The Netty Life

We can hardly contain our excitement because Round 12 has been and gone and we’ve got just two rounds left before the finals! Woo hoo!

On the weekend the majority of games were decided by three goals or less, as some teams lived by the super shot and died by the super shot in a desperate effort to stay in contention for finals.

We take a closer look in our game analysis at how the Fever, Firebirds and Mavericks all got home in tight contests.  

Before we discuss the concerning reports that Mavericks training partner and Tongan Tala shooter Uneeq Palavi was warned off her international commitments by her Super Netball club. She has since made an impressive debut with another team and wowed fans.

Plus, we hear from Swifts goal attack Sophie Fawns where she touches on the fight her team is showing in a difficult season. 

A week after parting ways with head coach Bec Bulley, the Queensland Firebirds bounced back with an emotional win against the West Coast Fever as their new co-coaches Katie Walker and Roselee Jencke took the reins for the rest of the 2024 season. 

The Melbourne Vixens have maintained the No.1 spot on the ladder without looking like they’ve even hit top gear yet and the Adelaide Thunderbirds jumped the Fever into second place.

Meanwhile, both NSW teams are struggling, with the Giants at the bottom of the ladder and the Swifts still feeling the effects of their off-court drama with Samantha Wallace-Joseph. 

We also hear from Australian Kelpie Josh Byron about the state of men’s netball in this country and his ambitions for the sport to get onto the Olympics program.

Netball chaos indeed...

The past week sent fan speculation into overdrive as the Queensland Firebirds “mutually” parted ways with their head coach Bec Bulley and the NSW Swifts also “mutually” parted ways with their import shooter Sam Wallace-Joseph. 

We unpack both decisions from the clubs that happened to break news on the same night. 

Before we analyse the Round 10 games and look ahead to the final month of the regular Super Netball season. 

It’s a pivotal time in Super Netball with just five weeks left until finals.

After round nine, the Vixens overtook the Fever to sit four points clear on the ladder after the Thunderbirds handed West Coast their biggest loss since 2018 — a whopping 18 goals.

We also chat Diamonds selection in the wake of the 2024/25 national squad being named and featuring three new players in their early twenties: Hannah Mundy, Ash Ervin and Georgie Horjus, as the team looks to recruit the next generation of Australian talent.

But our main focus this week is on the major changes happening in the UK, leaving fans feeling hurt and unheard.

Four of the current 10 teams have been axed for next season: Storm, Stars, Sirens and Bath, as the competition makes some drastic changes in order to try and pay players better and give the league a more professional status.

Andy Lamb and Kelly Walker share their thoughts on these changes for SuperLeague 2.0 as passionate netball fans, podcasters and people that will both have to pick new sides to support next year after their teams sadly didn’t make the cut.

Round 8 saw many of the league's top players sidelined with injury or illness and the Firebirds and the Mavericks enjoyed unexpected wins; for the Mavs it was their first win in front of their home crowd. 

The omission of Sam Wallace-Joseph from the Swifts game day 10 remains a hot discussion topic, and we try to unravel why she would have been dropped from their squad. 

Mavericks shooter and English Rose, Sasha Glasgow joins us to discuss her new role as she teams up with Henley Homes and Eating Disorders Victoria to shed light on eating disorders and promote positive body image, healthy relationships with food and to let those affected by eating disorders know they are not alone. 

Part one of First Nations round happened over round seven in the lead up to National Reconciliation Week.

We hear from Yarwuru woman Scarlet Jauncey about her selection in the inaugural Australian First Nations team and the West Coast Fever Reserves side. 

The defender has been mentored by England Roses captain and Fever newbie Fran Williams during her WANL season with the Hamersley Comets. 

We also, of course, discuss the huge feat by the Melbourne Vixens to break Fever’s six-match winning streak.

Before we chat about the NSW Swifts recording the lowest-ever Super Netball score in history and the activities each club got up to during First Nations Round to connect with their local Indigenous community.

Round six threw up the league's first two-minute suspension of 2024 as Giant Jamie-Lee Price was sent to the sideline. Fever have now shot four points clear to sit at the top of the ladder, while the Lightning brought the Vixens winning streak to an end.

In the lead up to the first of a two-part First Nations Round this season we talk to Sharon Finnan-White – one of only three Indigenous Diamonds to have represented Australia throughout the team’s 85-year history and a proud Dunghutti and Gumbaynggirr woman.

We also take a look at what to expect from some of the teams when it comes to making a genuine connection with our First Nations culture in National Reconciliation Week. 

In round five, the West Coast Fever and Melbourne Vixens continued their unbeaten streak to remain ladder leaders.

The Fever hit their highest Super Netball score yet this season at 94 goals and the Vixens claimed the first instalment of the Sargeant-McKinnis Cup.

But the biggest story was neither of these moments and actually revolved around a scoreboard drama between the Giants and Sunshine Coast Lightning.

Where an error by a bench official swung the game into extra time ... some 50 minutes after the whistle had been blown.

Here to fill us in on how it all went down, eventually resulting in the Giants breaking their 2024 hoodoo to get their first victory, is Diamonds star Sophie Dwyer.

Round three saw two matches where teams could only be separated by extra time.

A Jamaican legend hit 8000 Super Netball goals and an English Rose became a centurion.

The Giants and Mavericks are still without wins and Fever make it three wins from three rounds. 

Plus we hear from sports journalist Bridget Tunnicliffe about Netball New Zealand’s desire to enter three of their teams in the Super Netball league.

Fever announce themselves as true contenders for 2024 after just two rounds after two massive victories. 

Diamonds goal keeper and new Lightning recruit Courtney Bruce drops by to discuss the importance of mental health, finding balance after switching clubs and her puppy, Oliver. 

Before we discuss the possibility of New Zealand joining Super Netball and the new rules around dangerous play.