kim Green and Abbey McCulloch.

Collingwood's cakewalk?

Collingwood's April Brandley, Caitlin Thwaites and Kim Ravaillion at the zoo this week.

The tune is that famous one we all know, the words already learnt and rehearsed a few times during the pre-season. Good old Collingwood is new Collingwood in a netball sense, and the overwhelming expectation - and, in some cases, fear - that the inaugural Suncorp Super Netball premiership will indeed be a cakewalk will be tested for the first time on Saturday night.

The Collingwood way: dream big, achieve anything

Super Netball is go: Collingwood players April Brandley, Caitlyn Thwaites and Kim Ravaillion and the Vixens' Jo Weston ...

Caitlin Thwaites has played netball for the two biggest teams in Australia, the NSW Swifts and Melbourne Vixens, and is now part of the most powerful sporting club in the land. When asked about the difference in "the Collingwood way", Thwaites quoted coach Kristy Keppich-Birrell, whose message to her Diamond-studded line-up is: "You can dream big here".