Super Netball 2020 grand final: Melbourne Vixens beat West Coast Fever – as it happened

There was many a superb performance on that court this afternoon but the MVP has gone to Kumwenda, who scored 47 goals from 50 shots and on occasions outwitted Bruce in a battle for the ages (if you like chaos).

If Kumwenda won the battle, Melbourne won the war. A classic one, at that, and one fast enough to test our touch-typing capacity.

The Vixens have set the standard all season under difficult circumstances and the minor premiers can now also call themselves premiers. The Fever pushed them all the way but a gritty one-on-one approach sewed the seeds of a fairytale finish for the retiring Thwaites and Philip.

Thanks for joining us. Keep an eye out for Erin Delahunty’s analysis up online early Monday morning.

Here’s an initial match report, to be updated:

So Melbourne have denied the Western Australians their first piece of silverware to triumph in their first grand final. Of course, the more interesting subplot is the McKinnis-Marinkovich Diamonds drama. The coach who got the Australia job lost and the one many thought should have got it won.

McKinnis doesn’t and almost certainly won’t touch this, but she does say a few things.

“I feel relieved, exhilarated, everything in between,” she says. “Victoria was part of it but we’re doing it for each other.”

She’s asked whether this season, affected in a big way by Covid-19, will carry as much weight as others. She is adamant.

“It’s significant … one of the tougher seasons in every way,” she says.

Well, you can lock down Victoria but you can’t lock down the Victorians (we went there), and a “spent” Thwaites says the Vixens did it for their state.

“We really hope we’ve brought some light to you guys,” she said. We know it’s been really hard for you.”

There was also a “holy crap” in there from the long-time Diamonds shooter, who said she tried not to think about the fact it was her final game because it would have been too overwhelming.

Vixens 66-64 Fever: And they do when Weston gets maybe the biggest rebound of her life. The Vixens are slowing down play something crazy. They take about 40 seconds in their own third before eventually letting Kumwenda do her stuff. They have the next centre and the prolific shooter misses a super shot but it doesn’t matter, because the buzzer has gone and the Vixens are champions.

Vixens 01:11 65-64 Fever: Two super shots in quick succession adn we are back level at 63-63. Attacking drive is being nullified by defence at both ends and Allie Smith has been splendid since coming on. Pressure is on the Fever not to turn over.

Vixens 03:06 61-61 Fever: Charles barely looks at Fowler as she feeds long just in time for the final Power 5. With so little room for movement and so much at stake, there is a reluctance to go for the two-pointer. Thwaites gives it a crack anyway but misses and gets one point instead.

Vixens 05:30 57-59Fever: Charles and Anstiss are controlling the momentum and wow, Kumwenda and Bruce both go up for rebounds and both go down. The court is wiped. Bruce has the throw-in and its receiver Francis is down but the Fever are in front with little more than five minutes to play thanks to Fowler.

Vixens 08:36 55-54 Fever: It’s 53 points apiece. The Fever force the Vixens back and there’s smoe forced hustling around the circle before Kumwenda makes it 38 from 40. The Fever take the centre and Teague-Neeld has a chance to shoot but once again opts to pass to Fowler to leave her own tally at 3/4.

Q4 11:34 Vixens 53-51 Fever: This is it. The Fever are forced to reset but make good of it and Watson takes the next centre pass. Western is the re for a one-two and a Watson high ball – she has easily a game-high 45 feeds – finds Kumwenda … just in time for Bruce to barrel into her. Moments later she earns a penalty.

Vixens 50-47 Fever: Thwaites is suddenly back on at GA, tapping hands with fellow retiring player Philip as she does.

For her part, Bruce has disrupted her counterpart’s rhythm, and she does so right before the buzzer but the Malawi international scores from under the ring.

Weston has enjoyed a glorious quarter for Melbourne to keep the pressure on. Pressure is the key word here, and it’s a wonder there have only been a combined 21 turnovers.

Huge 15 minutes coming up!

Q3 02:07 Vixens 47-44 Fever: Laura Geitz is talking on Nine about how the Vixens and Kumwenda have somewhat pushed Bruce out of the game. Too right. The Diamonds GK is off in her movement, like a bull in a china shop but, in her defence, not entirely of her own making.

Q3 09:58 Vixens 44-43 Fever: Emily Mannix has had perhaps the least enviable task of marking Fowler in a grand final but she has made her presence known.

Marinkovich is telling the Fever to “build the connections”. Watch that space.

Q3 06:18 Vixens 43-41 Fever: And right on cue, she’s brought on Tegan Philip at goal attack. Could this be the move?

Liz Watson is everywhere but she has also ceded a couple of turnovers, as Fowler turns herself inside out to make good of a not-so-good ball. Watson atones with a high ball to Kumwenda.

Q3 09:18 Vixens 39-39 Fever: We’re back under way and it’s a bit of a shootout.

West Coast and incoming Diamonds coach Stacey Marinkovich has brought on Sunday Aryang at GD and taken off Stacey Francis goes to the bench.

McKinnis made no changes.

Weston is being interviewed.

“It’s a bit frustrating,” she says. “We had probably the upper hand on their attacking line-up but obviously with the super shot … we’ve just got to adjust more.”

The Vixens are 2/5 two-pointers to the Fever’s 2/4. Eight turnovers to seven, 33 penalties to 28, one rebounds to four, two intercepts to one. Not much separating these two.

Vixens 32-33 Fever: Fowler misses her first of the game but she seals the first half by thrusting her side back into the lead just before the buzzer with a super shot. She’s clearly happy about it, too, pumping her fists as she storms up the court.

What a see-saw. Did we mention there have been two draws from the last four encounters between these sides?

Q2 00:45 Vixens 31-30 Fever: Kumwenda 20 straight, just three behind Fowler’s 23 straight. Bruce is toiling and occasionally getting caught on her body. Jess Anstiss steals the ball from Liz Watson quick as you likeNo super shots to speak of yet.

Q2 02:28 Vixens 31-27 Fever: Jo Weston is reteating into the circle to help the Fowler containment effort and the whistle blows as she hits the deck. Her side move quickly up the court for another Thwaites effort.

Q2 04:59 Vixens 27-25 Fever: Melbourne have capitalised on a split-second Fever error and their transition to attack is smooth and Kumwenda is eight goals down in the second quarter. She’s in again on the tick of the last five.

Q2 08:19 Vixens 23-21 Fever: Wowee. Kumwenda, take a bow. Except she can’t, because she’s just balanced on one leg while shifting her body weight outside court to pull in a ball heading out of play and score from under the ring.

Q2 10:25 Vixens 21-19 Fever: West Coast can do short and fast but Eddy shows she can also pull off a lob, going long and high to Fowler’s outstretched hands. Bruce the Almighty is throwing herself about in Melbourne’s circle, much to the annoyance of Kumwenda. We’re at a timeout.

Q2 13:38 Vixens 18-16 Fever: Melbourne have first centre and Thwaites makes it count to level the score at 16-16. A turnover up the other end gifts the ball back to the Victorians and suddenly the tables have turned.

Vixens 15-16 Fever: The first quarter ends on a potentially major note with a penalty, but Thwaites doesn’t convert. Nevertheless this is, as predicted, a tight affair. The Fever’s midcourt is humming but the Vixens aren’t short of grit.

Q1 00:37 Vixens 15-16 Fever: We’re down two a one-point deficit now and the Fever are on the end of a bit of whistle-blowing. Teague-Neeld misses another attempt from outside the circle in a massive turnover.

Q1 03:03 Vixens 12-14 Fever: We’re in super shot territory now and West Coast have the first crack. Alice Teague-Neeld cannot pot her shot and Fowler takes the single. Thwaites has her eye in a little more to score the first two-pointer of the match and close the deficit to two points.

Q1 05:50 Vixens 8-11 Fever: But the Vixens are engaged in some aesthetically pleasing attack. Much as Courtney Bruce tried, Melbourne drew defenders in before feeding to shooter Mwai Kumwenda.

The Fever are making no mistakes but the Vixens are matching them one on one and there is a sense they are hoping their counterparts will tire as the game wears on.

And we’re off!

Q1 09:51 Vixens 4-6 Fever: Fowler kicks off proceedings before Thwaites matches her down the other end.

Verity Charles and Kate Moloney tussle with the former protecting the ball with her body sufficiently to go ahead 4-3.

The Fever have the edge thus far and Fowler is six from six, Thwaites three from three.

We are getting close. The teams are lined up courtside for the Welcome to Country, which is followed by the national anthem.

Here’s a stat for Fever fans hoping the (slight) underdogs will reign: no Super Netball minor premier has ever won the title. This comes with the obvious caveat that the competition is only in its fourth season following the end of its trans-Tasman predecessor.

So about that Vixens defence, Kate Eddy has been touch and go with a foot injury but is named in Simone McKinnis’ starting 7. That will give Fever wing attack Emma Cosh, the inspiration behind the Fever’s prelim final win, something to think about.

Let’s not forget Caitlin Thwaites, the Vixens goaler and Diamonds veteran will play her 232nd and final national league match. Her Queensland roomie and Diamonds teammate Tegan Philip – 2014 trans-Tasman grand final MVP – is also retiring.

A win would be some way to send both out, especially given the Vixens have spent more than days in Queensland — the longest stretch away from home for any of the teams.

Teams are in! Here’s the Vixen’s starting line-up …