Bec 1Round 1: Queensland Firebirds vs NSW Swifts
March 18th 2010 12:25
The first game on Sunday, broadcasted at 2.30pm on Channel 10, between the Queensland Firebirds and the NSW Swifts should be an interesting match up.
The Swifts were the 2008 premiers in the ANZ Championship but had a shocker of a season last year, moving right down near the bottom of the ladder.
Sonia Mkoloma (Pulse 2008, Tactix 2009), could make a huge difference to this year's prospects for the Swifts.
Losing extremely-talented defenders, Liz Ellis and Mo’onia Gerrard, over the last few years have really put a dent in the Swifts' defence. But this is where Mkoloma may make her mark as she is a quality player.
Mkoloma has played for England since 2003 and was a member of the bronze winning team at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.
But Catherine Cox will need to lift her shooting percentage this year after a dreadful season in 2009 if the NSW Swifts have any chance of making the finals let alone actually winning the championship.
This will be particularly the case when they come up against the Queensland Firebirds on Sunday as the Firebirds have been able to attract Australian Diamond and former Adelaide Thunderbirds Goal Attack Natalie Medhurst. Medhurst in combination with another highly talented shooter Romelda Aiken will make it extremely difficult for the Swifts defenders to try to stop their high shooting percentages.
Other new players to the Firebirds line-up, which will add to the Queensland team's chances this year are former Melbourne Vixens players Sarah Wall and Amy Steel.
However, the Queensland team have lost coach Vicki Wilson, a legend in the game, and former captain Peta Stephens who will play with Canterbury Tactix.
I think the Firebirds will still be too strong for the struggling Swifts team, particularly since the Queensland team recently won the pre-season tournament, the SOPA Cup, held in Sydney.
The Swifts were the 2008 premiers in the ANZ Championship but had a shocker of a season last year, moving right down near the bottom of the ladder.
Sonia Mkoloma (Pulse 2008, Tactix 2009), could make a huge difference to this year's prospects for the Swifts.
Losing extremely-talented defenders, Liz Ellis and Mo’onia Gerrard, over the last few years have really put a dent in the Swifts' defence. But this is where Mkoloma may make her mark as she is a quality player.
But Catherine Cox will need to lift her shooting percentage this year after a dreadful season in 2009 if the NSW Swifts have any chance of making the finals let alone actually winning the championship.
This will be particularly the case when they come up against the Queensland Firebirds on Sunday as the Firebirds have been able to attract Australian Diamond and former Adelaide Thunderbirds Goal Attack Natalie Medhurst. Medhurst in combination with another highly talented shooter Romelda Aiken will make it extremely difficult for the Swifts defenders to try to stop their high shooting percentages.
Other new players to the Firebirds line-up, which will add to the Queensland team's chances this year are former Melbourne Vixens players Sarah Wall and Amy Steel.
However, the Queensland team have lost coach Vicki Wilson, a legend in the game, and former captain Peta Stephens who will play with Canterbury Tactix.
I think the Firebirds will still be too strong for the struggling Swifts team, particularly since the Queensland team recently won the pre-season tournament, the SOPA Cup, held in Sydney.
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