The Victorian Fury have claimed back-to-back victories in Round 2 of the Australian Netball League, claiming wins over the Territory Storm in Alice Springs.
The Fury were fast out of the blocks in game one, accumulating a 16-goal lead to half-time, and a strong and dominant third quarter for the Fury saw them putting the game beyond doubt.
It was the intense pressure from the Fury’s full-court defence that kept the Storm to just two goals for the quarter, whilst the Fury powered away with 19 goals from the same period.
By three-quarter-time, the Fury led 48 – 15 and finished the game with a 43-goal margin, 64 – 21.
Amelia Brock made her ANL debut at half-time and shot superbly, scoring 28 goals for the second half of the game.
She continued that form into the second match of the weekend, when she shot 37 goals, the same amount as the Storm’s entire team.
Thompson also continued her form from Round 1, shooting a total of 37 goals from 46 attempts throughout the weekend.
The second game of the round continued in similar fashion as the first, with the Fury holding a 13-goal lead at the main break.
Showing improvement from the first game, the Storm were able to reduce the margin compared to the game the day earlier, with the Fury claiming win number three for the season, 54 – 37.
Fury Coach, Leesa Gallard, said she was happy with both results from the weekend.
“We put out some really good netball throughout the two games,” Gallard said.
“We were trying to build and have that pressure across every quarter, and the third [quarter of the first game] was where we saw the result.”
Gallard said the highlight of the weekend was that they could get all 10 of their players on the court.
“To see the depth and to see some of the newer people in the team actually get out on court and show what they can do was really exciting,” Gallard said.
“We’ve had five athletes make their ANL debut over the first two rounds, so that is a very exciting time for netball in Victoria.”
The Fury are currently sitting second on the ladder, narrowly behind the Queensland Fusion and now turn their sights to fourth-placed Netball NSW Waratahs in a rematch of the 2016 Grand Final.
Shooting Statistics
Friday 24 February
Victorian Fury 64 defeated 21 Territory Storm
Fury shooting statistics
Kate Thompson 30/36 (83%)
Amelia Brock 28/31 (90%)
Stephanie Puopolo 6/9 (67%)
Saturday 25 February
Victorian Fury 54 defeated 37 Territory Storm
Fury shooting statistics
Amelia Brock 37/44 (84%)
Stephanie Puopolo 10/16 (63%)
Kate Thompson 7/10 (70%)
