THERE IS LIFE AFTER KIM RAVAILLION FOR THE QUEENSLAND FIREBIRDS WHO BENEFITTED FROM A MATCHWINNING DEBUT FROM IMPORT CENTRE ERIN BURGER AGAINST THE WEST COAST FEVER AT PERTH ARENA.
The Firebirds notched their first win of the Suncorp Super Netball season, a composed and professional 60-47 win against the Fever who are now winless from the first three rounds.
After losing two-time premiership player Ravaillion to Magpies Netball and Mahalia Cassidy to injury, everything Burger did was of high quality.
There was an economy of movement to her play as she kept attacking space open for the Firebirds’ star forward line.
“How cool was that? She literally only had one session with us,” said Firebirds captain Gabi Simpson.
Caitlyn Nevins looked far more comfortable at wing attack, and alongside Gretel Tippett (16 goals), Queensland’s feeders dismantled West Coast.
Champion Firebirds shooter Romelda Aiken had another big night with 44 goals at 83 per cent, but the surprise packet was Kaylia Stanton who shot 28 goals in just three quarters.
Firebirds coach Roselee Jencke would have been delighted with the first touches from Burger, the South African replacement player who met her teammates for the first time on Wednesday, after flying in directly from South Africa.
The centre provided a steady, reliable rhythm to everything her team did.
That was precisely what the side needed, and if that wasn’t enough, the placement of her passes into Aiken was on the money from the outset.
In contrast, the home side was energetic but imprecise, gifting too many contact penalties as the Queenslanders jumped out to a nine-goal lead.
The Firebirds rammed home their advantage in the second term.
With goal shooter Kate Beveridge benched early in her 150th national league game, Stanton provided some of the few first half highlights for the Fever.
She shot fearlessly (six-from-nine) in the second quarter for the Fever who trailed 34-18 at halftime.
The Firebirds’ dominance was eroded in the third quarter by a Fever side that showed far more discipline than it did in the first half.
Defenders Courtney Bruce and Stacey Francis finally had some wins against the Firebirds’ all-star shooting duo of Aiken and Tippett.
Queensland also lost the final term to the hosts but were far too composed to let the Fever within striking distance.
