Sophie Garbin shoots. Credit: Twitter/NSW Swifts
The NSW Swifts fell short against the Adelaide Thunderbirds, in a surprising defeat that leaves them in a precarious position at the halfway point of the season.
The Swifts had no answers for the Thunderbirds defence, and Sam Wallace spent most of the second half, in an attempt to disrupt the game and prevent the Thunderbirds dominance.
Despite the Swifts swapping bibs, throwing multiple players through the Goal Attack and Goal Shooter positions, they were unable to find a way through the Thunderbirds defensive wall.
Assistant coach Bec Bulley spoke after the game, about the fact the Swifts never really got going in the match.
“It was a really disappointing result. Bit of a disappointing performance. I think the girls all feel they’ve let themselves down, going into the game they felt really good, but the Thunderbirds came out strong, and that rattled us, and we couldn’t get our groove,” Bulley explained.
“We were looking for something to get the flow happening, and we hoped the changes would bring that, and the girls that came on did a great job, we just didn’t capitalise on our turnovers, and we let ourselves down a little bit in the end.”
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Helen Housby was one of the bright lights for the Swifts, playing extensive time at Goal Shooter, and showing how valuable she can be as a matchup option.
“Helen was playing great, she was shooting a lot of goals, getting a lot of ball, working the ball down the court,” Bulley said.
“We hoped, putting her back to [Goal] Shooter, getting her on the move, might disrupt the Thunderbirds defence. She should be really happy with how she played.”
Lauren Moore and Maddy Turner also had strong showings in defence, and the consistent Sarah Klau was her usual self, but it was in vain. The Thunderbirds were dominant in transition and converted well from their gains.
The loss leaves the Swifts just one game clear of the Magpies in fifth, ahead of their matchup with the Firebirds next week, and then the bye.
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