It was a netball festival on the Gold Coast over the weekend with all the HPNL teams making the trip south. And the Bull Sharks clearly drew on some home-town spirit as both squads claimed wins.
The Sapphire squad continued their dominant form, defeating the Jets by 12 points, while the Ruby girls edged out their opponents in a nail biter, snatching victory in the closing seconds of their game.
Sapphire
Bull Sharks defeated Jets 75 – 63
How it was won
It wasn’t our sharpest outing, especially in the first quarter when Jets got the jump and led us by 8. A run of uncharacteristic errors made it feel like the momentum was snowballing. At the break, we made a couple of positional tweaks, reset on our game plan, and came out with real focus and intent to turn it around.
What made you happy
Our resilience. This group has an incredible ability to overcome challenges, regroup, and refocus together. There’s no blame game – everyone is accountable, whether they’re on court or supporting from the bench.
Bull Sharks Netball
We remain on top of the ladder with one round to go. Regardless of the final result, our top two finish is secure.
The work to do
It feels like a broken record, but it’s still about nailing our four game moments and consolidating our connections. With Cougars up next in both the final round and the semi, we’ll be doing some solid analysis to prepare as best we can.
Trademark Player
Tehya Hyssett made an immediate impact when she came on in the second quarter. In her first Sapphire season, she’s shown remarkable growth – putting in extra training, applying feedback, and grabbing every opportunity with both hands. Her team-first attitude is second to none.
With Rebecca Stower
Ruby
Bull Sharks defeated Jets 49 – 48
How it was won
This may not have been our most polished performance, but what stood out was our shared determination to finish the season strong. The girls dug deep and showed incredible resilience, securing the win in the final 30 seconds.
What made you happy
Although we drifted from our game plan at times, I’m proud of the team’s mental toughness and determination. Despite being out of finals contention, all 11 athletes proved why we belonged in the top four, defeating a team that is heading to finals.
Bull Sharks Netball
Over the past 17 weeks, this team has experienced its share of highs and lows. What has remained consistent though is their loyalty, commitment, and trust in our program and to our club — and that’s something I’m incredibly proud of.
The work to do
We’ll focus on addressing our error rate from this weekend and aim to close out the season with a strong, well-rounded performance.
Trademark Players
Once again, Harriet Nicholson and Ocean Karekare stepped up when it counted, disrupting the Jets’ attack end and making a real impact.
With Kim Boland