2020

Season 2020. The year of COVID-19, hub life, the Super Shot and a condensed eight-week season.

After what seemed like the longest pre-season ever, along with a period of uncertainty, the GIANTS were set to open their season at their new home Ken Rosewall Arena in August.

However, amidst the increasing impact of a global pandemic, the GIANTS quickly packed up their lives and relocated to Queensland for the indefinite future of the season.

In the first of many strange events that season 2020 saw, the GIANTS and the Swifts opened their seasons with the NSW Derby played at Nissan’s Brisbane Arena in an empty stadium.

It was in round three, when mid-week netball kicked off, that the GIANTS secured their first win of the season when they were triumphant over grand finalist West Coast Fever.

The round three match also celebrated the 200-game milestone of Australian Diamonds Captain Caitlin Bassett and the 50th Suncorp Super Netball game for GIANTS Netball as a club.

In round five GIANTS made headlines after Kristiana Manu’a was controversially sent from the court as the GIANTS fell short to the Sunshine Coast Lightning by just one goal.

After a slow start to the season, the pressure was on for the back half of the season if the GIANTS wanted to return to finals.

Round 13 saw the league celebrate the Indigenous Round in far north Queensland, with the GIANTS proudly wearing yet another fantastic indigenous dress designed by Krystal Dallinger and brought to life by Valour Sport. 

A loss in round 13 also ruled the GIANTS out of finals contention.

There were highs and low, wins and losses and many learnings from what was certainly a unique experience and year.

2020 GIANTS Netball Playing Roster

Jo Harten (Captain), Kristiana Manu'a (Vice-Captain), Kiera Austin, Caitlin Bassett, Maddie Hay, Matilda McDonell, Teigan O'Shannassy, Amy Parmenter, Jamie-Lee Price, Sam Poolman

Training Partners: Toni Anderson, April Brandley*, Sophie Dwyer*, Clare Iongi, Matisse Letherbarrow*, Latika Tombs, 
Head Coach: Julie Fitzgerald
Assistant Coach: Jenny O'Keeffe
Team Manager: Denny Peacock
Physiotherapist: Gemma Vale
Strength & Conditioning: Simone Freeman
Performance Analysis: Zoe Vicic
Dietician: Jessica Spendlove
Team Doctor: Sophie Armstrong

2020 Awards Winners 

HCF Most Valuable Player: Kiera Austin
Players’ Player of the Year: Kiera Austin
Members’ Player of the Year: Amy Parmenter
Club Person of the Year: Laura Elliott
Marj Groves AM Scholarship: Clare Iongi

2020 Results

Round Date Match W-L-D
Round 1 Sunday 2 August GIANTS (61) v Swifts (63) 0-1-0
Round 2 Saturday 8 August GIANTS (51) v Thunderbirds (59) 0-2-0
Round 3 Tuesday 11 August GIANTS (75) v Fever (68) 1-2-0
Round 4 Saturday 15 August Firebirds (61) v GIANTS (61) 1-2-1
Round 5 Wednesday 19 August Lightning (58) v GIANTS (57) 1-3-1
Round 6 Sunday 23 August Vixens (63) v GIANTS (58) 1-4-1
Round 7 Tuesday 25 August GIANTS (66) v Firebirds (65) 2-4-1
Round 8 Saturday 29 August Magpies (54) v GIANTS (69) 3-4-1
Round 9 Tuesday 1 September GIANTS (53) v Vixens (73) 3-5-1
Round 10 Sunday 6 September GIANTS (65) v Lighting (67) 3-6-1
Round 11 Wednesday 9 September GIANTS (62) v Magpies (58) 4-6-1
Round 12 Sunday 13 September Thunderbirds (54) v GIANTS (64) 5-6-1
Round 13 Saturday 19 September Fever (71) v GIANTS (66) 5-7-1
Round 14 Saturday 26 September Swifts (77) v GIANTS (77) 5-7-2

2020 Suncorp Super Netball Placings

  Team Name P W D L GF GA % PTS
1 Melbourne Vixens 14 11 1 2 870 769 113.33 46
2 Sunshine Coast Lightning 14 9 0 5 821 824 99.64 36
3 West Coast Fever 14 8 1 5 964 897 107.46 34
4 NSW Swifts 14 8 1 5 898 885 101.46 34
5 Queensland Firebirds 14 6 1 7 851 893 95.29 26
6 GIANTS Netball 14 5 2 7 885 891 99.32 24
7 Adelaide Thunderbirds 14 5 0 9 769 797 96.48 20
8 Collingwood Magpies 14 1 0 13 770 872 88.30 4