Thunderbirds crush Vixens to secure GF netball berth

Justin Chadwick | June 21, 2026

Adelaide have secured their spot in the Super Netball grand final after overcoming a Lily Graham super shot blitz to post a 58-44 win over the Melbourne Vixens.

The Thunderbirds blew Sunday’s major semi-final apart at the start of the third quarter, unleashing a 13-4 run to turn a two-goal lead into an 11-goal buffer in front of a bustling home crowd at Adelaide 36ers Arena.

But little-known Vixens goal shooter Graham brought the defending champions back into the contest, nailing her first four Super Shots to close the margin to five goals by three-quarter time, and four goals at the start of the fourth.

Adelaide regained their composure from there, with the reliability of star South African goal shooter Elmere van der Berg (51 goals from 56 attempts) leading the minor premiers to a ninth straight win.

Sunday’s result means Adelaide will go straight through to the grand final at Melbourne’s John Cain Arena on Saturday, July 4.

The Vixens will host a preliminary final on Saturday night against arch rivals West Coast, who defeated the Melbourne Mavericks 56-52 in the minor semi-final in Perth on Sunday.

Adelaide didn’t attempt a super shot until the game was already won late in the fourth quarter – sticking firm to their tried and tested method.

“We said on the bench we just need to play our own game, not react to what they’re doing, just go with what we know we’re good at,” Van der Berg told Fox Sports after the win.

Thunderbirds goalkeeper Shamera Sterling-Humphrey produced a phenomenal display, tallying six gains and three intercepts.

The star Jamaican is looking forward to the week off as Adelaide wait to see who will meet them in the grand final.

“We’re going to get together as a team and go bowling,” Sterling-Humphrey said.

“For me, just taking care of my mental health (is important).

“I’m still going through postpartum depression. There are days like … the entire week I was just in depression mode, and netball keeps me happy.”

The Vixens didn’t let the feverish Adelaide crowd put them off their game early, edging the Thunderbirds 14-12 in a tough opening quarter.

Adelaide hit back in the second to take a slender lead, but there were hardly any goals scored in the five-minute super shot period before halftime, after both teams lifted their defensive intensity.

The battle between Adelaide goalkeeper Sterling-Humphrey and Vixens goal shooter Sophie Garbin was particularly intense and physical.

Sterling-Humphrey soared high and over the top of Garbin on the stroke of halftime to snare a spectacular intercept, with the move ensuring Adelaide went into the long break up 25-23.

The Thunderbirds’ hot start to the third quarter looked to have put the game to bed, only for 20-year-old Graham (four of six super shots) to momentarily catapult her team back into the contest.