Veteran Sunshine Girls goal shooter Romelda Aiken-George had a dominant outing to lead her new team Adelaide Thunderbirds to a narrow and hard-fought 63-62 win against her old team Queensland Firebirds in round one of the 2024 Suncorp Super Netball League in Australia.

Aiken-George who playing her first game since joining during the off-season led the way with a game high 48 goals from 57 attempts for the defending champions who opened their season on a victorious note.

She was aided on the defensive end by Jamaican compatriots Shamera Sterling-Humphrey, the reigning league MVP who compiled 10 gains and 6 intercepts and Latanya Wilson who had 3 intercepts along with 7 gains.

Elsewhere on opening day, five-time MVP Jhaniele Fowler-Nemhard was in perfect and sensational form, making all her shots for a game-high 64 goals to lead former champions West Coast Fever to a commanding 84-65 win on the road against the Sydney-based Giants Netball.

“We are sending a message and we are going to take it a game at a time,” Fowler-Nembhard said post-match.

Offering support was fellow Sunshine Girl Shanice Beckford who went 12 of 16 in her debut appearance while on the defensive side goalkeeper Kadie-Ann Dehaney finished with 3 gains and an intercept.

The one-sided result also saw Jamaican defender Jodi-Ann Ward losing her first game as a member of Giants Netballafter spending the previous 3 seasons with the now defunct Collingwood Magpies.

Action in round one concludes with new franchise Melbourne Mavericks, which features Shimona Nelson-Jok, facing former winners Melbourne Vixens and Sunshine Coast Lightning opposing NSW Swifts.