Thank you for coming along for the ride tonight! We'll add more analysis to the top of the page in due course.

See you back here next Saturday night July 4 for the grand final.

During the match, Vixens coach Di Honey said she started Zara Walters over Hannah Mundy at wing attack as a way to catch the Fever offguard, thinking they would have prepared to face Mundy early on. But Mundy never entered the game and in the post-match media interviews, Honey revealed more info. That Mundy is still dealing with a foot injury that kept her out of the line-up for a couple of weeks. She was missing in round 10 when they suffered their first loss this season.

Interesting times! Which one is the truth? Maybe it sits in the middle. Perhaps when Mundy wasn't quite 100 per cent, Honey saw an opportunity to bring an element of suprise to the preliminary final. Question is, will Mundy be available next week? They'll need to be at full strength to face the Thunderbirds after losing their last two meetings in round 12 (61-42) and the major semifinal (58-44).

Hi Jeff, the grand final will be held at John Cain Arena due to Netball Australia's sponsorship arrangement with Visit Victoria. For more on this topic you can read this article.

Taking a look at the numbers, we can see the Fever's defensive efforts did lift and they were able to grow their gain tally in the second half but it was all too late. By then the scoreline was too far out of reach. They were penalised nine more times than the Vixens too, so spent more time out of play. Coach Dan Ryan took an extra couple of timeouts than Di Honey and made 24 changes to his line-up as he tried to correct the course of the game, but it was hopeless against such a clinical Vixens outfit.

Full-time stats. (Champion Data)

The Vixens converted every single one of their gains. That's huge, adding an extra 10 goals to their tally and they won the match overall by 11 — so there's the difference almost right there. They did make a few mistakes in the final quarter with five general play turnovers and that allowed the Fever to win the period 17-11. But they had such great control of the first three quarters and simply treasured possession much better over the entire course of the game.

Full-time stats. (Champion Data)

Yes, sadly Annie! That's their 2026 season done. They will head home to Perth now and have to watch the Vixens take on the Thunderbirds in the grand final.

Captain Jess Anstiss has spoken with Fox Netball: "We're devastated and the toughest part is that we feel like we didn't play out best netball ... Credit to the Vixens, they showed they really wanted it tonight. They really let the ball go and then defensively they were all over us. A physical battle out there, but we weren't able to stand up quick enough."

The Vixens goal attack Austin is the Player of the Match in this preliminary final. Finishing with 24 goals at 92 per cent. Her calm and level headed approach in the circle was a clear difference. Helping bring the centre pass down the court and then delivering goals at such a high accuracy. She split the defender's attention and made it difficult for the Fever to win any extra ball. A pretty seamless performance!

Personally, I would have loved to see Rudi Ellis get the recognition she deserves for such a ripping start. But she didn't play a full 60 minutes so maybe that influenced the decision.

The second placed team has made it through to the grand final. It will be three straight appearances for them in the title decider after losing to the Thunderbirds in 2024 and winning the premiership in 2025.

Before this preliminary final they had lost four in a row. Tonight they really got back to their best and played the brand of Vixens netball that saw such a dominant start to the season, winning nine straight. Hopefully they can bring this same A-game next Saturday against the Thunderbirds and give it a red hot crack.

Another intercept pass thrown by Williams. From deep in the middle third she throws a hail Mary to Aiken-George in the circle and the new goal keeper on court has the elevation to pinch it.

SCORE: Vixens lead 58-43

The Vixens wing defence cuts off a pass into the goal third from Williams that was meant for Cransberg. They've really started to become stagnant in attack. They look like a deer caught in the headlights, waiting for their teammates to do the work rather than moving towards the ball. Vixens convert.

SCORE: Vixens lead 56-41

The Fever have actually managed to take the ascendancy in this final quarter, leading the period by a small margin so the Vixens have opted for a reset and taken their first timeout of the match.

Captain Moloney gives a steady talk to her side in the huddle: "We still have to do the hard work."

Em Mannix enters the game for the first time at GK.

SCORE: Vixens lead 53-40

Anstiss tries to send a long ball to Glasgow from the middle third and Weston absolutely monsters her to be first to the ball with two clean hands. What a grab!

SCORE: Vixens 53-37

Garbin misses a shot and it is the English captain on the rebound for Fever. They convert Fran Williams' efforts but they'll need way more of that to make a dint to the losing margin.

SCORE: Vixens lead 52-36

As the game heads to the final break, the Vixens have won all three quarters. Can the Fever claw back the scoreboard? Down by 17 goals it's a HUGE ask. It's not impossible of course, especially with the super shot in play. But they have not been anywhere near as ferocious in defence. They will really need to up the ante in that area if they have any chance here. According to the host broadcaster they also have a terrible record in the fourth quarter, having only claimed six of them in their 15 games throughout 2026.

Q1 17-11

Q2 16-13

Q3 18-10

The change has worked for Vixens but not for Fever ... isn't that the story of the night. While Wilkinson missed her attempt at the super shot, Graham sinks a two with less than 10 seconds on the clock.

SCORE: Vixens lead 51-34

Dan Ryan rolls on with the changes. He's injected 22-year-old Liv Wilkinson into the game to replace Aiken-George for the final two minutes of this super shot period. Reminder, that's his 16th substitution for the game.

Vixens coach Di Honey had a similar thought, sending up and coming shooter 20-year-old Lily Graham on in GS to replace Garbin. Both teams have turned to their third shooter to make an impact with the two-point super shot. It's the first change the home side have made all game.

Dehaney has made an immediate impact since rolling back onto the court, getting a couple of deflections on the ball but the Vixens players have been straight to it to mop up the loose possession and backing up their teammates. It's been a great team performance.

SCORE: Vixens lead 44-33

At the middle point of the quarter, Dan Ryan has asked his team to really tighten up on Vixens captain Kate Moloney in centre. He's also made MORE changes! Dehaney into GK, Williams to GD and Aryang to the bench. They're looking to implement more pressure on the Vixens shooters. Right now, the opposition is having it their own way and it's tough when a player like Austin is shooting 19 goals at 100 per cent to really enforce that moving circle without total reliance on the goal shooter.

The Fever have made 14 subs so far. Vixens zero.

SCORE: Vixens lead 42-30