Where and When: Sunday, May 1 at 2:00pm at USC Stadium
Where to Watch: Foxtel + Kayo Freebies (Australia), Spark Sport (New Zealand) or NetballAustralia.Tv (International)
Tickets: For any fans based in Queensland or planning on travelling to the game, tickets are available through Ticketek.
Last Time They Met: It was a thrilling match the last time the two teams met, marking the first time the GIANTS played into extra time. It was round 13, at Nissan Arena and after being even at the first break the GIANTS trailed by three and one respectively, before finishing up at 60 goals apiece on the final whistle. Entering into an additional five minutes of play, the Lighting opted for one-point shooting while Sophie Dwyer gave the GIANTS an early advantage with a Super Shot, but it was back-to-back goals from the Lightning in the final minute, with a goal in the final two seconds seeing Lighting scrape through for a win.
What it means for the GIANTS: Coming off back-to-back wins and three home games, the GIANTS will be looking to hold onto their top four spot on what is currently a tightly-contested ladder. Impressive shooting accuracy from Jo Harten and Sophie Dwyer, with an average of 93% the past two weeks, has been influential for the GIANTS’ recent success. This weekend’s match will be a test for the GIANTS, with USC Stadium a fortress for the home side, with the GIANTS unable to knock off the Lightning at home since round four in the inaugural season.
Where’s the opposition at: After a slow and demoralising start to the season, the Lightning are back in their renowned strong form. They too come off back-to-back wins, including a convincing round five win against ladder leaders, the Melbourne Vixens, in round five. The Lightning have seemed to find some consistency over the past few matches with their starting seven, with their bench players still heavily utilised as impact players, as evident in their strong second-half win over the Swifts last round. Sitting on equal points as the GIANTS, only percentage separates the two sides and Lightning from the top four.
The Name: Jo Harten – the GIANTS’ captain has stood tall for her side the past two weeks, including 100% shooting accuracy in round five and a player of the match performance in round six. The English international is leading the GIANTS for total goals (191), Super Shots (20), shooting accuracy (84%) and offensive rebounds (9).
The Number: 1877 – the number of days since the GIANTS defeated the Sunshine Coast Lightning at their home, USC Stadium.
The News: Defender Kate Walsh (nee Shimmin) was the subject of commentary in their round six win over the Swifts, with some arguing her aggressive style of defence was ill-disciplined on young shooter Sophie Fawns, others may argue that it proved effective as the Lightning went on to win the second half and the match.
