Preliminary Final match report | Vixens vs Fever

Q1 | Vixens 17 – 11 Fever
The Vixens wasted no time making their mark, with Sophie Garbin (35/40) opening the Vixens scoring to ignite the home crowd. The Vixens attacking combination of Garbin and Kiera Austin (24/26) immediately found its rhythm, with the pair showcasing their trademark chemistry inside the goal circle. Defensively, the Vixens set the tone early. A crucial turnover from Rudi Ellis (5 deflections, 3 gains) handed the Vixens the momentum before the defensive unit took control. Ellis was immense against Romelda Aiken-George, while Jo Weston (2 intercepts, 3 gains) continuously applied pressure to Fever's attacking end. Across the midcourt, captain Kate Moloney (30 feeds, 17 goal assists) and Kate Eddy (3 deflections, 2 gains) worked tirelessly to limit Fever's ball movement, helping the Vixens transition cleanly from defence to attack. The Vixens' relentless defensive pressure forced the visitors into an early tactical timeout as we continued to build momentum.

Q2 | Vixens 33 – 24 Fever
Our Vixens carried our first-quarter intensity into the second term, opening up a 25-15 lead with 7:30 minutes remaining before the Fever called another tactical timeout. The Vixens continued to work seamlessly across every third of the court, with the defensive unit repeatedly creating turnover ball through the efforts of Ellis and Weston. Despite increased pressure in attack, Garbin and Austin remained composed under the post, continuing to convert opportunities and keep the scoreboard ticking over. Our ability to connect through the court ensured they maintained control heading into the main break.

Q3 | Vixens 51 – 34 Fever
The Vixens refused to let up after halftime, continuing to move the ball with precision and confidence while building on their advantage. Holding a commanding 42-30 lead with seven minutes remaining in the quarter, the Fever were forced into another tactical timeout as Melbourne's dominance continued. Ellis again stood tall in defence, with her exceptional footwork disrupting Fever's feeds throughout the quarter. Moloney led a composed midcourt performance alongside Kate Eddy and Zara Walters (25 feeds, 18 goal assists), consistently providing clean ball into attack. At the other end, Garbin and Austin continued their strong partnership, while Lily Graham sent the John Cain Arena crowd into raptures with a late Super Shot to close the quarter.

Q4 | Vixens 62 – 51 Fever
With a place in the Grand Final on the line, the Vixens never took their foot off the pedal. The Vixens continued to work seamlessly across the court, maintaining its lead through disciplined defence and patient attacking play. Emily Mannix made an immediate impact after taking the court, strengthening the defensive end alongside the tireless Weston. Through the midcourt, Moloney and Walters continued to feed the circle with precision, allowing our attackers to capitalise on their opportunities. Backed by a vocal home crowd, the Vixens closed out a comprehensive 62-51 victory, soaring into next weekend's Grand Final against the Adelaide Thunderbirds. It was a complete team performance, with our defensive grit, composed ball movement and attacking efficiency proving too much for the Fever.

THE NUMBERS
3 – Tonight’s win sends the Vixens into the 2026 Grand Final, marking the club’s third consecutive Grand Final appearance since 2024.

THE COACH SAYS

Di Honey spoke about the Vixens preparation and mentality going into tonight's game.

"We had a really good training week, a good vibe was there... I felt tonight they would go out and produce that sort of netball that has been missing for a couple of week,” Honey said.

Di reflects on tonight’s performance and the excitement of reaching the Grand Final.

"It was so good to see the real connection on court, the delivery and execution was so much better than it has been, I'm absolutely rapt we've made the Grand Final."