Round 1 of the Netball Super League delivered a mixture of slim margins, dominant performances and standout displays as teams began their league campaigns with intent.
London Pulse 56 – 51 AO Manchester Thunder
Pulse kicked things off with a 56–51 win over Thunder.
Shooter, Liv Tchine, delivered 31 goals and pulled down 5 rebounds, whilst Halimat Adio earned Player of the Match with 4 deflections, 4 gains and 1 rebound. Funmi Fadoju also impressed in defence with 13 deflections. Defending done right!
Pulse shot at 86% accuracy and took advantage of 11 Thunder unforced errors.
Thunder had a 91% shooting accuracy, with Sophie Fawns scoring 15 goals and 8 super shots. Nicola Smith made her presence felt defensively, finishing with 3 rebounds.
New recruit, South African Kamogelo Maseko, came on in the third quarter to make her Netball Super League debut at Goal Attack.
It’s a strong start to Pulse’s title defence!
London Mavericks 59 – 60 Nottingham Forest
Forest got the job done, but only just. They won the game 60 – 59 in the closest game of round 1.
For the London team, George Inger scored 26 goals, whilst Razia Quashie managed 4 rebounds in defence. The team shot at 91% but still fell short.
Rolene Streutker was the difference for Forest, scoring 30 goals and 11 super shots, including the last-second winner. Her performance earned her Player of the Match. She started from where she left off last season with 100% accuracy for goals shot, also topping the super shot list for round 1.
Loughborough Lightning 75 – 60 LexisNexis Dragons
Lightning continued their strong form from last season with a commanding win over Dragons, beating the Welsh-based team 75 – 60.
Samantha Wallace-Joseph shone with 34 goals and 10 super shots, earning her Player of the Match and finishing as the top scorer of Round 1.
In defence, Alice Harvey recorded 15 gains/deflections and 4 rebounds, helping Lightning maintain control. The team also had an impressive 97% shooting accuracy in the single-shot zone.
Jacqui Newton had 9 deflections and 10 gains for the Dragons, whilst Niamh McCall meant business. 23 goals and 8 super shots. The Scotland international is hitting her stride.
Birmingham Panthers 39 – 55 NIC Leeds Rhinos
Rhinos started with an impressive 55 – 39 win over the Panthers.
Jamaican Simone Gordon was impressive in her NSL debut with 33 goals and 2 rebounds. Just as impressive in defence, South African Sanmarie Visser recorded 15 gains/deflections, 3 intercepts and 3 rebounds, whilst her partner Jaz Brown added another 3 intercepts and 3 rebounds.
In the midcourt, Bella Baylis controlled the game with 34 feeds, earning her Player of the Match.
Panthers’ Charli Fidler was a standout with 17 gains/deflections, 6 intercepts and 3 rebounds. 11 unforced errors were what let them down on the night.
Round 1 Recap
Round 1 of the Netball Super League delivered strong shooting, impressive defensive pressure and some eye-catching super shot moments. Some teams made strong early statements, while others will be looking for a response in Round 2.
With many standout performers already emerging, the 2026 Netball Super League season is set to be an exciting one!
