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The Queensland Firebirds won four of their last five matches in 2020 to finish in fifth.
The Firebirds have two big inclusions in 2021. Gretel Bueta and Kim Ravaillion both return to Super Netball after giving birth. Ravaillion also returns to the Firebrids after a stint with Collingwood. Ravaillion will help fill the gap left by Mahalia Cassidy, who has joined the Sunshine Coast Lightning.
Bueta has used her previous basketball background to introduce changes to the way goal attack is played, one of which is scoring via a lay up, which netball traditionalists may not be happy about, but it certainly brings a new dynamic to the game.
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Subscriber only New captain Karla Pretorius says the Lightning are hungry to go all the way on court this year and is keen to see what some fresh faces can add to the mix. Super Netball officially launched the 2021 season virtually on Wednesday, with captains from each of the eight teams sharing their excitement for the year ahead. Lightning will travel to Melbourne for their first game against Collingwood Magpies this Saturday (7pm). During the virtual launch Pretorius said she was excited to get the season underway and, while they d lost Laura Langman to retirement, believed the club s new recruits would add plenty to the Lightning dynamic
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The new season of Super Netball is less than a week away and it is shaping up as the closest one yet, with a number of teams clearly in the mix.
I will try and break it down for you, looking at the key storylines, the teams and most importantly where they will rank at the end of the season.
Back to normal home-and-away
COVID played havoc with an abridged season last year, with all teams based in Queensland. We are swinging back into a home-and-away season this year, with the NSW Swifts and GWS Giants set to christen their new home at Ken Rosewall Arena. It adds another layer of difficulty for the West Coast Fever, who will have the heaviest travel schedule in the competition.
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In their first three seasons, the Sunshine Coast Lightning played in all three grand finals, including winning the first two titles. Last season, the Lightning lost in the preliminary final.
The Lightning have some big shoes to fill with the retirement of New Zealand Silver Ferns legend, Laura Langman. Langman was in the top five in the competition in 2020 for goal assists with 255.
The Lightning have made an astute recruitment to help fill the void left by Langman. They have recruited Mahalia Cassidy from the Queensland Firebirds.
“It feels like my first day of school when I first came in, a bit of nerves but so much excitement,” Cassidy said.
“It’s been really great over the last few weeks to settle in and it feels like home already.
“I’m really happy where I am at the moment, I’m really happy to be around such a great group of girls and embark on a new journey.”
Cassidy impressed last season and was recently named in the Diamonds development squad.
“I like something new and a new challenge and that’s why I’m here to take it on,” she said.