The Firebirds announced on Thursday the mutual parting of ways with Head Coach Bec Bulley, effective immediately, with Assistant Coach Lauren Brown to fill in as caretaker for the clash at John Cain Arena.
Last weekend's four-point loss to GIANTS Netball in Sydney was a tough one for the Firebirds to take and leaves them needing to get back to winning ways to lift themselves off the bottom of the ladder.
The Mavericks fell to cross-town rivals the Melbourne Vixens in a King's Birthday match last Monday but Tracey Neville's team remain just one win outside the top four after nine matches.
LAST TIME WE MET
A slow start proved costly for the Firebirds as the Mavericks claimed a 69-62 win at Nissan Arena in Round Six earlier this year.
The Firebirds won the final quarter 21-17 but were unable to reel in the Mavericks' lead as the Suncorp Super Netball newcomers claimed just their second win of the season.
Emily Moore was a standout in the defeat, hitting five Suncorp Super Shots after coming off the bench including three two-pointers from three attempts in the final term.
TEAM NEWS
The Firebirds are still without captain Kim Ravaillion as she recovers from a lower leg injury, with Maddi Ridley promoted to the side as a temporary replacement player following strong performances in the Super Netball Reserves program with the Firebirds Futures.
The Melbourne-born Ridley is a defensive mid-court player and the sister of Essendon AFL player Jordan.
The 22-year-old will become the fourth Firebirds debutante this season if she takes the court.
In other news, young defender Isabelle Shearer returns to the squad having proven her recovery from a quad injury in last weekend's SN Reserves match against the Swifts Academy in Sydney with Ali Miller making way.
English superstar Eleanor Cardwell has not been named by the Mavericks as she continues to struggle with a quad injury, with Neville sticking with the same squad which faced the Vixens on Monday.
KEY MATCHUP - Remi Kamo vs Shimona Jok
Mavericks' recruit Jok was the standout player when these teams last met, scoring 50 goals from 55 attempts to lead the Mavericks to victory. Picked up as the Mavericks' 11th player, Jok has scored 208 goals this season at over 90 per cent including two Suncorp Super Shots. If Firebirds' goalkeeper Kamo can blunt Jok's scoreboard impact it will be a huge boost.
KEY STAT
Both teams gave away high penalty counts in their past matches. The Firebirds were penalised 61 times in their loss to the Giants while the Mavericks racked up a whopping 82 penalties against the Vixens. Staying in play and avoiding the whistle will be a big focus for either side on Sunday.
HOW TO WATCH
Watch Sunday’s game live and on demand on Kayo Sports and Foxtel. International viewers can catch the entire 2024 Suncorp Super Netball season live and on demand via Netball Pass.
