Sport

Netball

Magpies and Vixens on shaky ground

The Swifts' Samantha Wallace and Vixen Emily Mannix compete for the ball in their round three Super Netball match.

After a double-bill that earned the Magpies and Vixens just one point between them, next weekend's follow-up will come against Super Netball's two weakest teams and a loss for either Victorian team would be dire.

Magpies fall to unbeaten Giants

Collingwood's Caitlin Thwaites takes a shot against the Giants.

The Giants remain unbeaten. Collingwood remain unable to win a game on their home court. The Magpies, raging flag favourites in the pre-season, now have a solitary win from their opening three rounds after a 59-51 loss at Hisense Arena.

Brazill on switching clubs, football, sexuality, and love for netball

Magpie netballer Ashleigh Brazill says she wants to win a premiership one day.

In the melting pot that is Collingwood's multi-team sporting HQ is a netballer who has already dabbled in football and hopes to switch full-time to AFLW when her original career is done. When Ash Brazill sees the Pies' women's team, they ask her to come and have a kick. Which she does. When netball staffers notice, they good-naturedly warn the pesky football types to stay away.

Vixens and Magpies double-up, with a single aim

Jo Weston.

Having opened with mixed results against two formidable new rivals, the Melbourne Vixens renew an old acquaintance in round three. Yet the fact that the recast NSW Swifts may not be such a familiar foe after all may be a good thing, for no team has tormented the Vixens so often, over so long.

Midcourt mastery becoming key to netball glory

Kim Ravaillion is showing outstanding form for the Magpies.

When God handed out the first set of netball bibs sometime in the first century AD, she decreed that the G in four of the seven positions stood for "goal".  As in Goal shooter. Goal attack. Goal defence.  Goal keeper.  In modern netball the G might as well stand for other things. Glamour shooter. Glitz  attack. Genius defence. Glory keeper.  There is no doubt the circle is where is it at on the netball court, and it is goal shooting and goal defending that have won and lost titles in recent times.

Firebirds calm despite poor season start

Queensland Firebirds captain Gabi Simpson.

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.