Georgie Horjus Shines in Adelaide Thunderbirds’ Victory
Georgie Horjus has made a strong case for a starting position in Australia’s Commonwealth Games team after leading the Adelaide Thunderbirds to a commanding 73-49 win against the Queensland Firebirds in Super Netball. The 11-cap international has been pushing for a spot in the Diamonds squad ahead of the Games, which are set to begin in July. However, coach Stacey Marinkovich has several options to choose from for the wing attack and goal attack positions.
Horjus played a pivotal role in the victory, recording 27 feeds and 18 goal assists along with eight goals before leaving the court in the fourth quarter at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre. Her performance was a significant boost to her chances of securing a starting berth.
Elmere van der Berg and Kate Heffernan were also standout performers for the Thunderbirds. Van der Berg, known for her sharp shooting, scored 47 goals, including four Super Shots, while Heffernan contributed 35 feeds and three gains. Their efforts helped the Thunderbirds extend their five-year winning streak against the Firebirds in South Australia.
The victory moved the Thunderbirds (7-1) to the top of the league table, putting pressure on the undefeated Melbourne Vixens to secure a win against the Giants on Sunday.
“I enjoyed being out there today,” van der Berg said. “It felt really nice to take the Super Shots.”
She added that the halftime message from the coaching staff was to keep grinding and doing what they do well.
Firebirds Struggle in Second Half
The Firebirds were looking to bounce back from a narrow 58-57 loss to the Melbourne Mavericks in the previous round. A victory would have improved their finals prospects and brought them within one win of the fourth-placed Mavericks with six rounds remaining.
However, the Firebirds struggled in the second half, with a series of turnovers costing them momentum. Despite some strong performances, including Te Paea Selby-Rickit’s 12 feeds and 13 goals, and Maddy Gordon’s 32 feeds and 14 goal assists, they were unable to close the gap.
Kelly Jackson, the Firebirds’ goal keeper, expressed her disappointment after the game. “When you give a team like that a bit of a sniff, they just run away with it,” she said.
The match started with both teams trading goals, but the Firebirds’ errors in the first quarter allowed Adelaide to take a three-point lead. Queensland improved after the break, but van der Berg’s late Super Shots extended the Thunderbirds’ lead to 34-28 at halftime.
Adelaide dominated the second half, winning the third quarter 19-11 and securing a comfortable victory in the final quarter. The result highlighted the Thunderbirds’ strength and the Firebirds’ need to regroup for their next challenge.
