Super Netball Weekly Recap: Visser’s Injury Revealed, McKinnis to Step Down, and Bueta Hints at a Return
As we approach the halfway mark of the Super Netball season, one challenge is consistent across all teams: inconsistency.
Even the unbeaten NSW Swifts hadn’t managed a complete 60-minute performance until Sunday, when they finally won their first opening quarter in four weeks — against their Sydney rivals, the Giants. That early momentum carried through as they dominated all four quarters for an 82–69 win in a surprisingly high-scoring clash between top and bottom of the ladder.
Sunshine Coast Lightning jumped into second place after defeating the Melbourne Vixens 62–50. But the bigger shock came off-court when Vixens head coach Simone McKinnis announced she would step down at the season’s end.
The highlight match of the round was between the Adelaide Thunderbirds and West Coast Fever, where both sides’ Jamaican goalers continued chasing the 9,000-goal milestone. Fever’s Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard added 53 more goals in a 67–61 win, leaving her just 12 short of the landmark.
Meanwhile, the Melbourne Mavericks secured a solid 71–64 win over the Queensland Firebirds in Hobart, building a promising record in their second appearance on Tasmanian soil.
If you missed any of it, here’s what you need to know:
McKinnis Steps Aside After 13 Seasons
Just one round after coaching her 200th game in the national league, Simone McKinnis has announced she’ll leave her role as head coach of the Melbourne Vixens at season’s end.
Though her contract was set to finish this year and the team currently sits seventh with just two wins, reports confirm it was a decision made entirely on her own terms. Players were notified in the lead-up to the match, and emotions ran high as the news became public. Captain Kate Moloney said it made everything feel “real” and hoped it would inspire the team to lift their performance.
Under McKinnis, the Vixens claimed two championships (2014 and 2020) and reached four grand finals, including in 2023. She’s known for her pursuit of excellence while maintaining strong care for her players.
Recruitment for her successor will begin soon, though McKinnis hasn’t ruled out future coaching roles.
“It’s just time,” she said. “I haven’t thought about what’s next. I’ll finish this season the best I can, go on holiday, and enjoy not commuting from Geelong daily.”
Candidates for her replacement include current assistants like Dylan Nexhip (Swifts), Cathy Fellows (Thunderbirds), and Nicole Richardson (Mavericks), though Netball Victoria tends to promote from within.
Is Gretel Bueta Plotting a Return?
Could one of netball’s most dynamic goal attacks be eyeing a comeback?
Gretel Bueta had declared 2024 a family-focused year after giving birth to her third child, Lacy. But she recently sparked speculation by posting a video on Instagram training alongside Diamonds coach Stacey Marinkovich.
Although initially explained as part of a clinic, Marinkovich later said on Fox Netball that Bueta is “not retired” and is using netball to regain fitness just four months postpartum.
“She’s seeing where her body is at… we’ll see what happens,” Marinkovich said.
Bueta is not currently signed to a Super Netball or Queensland side, but with Firebirds GA Tippah Dwan sidelined with a knee injury, there’s potential for Bueta to step in.
A two-time premiership winner (2015, 2016), Bueta previously made a remarkable return to elite netball four months after her first child’s birth. She last played in 2022 and worked briefly as an assistant coach in 2023 before stepping away.
With Diamonds contracts being finalized later this year, Bueta may have time to prove she still belongs at the top level — especially as selectors look ahead to the 2026 Commonwealth Games and 2027 home World Cup.
Visser’s Injury Revealed
Adelaide Thunderbirds general manager Jace Bode recently shared new details on the signing of South African defender Sanmarie Visser — including that she joined the team with a broken nose.
On Netball Unlocked, Bode explained the challenge of replacing star defender Shamera Sterling-Humphrey, who revealed her pregnancy in early February — months after final rosters were finalized.
“We had to keep the pregnancy private at first,” Bode admitted, adding that a shortage of tall defenders in South Australia led them to look internationally. Romelda Aiken-George’s knee clean-out created an opening, and Visser accepted the offer without any guarantees.
She arrived post-surgery and wore a face guard during early training sessions in April.
“We hadn’t seen her play competitively due to the injury,” Bode said, “but it gave us a chance to fast-track her development.”
At just 21, Visser has already shown promise and versatility, covering GK, GD, and WD across her three Super Netball appearances.
