The two-time defending champions, Adelaide Thunderbirds, showcased their championship pedigree once again with a hard-fought 66-59 victory over the Melbourne Mavericks to close out Round 7 of the Suncorp Super Netball League in Australia.

At the heart of the Thunderbirds’ success was their Jamaican defensive powerhouse, Latanya Wilson, whose remarkable performance in Melbourne was nothing short of outstanding. Wilson dominated the defensive end, recording an incredible 11 gains and 7 intercepts, effectively disrupting the Mavericks’ attacking rhythm. Her efforts severely limited the influence of the Mavericks’ star Jamaican goal shooter, Shimona Jok, who, despite scoring a team-high 34 goals from 35 shots, struggled to find consistent opportunities thanks to Wilson’s tenacity.

Offensively, the Thunderbirds were led by the lethal goal shooter Romelda Aiken-George, another Jamaican standout, who fired in a game-high 47 goals along with 6 rebounds, ensuring Adelaide maintained the scoring edge throughout the contest.

The Thunderbirds held the upper hand early and took a 20-16 lead into quarter time but the home team fought back to head into half time trailing 31–37. It was a tennis match In the third quarter but visitors charged forward, limiting the Mavericks to only nine goals and taking a 52-40 lead into the final period where they held on to close out the match 66-59.

The hard-earned win propels the Thunderbirds to third place on the ladder with 16 points, reinforcing their status as genuine title contenders. Meanwhile, the Mavericks slip to sixth place on 8 points, having managed just two wins from their seven matches so far this season.

Weekend Milestones for the Sunshine Girls

In other league action, the iconic Jamaican captain of the Sunshine Girls, Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard, marked a historic milestone by becoming the first player in Suncorp Super Netball history to surpass 9,000 national league goals. Entering the match with 8,988 career goals, Fowler- Nembhard put on a commanding display, netting 63 goals, along with 2 rebounds and 2 goal assists, to lead the West Coast Fever to a 75-66 victory over the Giants Netball team. The Giants featured notable Jamaican defender Jodi-Ann Ward, but it wasn’t enough to halt the Fever’s offensive onslaught.