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Fireballs begin title defence on a high

netball01 May 2023 16:13| © SuperSport
By:Busisiwe Mokwena
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Golden Fireballs players © Gallo Images

Even after starting the season on a high note, Gauteng Golden Fireballs coach Dr Elsje Jordaan believes they are not the favourites to win the league. The Fireballs began their title defence as strongly as they finished their 2022 season. Beating their provincial rivals and five times champions, the Gauteng Jaguars, in their opening match of the season shows that they intend to stamp their authority in the competition.

The defending champions are the only unbeaten side after the first round of the Telkom Netball League which started at the Ngoako Ramahlodi Sports Complex in Polokwane. The second power week and the rest of the competition will be staged at the Heartfelt Arena in Tshwane and it resumes on 2 June in Gauteng.

Although the Fireballs are at the top, coach Jordaan reckons that they are still the underdogs this season.

“It’s a new year and I would like to think that we are not the favourites. Obviously, people chase us because we were No 1 last year but you can’t dwell too long in the past and there are some quality outfits if you look at the names on paper. We will have to work really hard. Obviously we are going for the win, if you are on this level and don’t go for a win then you shouldn’t be here. So we are working really hard and I am sure all the teams will be coming for us but we are ready for it. We enjoy the pressure and we will thrive under that hopefully, later on, come to the semis and the final,” says Jordaan.

Jordaan feels there are some areas they need to work on if they are to defend their title successfully.

“I think we are getting better with each game and I think the combinations are starting to settle in well. We are still expensive with the ball in hand and conceding a lot of unforced errors which I am not happy about. That is something we need to work on, it just seems like we have lapses of concentration, when we have changes there’s a bit of a dip and we should have a smooth takeover. We are good enough to get that fixed,” she says.

The record-winning champions, Jaguars started the season with a limp. Following a loss from the Fireballs, they suffered a second successive loss this time to the Free State Crinums, in a closely contested match. However, they were able to redeem themselves against the North West Flames.

Meanwhile, it was a tough start for debutants Free State Sonoblomo and the Limpopo Lilies in Division Two of the league. The Free State side was handed a heavy defeat by the other Limpopo side, the 70 goals that the Baobabs scored is the highest of the season so far. They won the game 70-35. Hopefully, the opening week of the competition gave coach Gertiana Schoonraad an eye-opening experience to prepare better for the rest of the season. Even with a home crowd backing them, the Lilies have not yet registered a win in the league.

The Western Cape Tornados started their season well. After finishing on the podium for three years in a row since being introduced in the league, they are looking like a side that is aiming for the top. They sit at the top of Division Two after winning all three of their matches going for the gold and maybe even the promotion to the elite Division.

Tornados coach, Freda Kemp is happy with how the team started the season and she is confident that they will get the gold medal that will enable them to play in the promotion/relegation match come the end of the season.

“We are definitely going for the relegation (promotion) match, this was our first step. We still have a few steps to go but we are taking it a step at a time,” says Kemp.

The Mpumalanga Sunbirds have also had an impressive start to the season. They began with a 32-32 draw against the Eastern Cape Comets but were able to get victories against the KwaZulu Natal Kingdom Queens and Lilies. The Sunbirds will be the team that will push the Tornados to the limits as they work to get onto the podium for a second consecutive time. The experience in the Sunbirds team seems to be coming through their different combinations.

The Northern Cape Diamonds also had a stellar start this season, they registered three wins in the first round. In their last match of the weekend, they snatched a 41-38 win over the Comets after being level at halftime. It was 21 all at the however the Northern Cape side made it three in a row.

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