What we learnt from Pre-Season
Pre-season in Suncorp Super Netball is a funny thing.
The results technically don’t count for anything, but they’re also the first glimpse we get of new combinations, fresh signings and how teams are tracking ahead of Round 1. Clubs arrange their own practice matches to build match fitness, test different line-ups and trial tactical ideas, which means the number of games played varies widely. This year, the Adelaide Thunderbirds played six matches, while the Sunshine Coast Lightning only had two.
The ladder here only includes matches played against other SSN teams, although several clubs also took on men’s teams or sides from New Zealand. And because coaches are using these games to experiment, not everyone is fully fit and combinations are constantly shifting, the results are far from a crystal ball for the season ahead.
But… they do give us clues. And let’s be honest, at this time of year we’ll take every little insight we can get.
The Lightning finished their pre-season with a perfect win record, though they only had two outings, while the Thunderbirds only dropped one of their six games. The Melbourne Vixens and Melbourne Mavericks each lost one match of their three, while the Queensland Firebirds won two of their five games. The NSW Swifts, West Coast Fever and Giants managed just a single win each.
So what might it all mean?
Sunshine Coast Lightning
Results:
Sunshine Coast Lightning 63 d Queensland Firebirds 55
Sunshine Coast Lightning 72 d Giants 51
The Lightning only played two pre-season matches, but the early signs are very promising.
Karin Burger appears to have slotted seamlessly into the defensive unit, while Donnell Wallam is exactly what you’d expect in the circle: a towering, reliable target.
Perhaps most encouragingly, Cara Koenen looks to have rediscovered her spark, while Gabby Sinclair has been elusive and accurate from range. With Koenen able to play both shooting positions, the Lightning suddenly have four viable shooting combinations, each with a completely different style. That makes life very tricky for opposition defenders trying to prepare.
Add the return of Ava Black into a familiar midcourt and the Lightning look well placed for the season ahead - at least based on the small glimpse we’ve seen so far.
Adelaide Thunderbirds
Results:
Adelaide Thunderbirds 64 d NSW Swifts 59
Adelaide Thunderbirds 64 d Melbourne Vixens 59
Adelaide Thunderbirds 70 d West Coast Fever 61
Adelaide Thunderbirds 72 d West Coast Fever 58
Adelaide Thunderbirds 64 d Queensland Firebirds 49
Queensland Firebirds 61 d Adelaide Thunderbirds 56
The signs are extremely positive for the Thunderbirds. They looked sharp across their six matches and have every reason to feel confident heading into the season.
Kate Heffernan was outstanding through the midcourt, bringing defensive pressure and composure with ball in hand. Meanwhile Shamera Sterling-Humphrey is steadily building back into elite netball after the birth of her first child and will only get stronger and more dangerous as the season progresses (she already looks lethal!).
Up front, new recruit Elmere van der Berg looks like a fantastic addition to the shooting circle, showing accuracy and confidence early. If pre-season form is anything to go by, Thunderbirds fans have every reason to be excited about 2026.
Melbourne Vixens
Results:
Melbourne Vixens 61 d West Coast Fever 53
Adelaide Thunderbirds 64 d Melbourne Vixens 59
Melbourne Vixens 69 d Melbourne Mavericks 63
With the only major change being the return of Emily Mannix from maternity leave, the Vixens entered pre-season with perhaps the most settled squad in the competition.
And, unsurprisingly, they looked exactly like the Vixens we know. Clinical. Disciplined. Ruthless in defence and incredibly careful with possession.
Wins over the Fever and Mavericks were strong (the Mavericks match was particularly tight), and their only loss came against a red-hot Thunderbirds side by just five goals. For Vixens fans, it was pretty much exactly what you’d hope to see heading into Round 1.
Melbourne Mavericks
Results:
Melbourne Mavericks 64 d West Coast Fever 57
Melbourne Mavericks 71 d Giants 50
Melbourne Vixens 69 d Melbourne Mavericks 63
For a side that underwent wholesale changes in the off-season, the Mavericks’ pre-season was quietly impressive.
They collected wins over the Fever and Giants and pushed their cross-town rivals the Vixens all the way in a tight contest. Considering the number of new faces and a new coach, those performances suggest the group is already starting to connect.
It helps that there are some familiar partnerships within the squad. Jamie-Lee Price and Maddie Hay know each other well, while defenders Tara Hinchliffe and Kim Brown also bring existing chemistry.
Their seven-goal win over the Fever - last year’s minor premiers, albeit a little understrength - was particularly eye-catching.
Queensland Firebirds
Results:
Giants 55 d Queensland Firebirds 51
Queensland Firebirds 63 d Giants 60
Sunshine Coast Lightning 63 d Queensland Firebirds 55
Adelaide Thunderbirds 64 d Queensland Firebirds 49
Queensland Firebirds 61 d Adelaide Thunderbirds 56
Two wins from five games in pre-season might raise eyebrows, but there’s plenty of context here.
The Firebirds played both the Giants and the Thunderbirds twice, which means more opportunity to try different combinations and tactics. Add in the fact they’re integrating a brand new spine featuring multiple Silver Ferns, plus several training partners seeing court time, and it’s hardly surprising they’re still finding their rhythm.
There were positives though. Training partner Elsa Sif Sandholt impressed enough to earn selection as the Firebirds’ 11th player for the upcoming season. Plus their win against an otherwise dominant Thunderbirds in pre-season was a highlight.
More importantly, those tough matches would have provided valuable insights for the coaching staff. Expect the Firebirds to look much sharper once the real competition begins.
NSW Swifts
Results:
Adelaide Thunderbirds 64 d NSW Swifts 59
West Coast Fever 64 d NSW Swifts 61
NSW Swifts 63 d Giants 54
Three matches for one win isn’t necessarily the pre-season headline the Swifts would have hoped for. Their sole victory came against the Giants, while losses to the Thunderbirds and Fever were both by five goals or fewer.
Still, there’s probably no need for Swifts fans to panic.
The squad has undergone very minimal changes from last season, mostly in the midcourt, and remains one of the most experienced and well-drilled groups in the league. When the real points are on the line, the Swifts have a habit of delivering.
West Coast Fever
Results:
Melbourne Mavericks 64 d West Coast Fever 57
Melbourne Vixens 61 d West Coast Fever 53
West Coast Fever 64 d NSW Swifts 61
Adelaide Thunderbirds 70 d West Coast Fever 61
Adelaide Thunderbirds 72 d West Coast Fever 58
The Fever had one of the busier pre-seasons with five matches, but only managed a single win.
That said, context is everything. There have been significant changes at the club this year, particularly in the shooting circle with new faces and an injury disrupting combinations. Not surprisingly, the connections into the circle looked a little patchy at times.
Coach Dan Ryan clearly used the opportunity to test different combinations and give players experience in match scenarios. The results may not have been what they wanted, but the learnings could prove extremely valuable once the season begins.
And if the Fever manage to tidy up their attacking connections and reduce a few errors through the court, they remain a side nobody will want to face.
Giants Netball
Results:
Giants 55 d Queensland Firebirds 51
Queensland Firebirds 63 d Giants 60
Melbourne Mavericks 71 d Giants 50
Sunshine Coast Lightning 72 d Giants 51
NSW Swifts 63 d Giants 54
Four losses from five matches - and by sizeable margins - is not the ideal pre-season result.
But the Giants are also one of the most changed teams in the league. They have four new faces in the squad and a new coaching setup, which means combinations are still developing.
Even so, there were plenty of green shoots. Jane Watson was doing classic Jane Watson things in defence, while shooter Lucy Austin looked eager to take advantage of increased court time. The leadership of new captain Whitney Souness will also become increasingly important as the season unfolds.
For the Giants, the challenge now is turning those learnings into sharper execution once Round 1 arrives.
The Big Picture
Pre-season results are never the full story, but they do offer a few hints about where teams might be heading.
The Thunderbirds look sharp and confident. The Lightning appear dangerous with new attacking options. The Vixens remain the model of consistency. And several teams with big off-season changes are clearly still building their connections.
The real answers start arriving this weekend when the 2026 SSN season begins on Saturday 14 March.
So, who are you most excited to see? What did you learn from the pre-season matches? And which team do you think might surprise us all this year?
