Thunderbirds torch Giants in netball record-breaker
Steve Barrett |
The red-hot Adelaide Thunderbirds have cruised to their largest-ever Super Netball win and restricted the Giants to their lowest all-time score in a 70-37 rout at Sydney’s Ken Rosewall Arena.
Saturday’s top-versus-bottom clash went largely to script as Elmere van der Berg racked up 56 goals against the hapless, winless Giants.
The Thunderbirds sailed past their previous biggest margin of victory – which was 27 points, set in round 3 this year against the Queensland Firebirds – to issue another striking statement of championship intent.
The Giants’ previous lowest tally was 41.
“Really proud of the girls,” van der Berg said.
“We put on a massive game tonight.
“I’m very pleased with the movement we got in the circle.”
The Giants jumped to a surprise 5-2 lead – then had the next possession – but it was all downhill from there as order was rapidly, and emphatically, restored.
Van der Berg buried the next eight unanswered for the Thunderbirds, who ripped away control for good to hold sway 15-9 at quarter-time.
The carnage got worse in the second term, which Adelaide absolutely dominated 22-5.
The Giants had almost as many turnovers (eight) as shot attempts (nine) for the period, coach Nerida Stewart saying her team’s quarter “just wasn’t good enough”.
After Shamera Sterling-Humphrey turned the game the Thunderbirds’ way in the first stanza, it was fellow defender Latanya Wilson who piled on the defensive pain in the second.
The Giants’ attackers were smothered into error after error, miss after miss, as the T’birds galloped ahead 37-14 at halftime.
Sixteen-year-old Giants debutant Eva Carneiro, described by Stewart as a “legend-in-the-making”, subbed in after the break, while struggling Matisse Letherbarrow was benched.
The Giants’ revised shooting-circle pairing of Sophie Dwyer and Skye Thomson hit all 10 shot attempts for the term.
But the home side continued to unravel through cough-ups – nine more turnovers, this time mainly through the middle – as Adelaide strolled to a 53-25 three-quarter-time buffer.
Van der Berg continued to make hay down the stretch as both camps broke contrasting club records.
AAP