Queensland Firebirds coach Megan Anderson has refused to allow her side to look too far ahead, despite it’s impressive 11-goal victory over the GIANTS at John Cain Arena on Sunday.
The Firebirds blitzed the GIANTS 63-52, with one of their best performances of the season, putting them just one game outside of the top four behind the West Coast Fever.
Yet despite being clearly delighted on court after the final whistle, Anderson was not buying into talk of ladder positions.
The focus now only moving to as far as the Firebirds’ round 10 clash with the Adelaide Thunderbirds.
“For us we are just taking it one game at a time,” the Firebirds mentor said post match.
“We know we need to win as many (games) as possible, so it’s really just about preparing the best we can and then focussing on the next game the next time it comes around.
“You are only as good as your last game, so we have got to put in this week as well and make sure we keep it up next week.”
The confidence-boosting win came on the back of two consecutive losses for the Firebirds, who looked to have turned a corner.
Anderson, in her first season at the helm, revealed there had been some open and honest conversations as well as some tough training sessions in the lead up to Sunday’s match.
Admitting the Firebirds had not been playing acceptable netball, the former Diamond believed the group proved what they are capable of.
“We talked about quite a lot of things in our pre-match chat and I thought they executed exactly as we talked about which was really pleasing,” she said.
“And probably we have had patchy performances up until now, but that was a really good 60-minute performance, to go with the old cliché. Very pleasing.
“We just knew that we were disappointed in what we have put out so far this season and we have had a good hard look at ourselves over the last two weeks.
“Everybody has put in some really hard work and really good reflection in what they can bring to the team and it has just been a really good two weeks practicing and putting in extra effort, and I think that showed tonight.”
A stellar individual performance at goalkeeper saw Tara Hinchliffe named the Most Valuable Player of the match.
Anderson acknowledged the 23-year-old’s effort, but highlighted how it was an overall team contribution that saw the Firebirds take down the GIANTS.
“Defensively I thought we were much better than we have been all season,” she said.
“To keep the Giants, who have got such potent shooters, to 52 goals is a real testament to the full-court defence.
“And Tarzy (Tara Hincliffe) certainly reaped the benefits of the sustained pressure out the front of her which was good.
“I was just pleased with everybody; I think everybody did their job exactly as we planned.”
Young gun Ruby Bakewell-Doran made her debut in purple and showed she was deserving of her call up when she took the court.
The debutant was a late inclusion for defender Rudi Ellis who was left out of the side due to illness but is likely to return next week.
The Firebirds are scheduled to play the Thunderbirds at home in Adelaide next Sunday, but will await confirmation from Suncorp Super Netball in the coming days.
