Mavericks start new netball season in super style
Melissa Woods |
The new-look Melbourne Mavericks have opened the Super Netball season with a bang in Bendigo, outplaying the Giants 61-52 to bank their first ever round-one victory.
With both teams looking for a fast start to the new season after missing the top-four finals last year, the Mavericks savoured the rousing win at Red Energy Arena in their Saturday afternoon clash.
The sides both have new coaches at the helm, while the Mavericks in particular had a large personnel turnover post-2025, recruiting four new Super players.
Two of those – Diamonds superstar Jamie-Lee Price and maternity cover Maddie Hay – came from the Giants.
The mid-court combination of that pair was key to the nine-point victory, while skipper Amy Parmenter, playing at wing defence in her 100th Super match, also proved a handful for the Sydneysiders.
With 21 goal-assists among her impressive statistics, Price was named player of the match.
“It was a pretty hectic game, there were lots of errors from both teams,” Price told Fox Sports.
“You can definitely tell that we’re a new team and are trying to figure each other out, but I was really proud of how we stuck with it and I thought we did a really good job.”
The Mavericks held a three-point lead at quarter-time and were able to double that by halftime, up 30-24, with Shimona Nelson and ex-Lightning goaler Reilley Batcheldor on-song in the goal circle.
But coach Gerard Murphy, who replaced Tracey Neville, was able to call on Uneeq Palavi at goal shooter with similar impact.
Securing her first full-time Super contract this season, the Tongan international finished with 11 goals from 15 attempts, including five crucial two-point super shots.
The Giants’ best run came in the third quarter when they closed the gap to one point, but a two-point super shot from Batcheldor helped the Mavs again kick away and they finished the quarter up 43-38.
Despite the best efforts of Giants shooters Matisse Letherbarrow and Sophie Dwyer and Kiwi goal defence Jane Watson, the Victorian outfit were able to further extend that margin in the final quarter to run out comfortable winners.
AAP