Giants Netball have taken advantage of a wounded Queensland Firebirds to keep pressure on the Super Netball top four with a 69-61 win in Brisbane on Sunday.
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The Firebirds were brave in front of 3243 people at the Queensland State Netball Centre but were ultimately overpowered by an outfit that has now hit top gear after a slow start to the Super season.
Consecutive wins have the Giants paced at two victories from four games, with goal shooter Caitlin Bassett (50 goals at 88 per cent accuracy), wing attack Kim Green and centre Jamie-Lee Price near top form.
Green and Price combined for 35 goal assists despite Green being rested for most of the final term.
In contrast, the Firebirds are winless and searching for momentum.
Queensland's efforts to stay in touch with the pacesetters could now hinge on the management of Gabi Simpson's groin injury.
With Simpson at wing defence, the Firebirds were ferocious, but fell away in each of the two stints in which she was rested.
Simpson said her periods off the court were part of a strategy to ease her back from injury but she is confident of playing a full game from next week against the Adelaide Thunderbirds.
"In the back of my mind I feel like I'm going to play a full game next week," she said
"It felt good out there, I'm just following orders."
Gretel Tippett did everything but haul her side to a win, with the goal attack scoring 41 goals from 41 shots for her second consecutive flawless display.
With little between the two sides, spark from the substitutes was crucial and Firebird Caitlyn Nevins kept her team in touch after her injection late in the second quarter, nabbing 29 feeds.
The Giants also turned to their reserves, with young goal attack Kiera Austin replacing England international Jo Harten.
"It's looking a lot better than it was two weeks ago," Giants coach Julie Fitzgerald said after the club had lost centre Serena Guthrie back to England's Superleague and took time to find rhythm following an off-season injury to shooter Caitlin Bassett.
"We always knew we were under the pump in the beginning, that we hadn't had a great lead-up but we're certainly starting to bring it together now."
Shooter Romelda Aiken (20 goals) was also well below her best form for the Firebirds.
GIANTS NETBALL 69 (Caitlin Bassett 50 Joanne Harten 12 Kiera Austin 7) bt QUEENSLAND FIREBIRDS 61 (Gretel Tippett 41 Romelda Aiken 20) at Queensland State Netball Centre. Crowd: 3243.
