The Firebirds are still searching for their first win of the campaign while the unbeaten Fever overcame a determined NSW Swifts last weekend in Sydney.
LAST TIME WE MET
Superstar Gretel Bueta inspired the Queensland Firebirds to an upset 72-68 win over the Fever in Perth in a Round 12 clash last May. Coming into the game on a four-game losing run, Bueta scored a season-high 40 goals to spark joyous scenes including tears of joy from Donnell Wallam and Jemma Mi Mi after the First Nations round nailbiter.
TEAM NEWS
Firebirds goal attack Mia Stower is set to play despite picking up a knock to her thigh late in last week’s loss to Collingwood in Melbourne. Kim Jenner will face her former team for the first time since her off-season move to the Fever. The defender is coming off her best game for her new club against the Swifts as she quelled the influence of English import Helen Housby.
KEY MATCHUP – JHANIELE FOWLER v REMI KAMO
Jamaican champion Fowler has got straight back to her best at the scoring end for the Fever with a league-topping 220 goals from 223 attempts from the first four rounds. Firebirds goalkeeper Kamo has made a solid start to her maiden SSN campaign and was her team’s best player in the loss to the Magpies but will need to improve further to limit the game-winning influence of the Fever spearhead.
KEY STAT
Firebirds great Gabi Simpson will play her 150th match for the club, joining Romelda Aiken-George (197) and Laura Geitz (169) as the only athletes to reach that mark for the Firebirds.
LAST WORD
“It’s just for fun. It brings so much light into my life and when I put it on, the last thing I do before playing, it brings me joy and it makes me forget about how serious netball can be.” – Simpson explains the reason behind her iconic yellow ribbon. Over 1000 ribbons will be distributed to fans on Sunday in a show of appreciation to the two-time premiership winning defender.
HOW TO GET THERE
Tickets are still available via Ticketek. All the information regarding game day is available here.
