Thunderbirds and Vixens Set for Major Netball Semifinal Clash

The Thunderbirds line-up as expected. No shocks here.

The Vixens have made some bold changes! Earlier this season, head coach Di Honey did use the surprise duo of Jo Weston at GK and Kate Eddy at GD but it was only a couple of times when she was looking for a switch up and we haven't seen them combine in the back circle for weeks and weeks.

"I think last time we put this defensive line on, it actually worked, it created some good turnovers for us. I just think we can't be doing the same old, same old and expect different results," she told the host broadcaster Fox Netball. She also teased that we may see some other bold moves throughout live play with the rolling subs.

Australian coach Stacey Marinkovich will lead her side into another Commonwealth Games campaign in July, carrying the weight that follows every Diamonds squad before them.

But this particular team is chasing something even Australian netball's most celebrated eras could not achieve: defending both a Commonwealth Games and World Cup title in consecutive major tournaments.

The challenge is enormous and the preparation window is microscopic.

For the full picture, please read this story by my ABC colleague Jessica Stewart below.

Thunderbirds players lead six of the key stats tallied by the competition at the end of the regular season.

In her debut campaign, Elmeré van der Berg is the top goalscorer (708 goals) and has taken more attempts than anyone else (783). That gives her an overall accuracy of 90 per cent.

The co-captains Georgie Horjus and Shamera Sterling Humphrey have led by example. Horjus was selected earlier this week for her first Commonwealth Games campaign and leads the goal assist stat (287). Sterling Sterling-Humphrey is in her first season back after having a baby and leads the deflections (93) and defensive rebound stat (30). While her Jamaican partner in crime Latanya Wilson has taken more intercepts than anyone else (37). Although Kate Heffernan may not top any of the tallies, she still sits third for goal assists (218) and second for Net Points (1209.5) Watch Heffernan in the middle because she drives the engine room of the midcourt and has been known to win possession off the opposition's first centre pass.

The Vixens side is stacked with Aussie Diamonds. Their shooting circle features Sophie Garbin and Kiera Austin who are also likely to be the starting combination for the national team in Glasgow. Goal attack Kiera Austin leads the super shot stat (54) and will once again be relied on to put pressure on the scoreboard with two-pointers in this game.

If the Vixens are to win this one it'll be their experienced heads that get them through. Captain Kate Moloney is known for her incredible leadership. You'll see her revving up her team in the huddles and setting the standards at centre. She is currently fourth for Net Points (1149.5). Jo Weston also has a key role to play. Ahead of her third Commonwealth Games, her level thinking and big-time game experience in defence will be crucial in the clutch moments. She sits third for defensive rebounds (22).

They may be the 2025 defending champions with zero changes to their playing roster, but after many many years as an assistant under Simone McKinnis, Di Honey has now stepped up to take on the head coaching role and been dealt some challenges in the back-end of the regular season.

The team were flying in the beginning and won nine rounds straight before they were hit with injury and illness. This has led to some shaky form. They have now lost four of their last five games and the past three have been to the other finals teams: Thunderbirds (61-42), Mavericks (59-50), Fever (64-55).

Midcourter Hannah Mundy and defenders Rudi Ellis and Em Mannix were unavailable in round 10 to play against the Sunshine Coast Lightning. As a result the Vixens suffered their first loss of the season, 66-56. Mundy was missing again in round 11, while the defenders returned. But the loss derailed their confidence. Then third shooter Lily Graham was ruled out in round 12 and has been missing for three weeks. Thankfully, she makes her return for the major semifinal today.

These changes to the line-up have uspet the team’s connections and their flow in attack. It has also mean they’ve lacked the depth required to win games with the rolling subs in play when their starting seven aren't firing. As they haven’t had their tried and tested combinations to turn to on the bench. Are they the most in-form team? No. But when they're at their best, Plan A is electric. It is so clinical and difficult to face.

Heading into the finals this is more of a mental battle than anything else for the Vixens. Deep down do they believe they can still win? And can they keep their heads high when challenged?

The Thunderbirds, affectionately known as the TBirds, have been undefeated for the past eight rounds.

In fact, they've only been beaten once all year and that was by the Vixens in round six, 56-50. They have the best for and against percentage in the Super Netball league – scoring more goals than anyone else 892 and conceding the least as well 704.

They've played three of the last four grand finals and won back-to-back titles in 2023/24. Last year they were knocked out of the semi-finals by the Vixens, 58-56.

Ahead of season 2026, the TBirds were tipped as the team most likely to win the title, with the return of Shamera Sterling-Humphrey and the star recruits of Kiwi midcourter Kate Heffernan and South African goal shooter Elmeré van der Berg. At the end of the regular season they are still the heavy favourites.

They have incredible ball speed in attack and incredible closing speed in defence. They are difficult to face because they rarely miss and they don't let up defensively. They play at an incredible intensity.

It's important to note the Thunderbirds have also been lucky that they haven't had any injuries hamper them this season.

Just as it is done in the regular season, extra time will be played if the score is level after 60 minutes.

The teams will play 2x five-minute halves. They will swap ends before extra time begins and in the middle break. The two-point super shot will be in play the entire period and no timeouts will be available to take by the coaches.

If the score is still level after those 10 minutes then double extra time will automatically roll on and the match continues until one team is ahead by three points.

The winner of the major semifinal will go straight through to the grand final on Saturday night July 4 at John Cain Arena. As an added bonus, they'll get to sit back and relax for a week as they wait to find out their opponent.

The loser of the major semifinal will not get that luxury. They'll need to try and get there the hard way, but they do atleast get the privledge of hosting the preliminary final on their home court next Saturday night June 27.

It's more desperate in the minor semifinal. Where the winner survives another week and heads to the preliminary final while the loser is completely knocked out of the race. Basically it's do or die.