The Bull Sharks Sapphire squad has defied expectations to surge into their first grand final.
Rebecca Stower’s squad had to overcome history in a high-stakes showdown against Thunder where the Bull Sharks finished strongly in the final minutes of the game, winning 68 – 66.
Until Sunday, the Bull Sharks had never beaten Thunder – their ‘bogey’ team, in the three years since the Stower joined the club for the Sapphire squad’s return to the Premier Netball League.
The Bull Sharks trailed for the majority of the game, and the margin stretched to seven goals in the second quarter.
The girls kept grinding away and by the final quarter the Thunder were starting to crack. Some errors gave the Bull Sharks the upper hand and they were able to make the most of the opportunities to run away with the win.
The focus now shifts to Sunday at Nissan Arena where the Bull Sharks will take on the Cougars in the big dance.
Preliminary Final
Bull Sharks v Thunder at Nissan Arena
Bull Sharks won 68 – 66
How it was won
This one came down to the final quarter. We didn’t hit the front until a few minutes into the last 15, but once we did, the girls ground it out with absolute grit. It was hard, fast, and relentless netball for the full 60 minutes.
What made you happy
Even though we trailed for most of the match, we were always within striking distance. A lapse in the second quarter saw us slip to seven goals down and edging into dangerous territory. We called a time-out, reset, and reminded each other that this was our moment—we couldn’t afford to let the lead blow out further. The response was exactly what we needed.
Bull Sharks Netball
After last week’s brutal loss to Cougars, the way this team bounced back says everything about their character. They rallied around one another, stuck to the game plan, and showed what resilience looks like. With Lauren Aubrey and Sophie Westover battling illness, and Kaylin van Greunen still recovering from a virus, their ability to dig deep shows the team-first mentality we pride ourselves on. Whatever the challenge, we face it together—and that’s pretty special.
The work to do
This week will be all about analysis. We need a hard look at what broke down against Cougars in the major semi-final. I haven’t watched that game back yet – I didn’t really want to until it was absolutely necessary. Now it’s necessary.
Trademark players
Kaylin van Greunen was rock solid and determined, finishing with 49 goals at 89% accuracy.
Jayden Molo was a powerhouse and the game changer in that final quarter where she won crucial ball and shut down Thunder’s momentum.
Tehya Hyssett came on in the second quarter and made a huge impact, disrupting the Thunder’s dominant shooter and producing key turnovers in clutch moments.
With Bec Stower