Tall, gazelle-esque match-winners, goal shooters are the “shiny things” of the netball world, often rightly demanding the spotlight, but in round one of Super Netball at the weekend, it was a clutch of goal keepers who shone brightest.
A United Nations of circle defenders – including Jamaican Shamira Sterling, England stalwart Geva Mentor and rising Australian stars Emily Mannix and Sarah Klau – showed that the last line of defence is often the best. Each was influential in their respective side’s banking a win in a first round that was full of surprises.
On Sunday, Adelaide Thunderbirds recruit, 23-year-old Sterling signalled her arrival in the world’s best league in emphatic style, putting in a blinder on countrywoman, 198cm West Coast Fever spearhead Jhaniele Fowler, tipping balls from behind, picking up scraps and generally making Fowler’s life difficult.
Despite giving away eight centimetres to Fowler, who shot 208 more goals than anyone else last year and was the season MVP, spring-heeled Sterling was instrumental in breaking an almost two-year drought for Adelaide. She racked up a game-high five intercepts and 11 deflections in the heart-stopping one-goal win in Adelaide. She also reeled in three rebounds.
Sterling – who played for Loughborough Lightning in the UK Superleague last year before being headhunted by new Thunderbirds coach Tania Obst – has already built a formidable partnership with fellow international, 26-year-old Englishwoman Layla Guscoth, who picked up three intercepts and six deflections. Guscoth also often “doubled back” on Fowler to help Sterling out.
While Fowler sensationally went down with what looked like a bad ankle tweak in the last quarter, Sterling had already done her damage and continued it when Kaylia Stanton replaced Fowler at goal shooter for the last part of the quarter. Stanton managed just two from the four shots she put up in that time, sinking the Fever’s chances.
The young Jamaican must have gone mighty close to winning player of the match, however it was her opponent Fowler who took those honours, in one of the more surprising decisions of the weekend.
Melbourne Vixens keeper Mannix did win the MVP in her side’s come-from-behind 12-goal victory over the Queensland Firebirds in the season opener on Saturday in Melbourne, sending the Firebirds’ key shooter Romelda Aiken to the bench in the last quarter.
The 25-year-old – who many see as next in line to the Australian GK bib after Fever captain Courtney Bruce – hassled and hurried Aiken, who still shot 36 from 42 at 85% accuracy.
Her tireless work caused six general-play turnovers and two contacts from the 196cm Jamaican – who even replayed after attempting to rebound her own “air ball” shot on goal, such was the attention Mannix was paying her.
Mannix was also judicious in which balls she flew for and which contests were worth a contact. The 188cm Victorian ended up with three gains, two intercepts and 16 contacts, but against the class and height of Aiken, not all contacts are inherently bad.
She was helped no end by having Renae Ingles out in front of her at wing defence. While the veteran only had one intercept and two deflections, her praying mantis-like arms were consistently slowing the speed of the ball into the Firebirds’ circle.
Mentor, widely regarded as the best keeper in the world, was her usual phenomenal self in her debut in the black and white on Saturday after moving to the Collingwood Magpies from back-to-back premiers, the Sunshine Coast Lightning, in the off-season.
Against her old side, the 34-year-old went toe-to-toe with 23-year-old Cara Koenen, who saw minimal court time last year and star recruit, Ugandan Peace Proscovia, and the English Rose took the honours in both battles, with four intercepts, five deflections and two rebounds across the match. But it was what Mentor didn’t do that’s astounding.
In what may be a Super Netball first, Mentor didn’t record a single obstruction for the whole game. Zero. Zip. Zilch. It’s an amazing feat for a goal keeper, who is generally the most penalised player on the court, purely by virtue of their role. She did have nine contacts, but that’s well within norms.
Mentor’s defensive partner, April Brandley, had just four obstructions and wing defence Ash Brazill also didn’t obstruct all game – proof-positive that coach Rob Wright’s defensive background will be key to the Pies’ success in 2019.
Led by Mentor and 195cm, 20-year-old Jamaican Shimona Nelson, who knocked down 46 from 54 as goal shooter, Collingwood took the match 57-43; the 14-goal margin the biggest of the weekend and the first time in Super Netball history the Magpies have recorded a round-one victory.
In the other match of the round, 24-year-old NSW Swifts keeper Klau showed what a defensive partnership built on trust and instinct can do. Combining seamlessly with her long-time defensive partner, 23-year-old Maddy Turner, Klau had great patches on new Giants shooter, Diamonds captain Caitlin Bassett, in the derby played in Sydney on Sunday. In the biggest upset of the weekend, the Swifts beat the much-fancied Giants 63-56 and when it mattered Klau and Turner had an impact.
Klau’s four intercepts, five deflections and single rebound seemed to all come at key moments and her coach, Briony Akle, was visibly thrilled courtside. It’s a performance the fledging pair will have to repeat week-in, week-out if the Swifts are to better their third-last place from season 2018.
And if the adage “shooters sell memberships, defenders win championships” is to be believed, Super Netball has more than one championship contender in 2019 - many more.
