Insufficient Performance: Super Netball Finals Suffering Results in Historic Defeat

NSW Swifts coach Briony Akle expressed her profound disappointment after her team suffered a staggering 32-goal defeat to the West Coast Fever in the Super Netball major semi-final at Perth’s RAC Arena on Sunday.

This lopsided match recorded the largest winning margin in the league’s history, with the Fever achieving the highest score ever seen in a final and the highest-scoring quarter in a final, netting 26 goals in the second quarter alone.

Having clinched the minor premiership with 12 wins from 14 games this season, the Fever dominated every quarter, culminating in a record score of 77-45, securing their spot in the grand final on Saturday, August 2.

Goal shooter Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard was a standout performer for the Fever, contributing an impressive 66 goals.

Without co-captain Paige Hadley due to a lower leg injury and emerging talent Teigan O’Shannassy sidelined for the finals series with a back issue, the Swifts faced considerable pressure entering the match.

This contest also served as the inaugural Super Netball final for young players Freddie Schneideman and Grace Whyte, along with marquee Kiwi signing Grace Nweke experiencing her first final on Australian soil.

Nevertheless, Akle refused to offer any excuses for the performance of her side.

“We simply weren’t good enough,” she told reporters in her post-match briefing.

“We didn’t turn up to play against them, so congratulations to them.”

Akle attributed the team’s difficulties to a concerning 30-15 turnover count, stating that it simply “was not acceptable.”

In the face of the Fever’s dominance, the Swifts struggled to respond, with Akle utilising all ten players in search of the right mix.

The coach also highlighted a lack of player accountability, emphasising that even inexperienced players need to effectively carry out their roles.

Nweke recorded 23 goals with an accuracy rate of 82 percent, a statistic Akle admitted would be unsatisfactory for the young shooter.

“She’s just 23 – I think people sometimes forget her age,” Akle commented on Nweke.

“She’s not 33 or 28 – she’s 23 and this is her first season in the SSN.

“She wouldn’t be content with her performance. She aims for 50 goals or more, but that’s often unrealistic in the world’s elite netball.”

“There’s nothing physically wrong with her.

“Look ahead to next week because she’s going to come back strong.”

Next up, the Swifts will face the Vixens in the preliminary final on Sunday, following the latter’s 59-56 victory over the reigning champions, the Thunderbirds.

Akle remains optimistic that the team can address their shortcomings and mount a challenge for a spot in the grand final.

“Every team is bound to experience a game like this at some stage in their careers – what matters is how we respond and pick ourselves back up to fight again,” she said.

Hadley is expected to make a return during the finals series.