MATCH INFORMATION
Who: NSW Swifts v Melbourne Mavericks
When: Saturday 12 April
Where: Ken Rosewall Arena, Sydney
Time: 7pm AEST
BROADCAST INFO
Where to watch: Kayo / Foxtel / Binge
Where to listen: 6.30-9pm broadcast on SEN 1170am Sydney
- SEN Fanatic on DAB+ or the SEN App
- SEN Stadium in-venue
In their first away game of the season, the Melbourne Mavericks are on the road to take on the NSW Swifts at Ken Rosewall Arena, this Saturday at 7pm.
After a tough loss in Round 1, the Mavs players are eager to step up and get the result they are after.
“We want to get some more wins on the board,” said captain, Amy Parmenter.
The NSW Swifts will be fierce competition after coming off Round 1 with a 67-49 win against West Coast Fever.
In the 2024 season the rivalry between the two teams was fierce, with each team walking away with one win against the other during the Mavs’ inaugural season. The Swifts had a convincing win in Round 2 of 2024, whilst the Mavs evened the ledger in Round 8.
When they took each other on in the 2025 Team Girls Cup, it was a tough, contested battle. In the playoff for third place on the final day of the tournament the Swifts eventually came out on top with a two-goal win, however, the Mavs had held the lead at the end of the first three quarters.
In last week’s game against the Sunshine Coast Lightning, although not the result the Mavs wanted to start the season with, Head Coach, Tracey Neville spoke at length about the opportunities and versatility her team has.
“From my point of view, yeah I am gutted about the loss, but there were some massive things that we did in that game that we can just clean-up.”
“We've got a real shine, and I think there's a real competition for places in that midcourt, which gives us a headache, which is pleasing for a coach,” Neville continued.
On the theme of versatility, Uneeq Palavi made her debut in last week’s game, which Neville took as a real positive sign for the shooting circle. Palavi will have good insight into this week’s opposition, having made her Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) for the Swifts last year.
“I think it's an absolute positive for us. If you look at the way Uneeq plays, [it’s] very similar to Eleanor Cardwell as well. It is a style that we're really adopting as a team.”
KEY MATCHUPS
Olivia Lewis v Grace Nweke: With Lewis’ dominant performance in Round 1, she is going to be a tough opponent for one of the Swifts’ latest debutants in Nweke. With Lewis’ energy and leap, she will be a key player in preventing the feed into Nweke.
Amy Parmenter v Verity Simmons: Both are leaders on the court and players with vast experience. If we see Parmenter head back to WD, after Simmons made her Swifts debut at WA last week, they are going to be a combination to watch. Both are tenacious players who will be eager for a win, and with the speed and agility they both possess, it will be a tight battle.
