The GIANTS will be looking to make it back-to-back wins when they face the Swifts in a New South Wales Derby at Ken Rosewall Arena on Sunday afternoon.
The GIANTS will be full of confidence off the back of their first win of the season last week, while the Swifts will be looking to rebound from a tough loss.
When and Where: Sunday, May 19 at 4pm at Ken Rosewall Arena.
Where to Watch: For fans residing in Australia, you can watch Sunday’s game via Foxtel or Kayo Freebies. Meanwhile, international viewers can watch the game via Netball pass. For more information click here.
Last Time they Met: It was the Swifts who claimed state bragging rights in the most recent New South Wales Derby, taking down the GIANTS 68-63 in a physical clash in front of a packed-out Ken Rosewall Arena in round 12 last season. Down by six goals at the end of the first half, the GIANTS stormed back to tie it up at the last break but were unable to keep the momentum going as the Swifts responded strongly to take the five-goal win.
What it Means for the GIANTS: The GIANTS will ride into KRA on a high on Sunday after their thrilling and unique overtime victory over the Lighting at the same venue last week. After an error on the stadium’s scoreboard had the full-time score in the Lighting’s favour (71-70), a review after the final siren found the scores were in fact tied which required overtime to be played after nearly 50 minutes of deliberation between officials. The GIANTS excelled in extra time and despite an intense final few moments were able to hang on to secure an epic 86-80 victory. The enthralling win was the GIANTS’ first win of the season after a tough opening month.
What it Means for the Opposition: The Swifts have also struggled to find their best form to start the season and will enter the Derby against the GIANTS with a 2-3 win-loss record following a defeat to the Vixens last round. After storming back from nine goals down to enter the final term level, the Swifts ultimately fell short to the visitors who hung on for a 61-59 win.
The Name: Carole Sykes – The GIANTS and the Swifts will once again battle it out for the Carole Sykes Memorial Trophy on Sunday afternoon. Up for grabs in every New South Wales Derby since the GIANTS’ entered the competition, the trophy is named after the NSW netball legend Carol Sykes who was inducted into the Netball NSW Hall of Fame in 2008 following a remarkable contribution to netball as a player, coach, and administrator.
The Number: 4 - Often a tight and physical contest with state bragging rights on the line, the last 10 clashes between the GIANTS and the Swifts have resulted in an average winning margin of just four goals. One of the most notable encounters between the sides came back in 2020 when they played out a draw in an enthralling 77-77 result in the final game of the first hub. With both sides looking to build some momentum after a slow start to the 2024 season, Sunday’s clash is shaping as another fiery must-see clash.
