Australia Males 73 def England Thorns 27 (17-5, 19-9, 21-6, 16-7)
With due to Gary Brown for added data concerning England Thorns gamers.
It’s been a history-making month for Males’s Netball, with this match no totally different, because it was the first time the Males’s groups from Australia and England have confronted one another. Australia had some modifications from the squad that confronted New Zealand within the Trans Tasman Cup, notably lacking two book-ends in shooter Jerome Gillbard and defender Alastair Punshon, giving the chance for different gamers to step up and make a powerful contribution to the crew in key positions.
In constrast, England had the prospect to check themselves towards the very best, by no means having had an official Males’s netball crew to play Worldwide take a look at matches. This inexperience was each a blessing and a curse, with the crew being comparatively unknown to their opposition, however additionally missing a number of the cohesion of their extra skilled counterparts.
Riley Richardson goes for the fly towards English captain James Thomson-Boston. Picture Danny Dalton
Australia dominated for the entire match, however this didn’t imply there weren’t stand outs for the Thorns by the court docket. Their excessive turnover price, ending with 38 for the sport, could be put right down to each the strain positioned on them by the Australian’s but additionally their lack of time collectively, which each crew should face in some unspecified time in the future of their journey. England will be capable to use this sport as the muse from which to construct their worldwide program,
that can little doubt see them rise by the ranks over the approaching years.
Australia had a number of debutants by the sport, together with Anton Stechiwskyi, Callum Worth, Tim Malmo and Stewart Burton, all of whom performed at the very least quarter-hour by the match and contributed strongly. England may even be happy with their potential to get all 12 gamers on court docket, and expose all of them to Worldwide Netball, in order that subsequent time they compete at this degree they may be capable to proceed constructing.

The Australian debutantes have been offered with their strips by former Australian captain, Dan Ryan. Picture Could Bailey I Clusterpix
What labored?
Australia can be happy with their centre go and aim to achieve conversion, which was highlighted by coach Nerida Stewart pre-game as a goal for the match, with these numbers sitting at 71% and 74% respectively. These values can get sloppy in one-sided matches, so the power for the Aussies to stay strictly to those targets reveals their self-discipline.
A lot of this was due to MVP Liam Forcadilla by the mid-court who was protected with ball in hand, giving up solely two turnovers in three quarters, and dominating at wing assault to ship the ball to his shooters. Australia was additionally capable of preserve their scoring tempo regardless of a number of modifications to the
line-up by the match.
England shall be happy with their second quarter, scoring 9 targets due to their 5 good points, 75% capturing proportion and 43% centre go conversion price, all of which have been their highest for the sport on this quarter. In doing this additionally they bought all 12 gamers on court docket, in a number of totally different mixtures giving coach Sharron Lewis-Burke the alternative to evaluate all her gamers and discover particular work-ons for every of them.
The shorter, extra shifting circle of Manchester Spartan crew mates James Firminger and Luke Owen confirmed promise, with the feeders compelled to make safer selections in passes that have been quick and flat fairly than the excessive name excessive of the rangy Australian defenders. Whereas the shooters struggled to place the ball by the ring as a result of robust palms over strain, extra publicity and confidence at this degree will see that enhance over time.

Jamal Nicholson hunts the ball. Picture Danny Dalton

Some huge palms up strain by Taylor Glassie. Picture Could Bailey I Clusterpix
The place the match was received and misplaced?
Expertise was the important thing distinction between the groups at this time, however the Thorns actually have a robust basis on which to construct. Whereas a number of the English gamers have connections, by their native membership, groups placing that into the worldwide stage is a special story.
Their connections usually broke down in by court docket transition, with many gamers simply propping in entrance of their opposition and ready for another person to make the transfer or getting their first transfer coated by the spectacular Aussie footwork and never then re-offering. This is also put right down to health, which is able to proceed to enhance as their program continues to professionalise.
Taking pictures accuracy was additionally a difficulty for the English males, with a mixed accuracy of 61% for the sport. Lewis Keeling, who performs regionally for Knights Netball, was the shining mild for the Thorns, scoring 14/18 and utilizing his peak to be a launch for an at instances static attacking finish.

Stewart Burton on debut for Australia. Picture Danny Dalton

James McClelland was amongst England’s greatest. Picture Could Bailey I Clusterpix
Which gamers/mixtures stood out?
England’s defenders have been displaying their athleticism, timing and aerial prowess for the entire 60 minutes. Jamal Nicholson spent many of the sport at aim defence, the vice-captain who performs for London GIANTS was wreaking havoc on a number of events, ending the sport with three good points and 9 deflections. He may compete nicely within the air, capable of elevate towards a holding shooter or additionally run a powerful line to the ball and get a decide up
by court docket.
His counterpart at aim keeper for the second quarter, London GIANT Ryan Allan, additionally had a powerful affect when injected into the sport. Regardless of his opposition towering over him, Allan had misleading elevation and wonderful timing which noticed him win some ball that you just wouldn’t anticipate him to. Allan doubles because the President of the England Males’s & Blended Netball Affiliation, so at age 45 lastly with the ability to carry out on the Worldwide Stage ought to see all his onerous work coming to fruition.
Dravyn Lee-Tauroa continued the place he left off from the Trans Tasman Collection, outmuscling each attacker he got here up towards. His potential to learn the play and get himself in the best spot to get the ball is second to none, and if he couldn’t immediately acquire the ball he had a knack for with the ability to direct it to a crew mate. His fellow defender, Taylor Glassie, additionally had a robust outing after minimal court docket time throughout the Trans Tasman Cup, working his approach by three totally different aim assaults in simply half-hour.
Taking pictures statistics
Australian Males
Anton Stechiwskyi 25/28 (89.3%)
Lachlan Carter 23/23 (100%)
Brodie Roberts 12/13 (92.3%)
Eugene Lee 13/17 (76.5%)
England Thorns
Lewis Keeling 13/17 (76.5%)
James Ferminger 4/6 (67%)
Damian Williams 3/11 (27%) Luke Owen 2/3 (67%)
Chris Inexperienced 1/1 (100%)
Jamal Nicholson 4/6 (67%)
MVP: Liam Forcadilla (Australia)

Dan Carter heads for the ring. Picture Danny Dalton

Liam Forcadilla was MVP for Australia. Picture Danny Dalton

Jamal Nicholson was efficient as each aim defence and aim shoot. Picture Danny Dalton

England’s James O’Connor defends the go of Australia’s Brodie Roberts. Picture Danny Dalton

England’s Chris Inexperienced retains the ball in play. Picture Could Bailey I Clusterpix