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The Super Netball Grand Final has all the characters for the perfect sports epic.
There are the reigning premiers Melbourne Vixens, who have suddenly embraced their unexpected “underdog tag” after snapping a four-game losing streak to reach the decider.
Vixens captain Kate Moloney and Thunderbirds captain Shamera Stirling-Humphrey keep an eye on the Super Netball trophy ahead of Saturday’s grand final.Getty Images
Then there are the Adelaide Thunderbirds, who clinched the minor premiership after a near-flawless 13-win season to secure their third grand final appearance in four years.
Every epic tale needs a bad guy too. But when the two titans meet in front of a sold-out crowd at John Cain Arena this Saturday night, the real villain won’t actually take the court.
This villain is a mouse.
Last year’s Super Netball final was played in front of a deafening crowd of 15,013 fans at the Rod Laver Arena. This year, the Vixens and Thunderbirds will have to make do with a smaller stadium, John Cain Arena, due to scheduling conflicts with Disney on Ice.
Disney has booked Rod Laver for July 2-6 for its Magic in the Stars tour, meaning almost 5,000 fewer fans will be able to attend this year’s Super Netball grand final than last year.
Disney On Ice’s Mickey Mouse is coming to Rod Laver Arena this weekend
The Mouse’s malice was not limited to Victoria.
Disney on Ice also booked the Adelaide Entertainment Center for the semi-final weekend from June 19 to 21, denying the Thunderbirds access to their usual stadium and forcing them to play at the Adelaide 36ers arena, where there are 2,000 fewer people.
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But Thunderbirds star Tayla Williams has no hard feelings towards the famous Walt Disney character.
“If it had been anyone else, we would have done it, but not Mickey, we couldn’t do that to the kids,” she laughed.
After beating the Vixens in the semi-final in front of a home crowd in Adelaide, the Thunderbirds were given a week off to prepare for the grand final.
Vixens defender Kate Eddy said the season had been a huge rollercoaster for the Vixens, acknowledging their month-long losing streak, but said the team had drawn strength from their preliminary final win and would “accept the label of underdog”.
“It’s a grand final, you don’t really think about what happened during the season, it doesn’t matter where you are on the ladder or what happened beforehand, at the end of the day it’s ride or die,” she said.
The Vixens and Thunderbirds will meet in the Super Netball grand final. Getty Images
Last year, a visit to the pub, inspired by then manager Simone McKinnis, helped the Vixens end a losing streak and win the Premier League. Vixens management hasn’t used similar tactics this year.
“I think the trip to the pub will be postponed until the final,” laughs Vixens player Joe Weston.
“We didn’t have any byes this year, which made it a little harder for us to have more traditional social time… but I think we were able to find other ways to boost morale and kind of regroup after a really tough month of back-to-back losses.
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“It’s a real testament to our leadership group, especially Kate (Moloney) and everyone who can, you know, step forward and be vulnerable about how they’re feeling and make sure that we can work together to get the outcome we want.”
Coach Dee Honey took over from McKinnis this season, having served as assistant coach since 2014, and she was instrumental in the Vixens winning titles in 2014, 2020 and ’25.
The Thunderbirds pose a unique challenge, known for their athletic guards who often force opponents to play in a different style.
Guard and co-captain Shamera Sterling-Humphrey inspired the Thunderbirds to a 58-44 victory over the Vixens in their semi-final, both through her actions on the court and her performance at halftime. “I had to talk to the ladies, saying it’s netball for big girls and we need to put on our big girls’ underwear,” Stirling-Humphrey said.
For their part, the Vixens will have to put pressure on South African Thunderbirds goalkeeper Elmer van der Berg, who scored 51 goals with 90 percent accuracy in that match.
To use Stirling-Humphrey’s phrase, it would be “netball for big girls”.
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Hannah Kennelly is an award-winning sports reporter and writer on Formula One for The Age.Connect via email.