What a season it has been for GIANTS Netball.
It was a season where, after their huge inaugural year in 2017, the mighty GIANTS proved that they were the real deal and finished the 2018 regular season at the top of the ladder as Minor Premiers.
In 2018, GIANTS put on a spectacular display of elite netball, delighting fans and capturing the hearts of plenty of new followers.
On court, they maintained a controlled and steady strategy, intersected with their characteristic moments of breathtaking vision and athletic flair. While off the court they embraced and gave back to the netball community and were embraced in return, with GIANTS Memberships soaring.
The introduction of the bonus points system this year turned the game on its head, but GIANTS used it to their advantage to rack up 34 bonus points, the second highest amount for the season. And it’s not hard to see how: From their Round 1 revenge against Sunshine Coast Lightning, to their dominance of NSW Swifts in the second NSW Derby in Round 10 and their thrilling victory over West Coast Fever in Round 14, GIANTS fought hard and never stopped believing in their strength as a team.
One of the newest squads in the league, but somehow still the most experienced, GIANTS showed what they were made of to go on to be one of only two teams to remain in the SSN Top 4 all season and secure their second consecutive finals appearance.
And while they faced a heartbreaking loss in the Preliminary Final, it was a game where every player in the team took to the court to do their part and personified the GIANTS’ orange family culture.
It was a year of milestones and farewells. Sam Poolman and Serena Guthrie marked 50 elite games, while Jo Harten played her 100th national league match. Head Coach Julie Fitzgerald showed why she truly is a supercoach, surpassing 300 national league games as a coach and leading the GIANTS to the finals in her 20th finals campaign.
Welcomed back to the court was Captain Kim Green, who proved her resilience in fighting back from injury to return in top form. Jamie-Lee Price earned selection to the Australian Diamonds squad, while Kristina Brice continued to be an impact player, deployed at key moments to challenge the opposition’s defence.
Kristiana Manu’a and Kiera Austin debuted in their first SSN games as GIANTS, impressing whenever on court, while legendary players Susan Pettitt and Bec Bulley – the most and second-most capped players in the league – played their last, along with Serena Guthrie who will be returning home to England. Also departing will be Assistant Coach Tania Obst, who be leaving for an exciting new adventure.
2018 GIANTS Netball Roster
Kimberlee Green (Captain), Jo Harten (Vice Captain), Sam Poolman , Kristina Brice, Bec Bulley, Serena Guthrie, Kristiana Manu’a, Susan Pettitt, Jamie-Lee Price, Kiera Austin
Training Partners: Taylah Davies, Teigan O’Shannassy, Amy Parmenter. Steph MacGougan, Georgia Marshall
Head Coach: Julie Fitzgerald
Assistant Coach: Tania Obst
Team Manager: Denny Peacock
Physiotherapist: Gemma Vale
Strength & Conditioning: Simone Freeman
Performance Analysis: Zoe Vicic
Dietician: Jessica Spendlove
Team Doctor: Sophie Armstrong
2018 Award Winners
HCF Most Valuable Player: Jo Harten
Players’ Player of the Year: Jo Harten
Members’ Player of the Year: Jo Harten
Club Person of the Year: Zoe Vicic
2018 Results
| Round | Date | Match | W-L-D |
| Round 1 | SUN 29 APR | GIANTS V LIGHTNING | 1-0-0 |
| Round 2 | SAT 5 MAY | THUNDERBIRDS V GIANTS | 2-0-0 |
| Round 3 | SUN 13 MAY | SWIFTS V GIANTS | 2-1-0 |
| Round 4 | SAT 19 MAY | GIANTS V FIREBIRDS | 3-1-0 |
| Round 5 | SUN 27 MAY | GIANTS V VIXENS | 4-1-0 |
| Round 6 | SAT 2 JUN | FEVER V GIANTS | 4-2-0 |
| Round 7 | SUN 17 JUN | GIANTS V MAGPIES | 5-2-0 |
| Round 8 | SAT 23 JUN | LIGHTNING V GIANTS | 5-2-1 |
| Round 9 | SUN 1 JUL | GIANTS V THUNDERBIRDS | 6-2-1 |
| Round 10 | SUN 8 JUL | GIANTS V SWIFTS | 7-2-1 |
| Round 11 | SUN 15 JUL | FIREBIRDS V GIANTS | 7-3-1 |
| Round 12 | SUN 22 JUL | VIXENS V GIANTS | 8-3-1 |
| Round 13 | SUN 29 JUL | MAGPIES V GIANTS | 9-3-1 |
| Round 14 | SAT 4 AUG | GIANTS V FEVER | 10-3-1 |
| Major Semi Final | SAT 11 AUG | GIANTS v FEVER | 10-4-1 |
| Preliminary Final | SUN 19 AUG | GIANTS v LIGHTNING | 10-5-1 |
2018 Suncorp Super Netball Placings
| Team Name | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | % | PTS | Bonus | Total | |
| 1 | Giants Netball | 14 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 841 | 776 | 108.4 | 42 | 34 | 76 |
| 2 | Fever | 14 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 912 | 851 | 107.2 | 40 | 31 | 71 |
| 3 | Firebirds | 14 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 858 | 751 | 114.2 | 36 | 33 | 69 |
| 4 | Lightning | 14 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 809 | 752 | 107.6 | 34 | 35 | 69 |
| 5 | Vixens | 14 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 855 | 814 | 105 | 32 | 27 | 59 |
| 6 | Swifts | 14 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 814 | 816 | 99.8 | 26 | 22 | 48 |
| 7 | Magpies Netball | 14 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 801 | 858 | 93.4 | 14 | 25 | 39 |
| 8 | Thunderbirds | 14 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 673 | 945 | 71.2 | 0 | 4 | 4 |