Sunshine girls defender Jodi-Ann ward has been named the player of the round after the opening weekend of games in the Suncorp Super Netball League in Australia.

Ward who plays for the Collingwood magpies had a monster outing with 9 gains, 4 intercepts and a staggering seven deflections to finish the match with 125.5 Nissan net points.

This while anchoring the defense for the Magpies who opened their season with a convincing 71-63 win over the NSW swifts…..which included fellow Jamaican Romelda Aiken-George.

That display, which saw Ward being named player of the match, was among a host of standout performances by Jamaican players in round one.

Shooter Shimona Nelson……her teammate at the Magpies…..had a perfect game shooting 53 of 53 to lead the team in scoring, while six-time player of the year Jhaniele fowler also shot at 100 percent accuracy, slotting 55 of 55 including the match winner on the final buzzer to lift defending champions West Coast fever to a narrow 62-61 win over the Melbourne Vixens.

Elsewhere goal-keeper Kadie-Ann Dehaney was named MVP after finishing with 8 gains, 10 deflections and 8 intercepts to set the tone defensively for the Sunshine Coast Lightning in their 66-50 win over Giants Netball…….while Shamera Sterling also won the player of the match accolade for the Adelaide Thunderbirds after compiling 11 gains, five intercepts and 12 deflections.

The Thunderbirds meanwhile ran out 59-44 winners over the Queensland Firebirds to lead the table on goal difference above Sunshine Coast Lightning, Collingwood Magpies and West Coast Fever  with all four teams tied on 4 points.

Round 2 in the competition tips off on Saturday with Dehaney and the Lightning away to the Firebirds in Queensland.

The Thunderbirds with Sterling and Latanya Wilson will be home against a New South Wales team led by Aiken-George while fowler will suit up for the fever who are away at Giants Netball.

Nelson and Ward will take center court for the Magpies against the Vixens on Sunday .