Solid outings for our Sapphire and Ruby squads last weekend. Both teams led at every change against their respective opponents, and will this Saturday arrive at Nissan Arena confident that their best can trouble anyone.
SAPPHIRE with Head Coach Bec Stower
Round 3 Preview: Sapphire vs Wildcats
The Opposition
Wildcats have had an inconsistent start to the season, opening with a narrow loss to Thunder before suffering a more significant defeat to Titans. While results may not have gone their way so far, they remain a talented side capable of challenging any team on their day. We know they will be eager to get their season back on track and will come into this game with plenty of motivation.
The Challenge
For the first time this season, our challenge is a positive one. After navigating the opening rounds with multiple players unavailable due to SSN Reserves commitments, we are hopeful of having all 11 contracted Sapphire players available, pending final injury clearances. The challenge now becomes bringing the group back together and quickly re-establishing combinations and connections that have been difficult to build with so many moving pieces over the pre-season opening rounds.
Shuffling the Magnets
The magnets may finally stop moving!
While we've been incredibly grateful to the players who have stepped up and helped us through the opening rounds, it is exciting to potentially have our full contracted group available again. Consistency in our team roster allows consistency in combinations, and that is something we have been craving. Having nearly the entire squad together at training this Thursday will be an important step in continuing to build our identity and cohesion as a team.
Ones to Watch
After a strong opening fortnight, there are several players beginning to find their rhythm and confidence within the Sapphire environment. One of the most pleasing aspects of the first two rounds has been seeing players embrace new roles, take ownership of their performances, and continue building valuable connections across the court.
Just as importantly, it will be exciting to welcome our Suncorp Super Netball Reserves athletes back into the environment. They return with valuable experiences from their campaigns and will add further depth, energy, and competition to the group.
The Focus
Our focus this week is simple: reconnect.
For the entire of pre-season, we have been managing changing line-ups, limited training opportunities, and players balancing commitments across multiple programs. This week gives us the opportunity to bring everyone back into our bubble and refocus on what makes us successful.
We want to continue building the connections that have already shown positive growth through the opening rounds. Our statistics improved across all four key moments last week, and now the focus is on strengthening those relationships on court, trusting our structures, and continuing to build consistency in our game.
The fundamentals remain the same — communicate, connect, and execute.
Final Word
The past few weeks have been challenging for a number of our players. The Firebirds Reserves group experienced a disappointing end to their campaign, while Sophie returns after a much more positive experience, helping Lightning Bolts reach the Grand Final. Regardless of the results, we are proud of all of them for representing their programs and embracing those opportunities.
Now, the focus shifts back to Bond.
We are excited to have our players home, excited to have nearly everyone back on the training court, and excited about what this group can achieve when we are finally together. The season is still young, and there is plenty of growth ahead. This week is about reconnecting, resetting, and continuing to build something special.
RUBY with Head Coach Gavin Clarke
Round 7 - Bull Sharks v Wildcats
6pm, Saturday
Nissan Arena
The opposition
The Wildcats have been one of the form teams of the competition and currently sit second on the ladder after four consecutive victories. They are a confident, physical and fiercely competitive outfit who never take a backward step. Adding to the challenge is their ability to score heavily from the super shot zone, with several highly accurate long-range shooters capable of changing the momentum of a game in a matter of minutes. We know they will bring intensity, belief and plenty of energy to the contest and we will need to match that to get the win this weekend.
The challenge
We must continue building on the momentum created by our strong win against the Panthers while adapting to a very different opposition. Wildcats will test our ability to maintain defensive pressure for four quarters and make smart adjustments throughout the game. We have spoken all season about controlling what we can control in our "Bond Bubble", and for us that starts with valuing possession and reducing unforced errors. Our ball security continues to be an area for improvement and will be critical against a team that punishes turnovers and converts quickly to scoreboard pressure.
Shuffling the magnets
There is plenty of excitement around the return of several key players this weekend. Dynamic goal attack Evie Stower returns to add her creativity, movement and attacking flair to our frontline, while experienced defender Taylah Kiss is back in Bull Sharks colours after her SSNR commitments. Their return strengthens both ends of the court and provides additional depth and flexibility as we prepare for one of our toughest tests of the season.
Ones to watch
Our circle defenders have been outstanding in recent weeks and will again be central to our success. Coming off a strong performance against Panthers, they face another significant challenge this weekend against some of the competition's most accurate super shot shooters. Their ability to contest every shot, deny easy ball into the circle and apply relentless pressure will be crucial.
The focus
Victory this weekend will require discipline, adaptability and consistency. We must adjust quickly to what Wildcats present, maintain pressure on their shooters and limit their opportunities in the super shot period. Equally important will be our ability to score freely and efficiently at the attacking end. When we protect the ball, move it with purpose through court with options and trust our structures, we are a difficult team to stop. Four quarters of focused execution will be required against the Wildcats, or we will come up short.
Final word
This is exactly the type of contest you want to be involved in to test ourselves and our development thus far. We respect what Wildcats bring to the court, but we are excited by the challenge ahead. If we bring our trademark intensity, trust our processes and play for each other, we give ourselves every opportunity to walk away with another important win. Looking forward to seeing the girls in action on Saturday.