Can the ‘Doomsday Double’ sink the Swifts, why we’ll know where the Vixens stand early and more in Emma Greenwood’s analysis of every team’s 2022 draw.
Sydney will host a blockbuster grand-final rematch to open the Super Netball season with the NSW Swifts to unfurl the championship banner at Ken Rosewall Arena in front of the Giants as they start the newest chapter of their rivalry.
The derby will be held on a blockbuster opening weekend of fixtures on March 26-27 held across four states as the competition moves back to home-and-away fixtures after two years of Covid chaos.
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While last year’s draw was optimistically released with home-and-away games, Covid outbreaks around the country forced teams on the road, with hubs in Victoria, South Australia and Queensland, ahead of the second consecutive grand final at Brisbane’s Nissan Arena.
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But with state premiers committing to keeping the borders open with most of the population now double vaccinated, a fully-fixtured season should be a reality, something that will come as a relief for players and officials who have spent almost five months in hubs and bubbles over the past two years.
The Swifts and Giants will meet at Sydney’s Ken Rosewall Arena at 7pm (AEDT) on Saturday, March 26, the match tipping off just after the clash between the Adelaide Thunderbirds and Collingwood Magpies at Netball SA Stadium at 5pm (AEDT).
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In other Round 1 matches, the Queensland Firebirds will host the Melbourne Vixens at Brisbane’s Nissan Arena at 2pm (AEDT), with the West Coast Fever and Sunshine Coast Lightning closing out the round in a clash at Perth’s RAC Arena at 4pm (AEDT).
A First Nations round will be held across two weeks again next year, giving every team the chance to host during the celebration of Indigenous culture, with many clubs set to hold the event for the first time in three years after two seasons in the hub.
The 2022 season also marks the start of the new broadcasting deal with Fox Sports, with every match available on Foxtel and Kayo.
And the season is set to be more accessible to fans, with later Saturday timeslots introduced to ensure the world’s best league does not clash with the majority of community and junior netball fixtures.
Midweek matches will also be reintroduced, with two rounds of Tuesday and Wednesday matches to ensure the season is completed ahead of the Commonwealth Games.
The grand final will be held three-and-a-half weeks ahead of the opening ceremony on July 28, giving the Diamonds a tight preparation for their Birmingham campaign.
SUPER NETBALL 2022 DRAW: CLUB BY CLUB
FIREBIRDS
Sun Mar 27 v Vixens, Nissan Arena, Brisbane, 1pm
Sat Apr 2 v Lightning, USC Stadium, Sunshine Coast, 6pm
Sun Apr 10 v Fever, Nissan Arena, Brisbane, 2pm
Tue Apr 12 v Giants, Ken Rosewall Arena, Sydney, 8pm
Sun Apr 17 v Thunderbirds, TBC, 4pm
Sun Apr 24 v Magpies, Nissan Arena, Brisbane, 2pm
Sat Apr 30 v Swifts, Nissan Arena, Brisbane, 5pm
Sat May 7 v Vixens, John Cain Arena, Melbourne, 5pm
Sun May 15 v Magpies, Derwent Entertainment Centre, Hobart, 2pm
Wed May 18 v Thunderbirds, Netball SA Stadium, Adelaide, 7.30pm
Sat May 21 v Lightning, Nissan Arena, Brisbane, 5pm
Sat May 28 v Fever, RAC Arena, Perth, 6pm
Sat Jun 4 v Giants, Nissan Arena, Brisbane, 5pm
Sun Jun 12 v Swifts, Ken Rosewall Arena, Sydney, 4pm
Emma Greenwood says: Need to make the most of their home run in the first half of the season, when they leave the Sunshine State just once in the first seven rounds. Should know by then whether their new-look defensive end will stand up under pressure.
LIGHTNING
Sun Mar 27 v Fever, RAC Arena, Perth, 1pm
Sat Apr 2 v Firebirds, USC Stadium, Sunshine Coast, 6pm
Sun Apr 10 v Thunderbirds, Netball SA Stadium, Adelaide, 3.30pm
Wed Apr 13 v Magpies, John Cain Arena, Melbourne 6pm
Sat Apr 16 v Vixens, USC Stadium, Sunshine Coast, 5pm
Sat Apr 23 v Swifts, Ken Rosewall Arena, Sydney, 5pm
Sun May 1 v Giants, USC Stadium, Sunshine Coast, 2pm
Sat May 7 v Thunderbirds, USC Stadium, Sunshine Coast, 7pm
Sat May 14 v Fever, USC Stadium, Sunshine Coast, 5pm
Tues May 17 v Swifts, USC Stadium, Sunshine Coast, 6pm
Sat May 21 v Firebirds, Nissan Arena, Brisbane, 5pm
Sun May 29 v Vixens, John Cain Arena, Melbourne, 2pm
Sun Jun 5 v Magpies, USC Stadium, Sunshine Coast, 4pm
Sat Jun 11 v Giants, Ken Rosewall Arena, Sydney, 7pm
Emma Greenwood says: Tough test first up against the team that knocked them out of the finals last season. Will be a challenge to maintain their record of making the finals every season after captain Karla Pretorius announced earlier this week she was pregnant and was miss the 2022 season.
GIANTS
Sat Mar 26 v Swifts, Ken Rosewall Arena, Sydney, 7pm
Sun Apr 3 v Thunderbirds, Netball SA Stadium, Adelaide, 3.30pm
Sat Apr 9 v Vixens, John Cain Arena, Melbourne, 5pm
Tues Apr 12 v Firebirds, Ken Rosewall Arena, Sydney, 8pm
Sat Apr 16 v Magpies, Ken Rosewall Arena, Sydney, 7pm
Sun Apr 24 v Fever, Ken Rosewall Arena, Sydney, 4pm
Sun May 1 v Lightning, USC Stadium, Sunshine Coast, 2pm
Sun May 8 v Swifts, Ken Rosewall Arena, Sydney, 4pm
Sat May 14 v Vixens, Ken Rosewall Arena, Sydney, 7pm
Wed May 18 v Magpies, Silverdome, Launceston, 6pm
Sun May 22 v Fever, RAC Arena, Perth, 12pm
Sun May 29 v Thunderbirds, Ken Rosewall Arena, Sydney, 4pm
Sat Jun 4 v Firebirds, Nissan Arena, Brisbane, 5pm
Sat June 11 v Lightning, Ken Rosewall Arena, Sydney, 7pm
Emma Greenwood says: Every chance of repeating their 2021 feats after maintaining the nucleus of the squad that pushed to last year’s grand final but need to negotiate a tricky period in the second midweek stretch, with games in Sydney, Launceston and Perth over just eight days in May.
SWIFTS
Sat Mar 26 v Giants, Ken Rosewall Arena, Sydney, 7pm
Sat Apr 2 v Vixens, Ken Rosewall Arena, Sydney, 5pm
Sat Apr 9 v Magpies, Ken Rosewall Arena, Sydney, 7pm
Wed Apr 13 v Thunderbirds, Netball SA Stadium, Adelaide, 7.30pm
Sun Apr 17 v Fever, RAC Arena, Perth, 12pm
Sat Apr 23 v Lightning, Ken Rosewall Arena, Sydney, 5pm
Sat Apr 30 v Firebirds, Nissan Arena, Brisbane, 5pm
Sun May 8 v Giants, Ken Rosewall Arena, Sydney, 4pm
Sun May 15 v Thunderbirds, Ken Rosewall Arena, Sydney, 4pm
Tue May 17 v Lightning, USC Stadium, Sunshine Coast, 6pm
Sat May 21 v Vixens, John Cain Arena, Melbourne, 7pm
Sat May 28 v Magpies, John Cain Arena, Melbourne, 6pm
Sun Jun 5 v Fever, Ken Rosewall Arena, Sydney, 2pm
Sun Jun 12 v Firebirds, Ken Rosewall Arena, Sydney, 4pm
Emma Greenwood says: Face the dreaded “Doomsday Double” with an Adelaide-Perth road double in their midweek patch in April before playing in three states in just six days in May. Remain among the title favourites though.
MAGPIES
Sat Mar 26 v Thunderbirds, Netball SA Stadium, Adelaide, 4.30pm
Sun Apr 3 v Fever, John Cain Arena, Melbourne, 2pm
Sat Apr 9 v Swifts, Ken Rosewall Arena, Sydney, 7pm
Wed Apr 13 v Lightning, John Cain Arena, Melbourne, 6pm
Sat Apr 16 v Giants, Ken Rosewall Arena, Sydney, 7pm
Sun Apr 24 v Firebirds, Nissan Arena, Brisbane, 2pm
Sun May 1 v Vixens, John Cain Arena, Melbourne, 4pm
Sun May 8 v Fever, RAC Arena, Perth, 12pm
Sun May 15 v Firebirds, Derwent Entertainment Centre, Hobart, 2pm
Wed May 18 v Giants, Silverdome, Launceston, 6pm
Sun May 22 v Thunderbirds, State Netball Centre, Melbourne, 4pm
Sat May 28 v Swifts, John Cain Arena, Melbourne, 6pm
Sun Jun 5 v Lightning, USC Stadium, Sunshine Coast, 4pm
Mon Jun 13 v Vixens, John Cain Arena, Melbourne, 1pm
Emma Greenwood says: Have fared well in the condensed midweek sections of the draw, with less travel than other teams. Tough run home against defending premiers Swifts, perennial finalists Lightning and derby rivals Vixens in the final three weeks of the regular season and won’t want to be relying on late wins to make the four.
VIXENS
Sun Mar 27 v Firebirds, Nissan Arena, Brisbane, 1pm
Sat Apr 2 v Swifts, Ken Rosewall Arena, Sydney, 5pm
Sat Apr 9 v Giants, John Cain Arena, Melbourne, 5pm
Tue Apr 12 v Fever, John Cain Arena, Melbourne, 6pm
Sat Apr 16 v Lightning, USC Stadium, Sunshine Coast, 5pm
Sat Apr 23 v Thunderbirds, John Cain Arena, Melbourne, 7pm
Sun May 1 v Magpies, John Cain Arena, Melbourne, 4pm
Sat May 7 v Firebirds, John Cain Arena, Melbourne, 5pm
Sat May 14 v Giants, Ken Rosewall Arena, Sydney, 7pm
Tues May 17 v Fever, RAC Arena, Perth, 6pm
Sat May 21 V Swifts, John Cain Arena, Melbourne, 7pm
Sun May 29 v Lightning, John Cain Arena, Melbourne, 2pm
Sat Jun 4 v Thunderbirds, Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide, 6.30pm
Mon Jun 13 v Magpies, John Cain Arena, Melbourne, 1pm
Emma Greenwood says: Huge buzz around the Vixens considering they finished with the wooden spoon last season – will be able to tell by Round 5 whether they’re the real deal given they face each of the 2021 semi-finalists in succession.
THUNDERBIRDS
Sat Mar 26 v Magpies, Netball SA Stadium, Adelaide, 4.30pm
Sun Apr 3 v Giants, Netball SA Stadium, Adelaide, 3.30pm
Sun Apr 10 v Lightning, Netball SA Stadium, Adelaide, 3.30pm
Wed Apr 13 v Swifts, Netball SA Stadium, Adelaide, 7.30pm
Sun Apr 17 v Firebirds, TBC, 4pm
Sat Apr 23 v Vixens, John Cain Arena, Melbourne, 7pm
Sat Apr 30 v Fever, Netball SA Stadium, Adelaide, 6.30pm
Sat May 7 v Lightning, USC Stadium, Sunshine Coast, 7pm
Sun May 15 v Swifts, Ken Rosewall Arena, Sydney, 4pm
Wed May 18 v Firebirds, Netball SA Stadium, Adelaide, 7.30pm
Sun May 22 v Magpies, State Netball Centre, Melbourne, 4pm
Sun May 29 v Giants, Ken Rosewall Arena, Sydney, 4pm
Sat Jun 4 v Vixens, Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide, 6.30pm
Sun Jun 12 v Fever, RAC Arena, Perth, 12pm
Emma Greenwood says: With their first four games at home, the young side needs to click early and cause some upsets against the big guns if they are to make the finals for the first time in nine years.
FEVER
Sun Mar 27 v Lightning, RAC Arena, Perth, 1pm
Sun Apr 3 v Magpies, John Cain Arena, Melbourne, 2pm
Sun Apr 10 v Firebirds, Nissan Arena, Brisbane, 2pm
Tue Apr 12 v Vixens, John Cain Arena, Melbourne, 6pm
Sun Apr 17 v Swifts, RAC Arena, Perth, 12pm
Sun Apr 24 v Giants, Ken Rosewall Arena, Sydney, 4pm
Sat Apr 30 v Thunderbirds, Netball SA Stadium, Adelaide, 6.30pm
Sun May 8 v Magpies, RAC Arena, Perth, 12pm
Sat May 14 v Lightning, USC Stadium, Sunshine Coast, 5pm
Tue May 17 v Vixens, RAC Arena, Perth, 6pm
Sun May 22 v Giants, RAC Arena, Perth, 12pm
Sat May 28 v Firebirds, RAC Arena, Perth, 6pm
Sun Jun 5 v Swifts, Ken Rosewall Arena, Sydney, 2pm
Sun Jun 12 v Thunderbirds, RAC Arena, Perth, 12pm
Emma Greenwood says: Finish with five home games in their final seven fixtures and will hope to avoid WA border closures to ensure they get a decent run in front of a home crowd for the first time in three years.
Originally published as Revealed: Full draw for 2022 Super Netball season