The NSW Swifts remain top of the Suncorp Super Netball ladder after a strong 57-51 win over old rivals the Melbourne Vixens at Sydney Olympic Park’s Quaycentre on Saturday night. 

The win means the Swifts now sit four points clear of the second-placed Sunshine Coast Lightning and 10 clear of the third-placed Vixens.

A powerful first half in which the Swifts set the tone of the game proved decisive as Briony Akle’s team saw off a fast-finishing Victorian outfit.

The win also meant the Swifts won back the Sargeant-McKinnis Cup, which the teams contest annually, for the first time since 2016.

The Sunshine Coast Lightning put themselves top temporarily earlier in the afternoom with a hard-fought 60 to 56 win over GIANTS Netball in Sydney.

Going into this match, neither team had lost a game since returning from the Netball World Cup and the Lightning were on a five-game winning streak, putting them just three-premiership points behind the top of the table NSW Swifts.

From the outset, both teams were playing clean transitional netball with both team’s midcourt players capitalising on some tight defence.

It went goal-for-goal for most of the first term, but it was the Lightning that were able to stretch out to four-goal lead half way through the quarter, thanks to some brilliant feeding by Laura Langman and Laura Scherian.