Adelaide Thunderbirds
The Adelaide Thunderbirds are one of the few teams to make a number of changes to their squad during the off-season, with the most notable change the departure of Kiwi star Maria Folau.
They will welcome a new-look shooting end and continue to boast one of the league’s most exciting defensive pairings. They will be coached for the second year by former GIANTS Assistant Coach Tania Obst.
The GIANTS had two convincing wins over the Thunderbirds in season 2019, taking seven of a possible eight bonus points.
Originally meant to play each other in the opening round, the two teams will now meet in round two on Saturday, August 8 at Ken Rosewall Arena in Sydney Olympic Park.
Coach Julie Fitzgerald says: “They are young line-up with plenty of talent that is only going to improve as the season goes on.”
Captain Jo Harten says: “We never take playing Adelaide lightly. They’re unpredictable and have plenty of talent to test us.”
Collingwood Magpies
The Collingwood Magpies have lost four of their star players from their 2019 squad.
However, the delayed start to the season, due to COVID-19, will play in favour of their two most experienced midcourters - the Browne sisters, Kelsey and Madi - who are both recovering from ACL injuries.
The Magpies upset the Melbourne Vixens in the final round of the season last year, jumping the GIANTS on the ladder to round out the top four and play finals.
Despite finishing further down the ladder, the GIANTS took both wins over the Magpies last season, claiming their first win of the season in round three, followed by a win in round 10 in the first match back from the Netball World Cup.
It is still unknown as to when the two teams will first meet for 2020, with the matchup not included in the first six rounds that have been released.
Coach says: “It always an exciting match between the two teams. Both our teams host some of the league’s most exciting young talent.”
Captain says: “It’s a rivalry that has been building each year since our inception, it goes beyond netball and spreads far and wide. “
Melbourne Vixens
The Melbourne Vixens will keep the core of their 2019 team, with key players returning from injury and the recruitment of Kate Eddy from the NSW Swifts.
They will be hungry for another finals appearance again in 2020, after just missing out on the big dance in 2019 after a solid season.
Always proving to be a tough battle, the Vixens had two strong wins against the GIANTS last season.
The Vixens will be on the road for the entire duration of the 2020 season due to the current restrictions in place by the Victorian Government.
The GIANTS are set to take on the Vixens in round six on Sunday, August 23 at the University of Sunshine Coast.
Coach says: “The Vixens are always a tough battle. They are a very structured team who make very few errors.
Captain says: “A consistent team that we always enjoy playing. The game is always a challenge of physicality and smarts.”
NSW Swifts
Reigning premiers and cross-town rivals, the NSW Swifts will bring a very similar looking line-up into the 2020 season.
The GIANTS and the Swifts got a glimpse of what to expect from each other when the two sides played off in a friendly match in Goulburn earlier this year which saw the GIANTS come out on top.
The NSW Derby is always a must watch, with an intense and exciting battle on display for a split grandstand.
In 2019 the Swifts were victorious in two hard-fought matches that came down to the last quarters.
The head-to-head history between the two teams is an even 3-3 split.
The two teams will face off for the first time officially in round two when the Swifts host the first of the two derbies at Ken Rosewall Arena on Wednesday, August 5.
Coach says: “Playing the reigning premiers will provide a good marker as to where we sit and there will be much to take from the match up.”
Captain says: They’re obviously one of our biggest rivals; every time we match up it’s always a fierce contest and a close battle.”
Queensland Firebirds
The Queensland Firebirds will be without three of their more experienced players in 2020 after the retirement of Caitlyn Nevins and Laura Clemesha, and the recent announcement that vice-captain Gretel Bueta (née Tippett) is expecting a baby.
The Firebirds will be looking to improve after a tough 2019, recording just the one win for the season.
GIANTS took all four bonus points in their round four match against the Firebirds in 2019 and recorded a six-goal win in round 11, thanks to a dominant third quarter.
Based in Brisbane, the Firebirds will be fortunate to a home advantage in 2020, with majority of the league’s matches to be played in Queensland.
After a bye in round three, the GIANTS will face the Firebirds in Brisbane on Saturday, August 15.
Coach says: “Romelda Aiken will be expected to take the reins in attack after the withdrawal of Gretel Bueta. They are a young team hungry for improved success.”
Captain says: “They are a huge attacking threat with a growing defence end. We like the battles against the Firebirds and they often go down to the wire.”
Sunshine Coast Lightning
The Sunshine Coast Lightning have always been a top of the game since entering the competition at the same time of the GIANTS.
They have two championships to their name and fell just short in their third bid last season.
After losing three big names at the end of the 2018 season, including now-GIANT Caitlin Bassett, they will bring their exact 2019 side into the 2020 season.
2020 will see the team from the Sunshine Coast be led by Kylee Byrne who has stepped up from the assistant coach position after Noeline Taurua made the decision to head back to New Zealand at the end of the 2019 season.
Lightning, who were minor premiers in 2019, had two rather convincing wins over the GIANTS in 2019.
The team from the Sunshine Coast will also be fortunate to have a home advantage in 2020, with majority of the league’s matches to be played in Queensland.
The two teams are scheduled to first meet in round five on Tuesday, August 18 at the University of Sunshine Coast.
Coach says: “They are one of the class sides in the competition. They have depth all over the court and are anchored by the great Laura Langman in the middle who controls the game.”
Captain says: “They are a side that is consistently setting the bar. They are our toughest opponent on the road and are a team that we need to bring 100 per cent against when we match up.”
West Coast Fever
The West Coast Fever made no changes to their contracted 10 during the off-season, with the extra-long pre-season no doubt used to continue building on the foundations of their 2019 season.
The GIANTS and the Fever met in the biggest city of outback Australia, Kalgoorlie, for a set of practice matches earlier this year, with the Fever coming away with two convincing wins.
The round seven clash in Perth last year went down as one of the most controversial matches of the 2019 season, with confusion on the clock in the final seconds of the game seeing the game result in a tie.
The second match of 2019 was in the final round, which ended up being both teams’ last game of the season with neither team making the finals.
The GIANTS will open their 2020 campaign against the West Coast Fever in the first match of the season on Saturday, August 1, which will be the first-ever netball match to be played at Ken Rosewall Arena in Sydney Olympic Park.
Coach says: “They have tremendous scoring power with Jhaniele Fowler anchoring one end and defensive pressure with Stacey Francis and Courtney Bruce down the other end – always a physical contest.”
Captain says: “It’s never an easy game and they never take a backwards step. We always try to think outside the box to beat them.”
