They took vastly different routes to get there, but both Bull Sharks squads sang the victory song at the weekend. The Sapphire squad blitzed Pulse whilst Ruby had a nail-biting finish to their Sunday afternoon.
Sapphire goal shooter, Mia Stower was a highlight of the day, scoring 21 two –points out of 24 attempts, an 88.8% shooting accuracy.
A true team effort of composure and unity saw the Ruby squad get across the line in a highly physical, contested battle.
Bull Sharks v Pulse at Nissan Arena
Sapphire Series
Bull Sharks won 94 – 53
How it was won
We executed our game plan with precision, playing disciplined, clinical netball. Regardless of the scoreline, the team remained focused—setting clear targets each quarter and maintaining our standards right through to the final whistle.
What made you happy
It was great to be able to utilise all 10 players and rotate through a range of combinations. This allowed us to explore the depth of our squad as we build towards the final four rounds—all of which will be significantly more challenging.
Bull Sharks Netball
Our leadership group continues to elevate each week. They’re driving consistency in our execution and holding the team accountable through meaningful reflection and high standards.
The work to do
We now face four tough rounds to close out the regular season. The ladder remains tight, and other teams are strengthening their rosters, so the race to finals is intensifying. We’ve faced the bottom two sides in the past two weeks, so our internal focus has been around avoiding complacency—staying committed to our structures and refining what we can control.
Trademark Player
It’s impossible to overlook Mia Stower this week—21 from 24 super shots, contributing 42 points. An extraordinary display of composure, confidence, and clinical finishing.
With Rebecca Stower
Ruby Series
Bull Sharks won 58 – 56
How it was won
Another nail-biter and another not so pretty win. In what proved to be a highly physical, must-win game, our girls rose to the challenge, demonstrating composure and unity in the face of some questionable umpiring and undisciplined contests. It was a true team effort, with all 11 athletes stepping up and contributing to the win.
What made you happy
After a 17-goal loss to the Pulse in Round 7, I was proud to see the girls take control from the first whistle this week. We maintained composure, stayed united, and didn’t shy away from the Pulse’s physicality. Most importantly, we focused on what we could control, our game and our brand of netball, and in the end, that’s what got us across the line.
Bull Sharks Netball
Week in, week out, we’re facing teams that are becoming increasingly physical. I’m really pleased to see both our Ruby and Sapphire teams remain committed to our brand of netball. Our results are starting to reflect that consistency.
The work to do
We saw a pleasing reduction in unforced errors this week, and our through court attack showed significant improvement. However, there’s still work to be done, particularly around the Super Shot period. This period of the game has the potential to swing momentum, and our focus will be on improving our execution in both attack and defence during that time.
Trademark Players
While all 11 athletes contributed to the win, it was great to see a return to form from Mahlia Henare. We also welcomed Harriet Nicholson back from injury, and she immediately made an impact. Both players were instrumental in winning some really valuable ball.
With Kim Boland