Super Netball 2026: Olivia Wilkinson stars on injury return to fire West Coast Fever to third-straight win

Olivia Wilkinson has returned with a bang, firing West Coast Fever to a vital four-goal victory against Queensland Firebirds at RAC Arena on Sunday. However, Fever will sweat on injuries to star wing attack Alice Teague-Neeld after she spent most of the 58-54 victory on the bench. Teague-Neeld played only nine minutes in the first term as she continues to deal with a back issue, which limited her court time last week. Goal attack Sasha Glasgow was also managed throughout the clash, spending most of the second half on the exercise bike. The shooter’s absence created the chance for Wilkinson to hit the court for the first time this season after an ankle injury sidelined her for the first four rounds. And the goal attack thrived, hitting a pair of crucial super goals in the second term to turn the tide on the confidence-filled Firebirds and extend Fever’s winning streak to three. Wilkinson finished with 18 goals, including four super goals, in a promising return to the court for the 22-year-old. Fever coach Dan Ryan said Glasgow was fit to return, while they would assess Teague-Neeld during the week as they prepare to take on the Melbourne Mavericks. “She (Teague-Neeld) is a bit sore. We’ll see what it presents early in the week but obviously it’s been something she’s managing for a little bit and had to pull herself off,” he said. “She didn’t feel comfortable as she got going in the contest and that was the decision made, so we’ll see where she’s at over the next couple of days as she pulls up. “She (Glasgow) is fine, she was OK to go back on if we needed to ... we want to try to manage her as best we can.” All eyes were on goal attack Romelda Aiken-George (34 goals from 46 attempts) as she became the second netballer to play 250 Australian domestic games. Queensland were in no mood to celebrate their former star’s milestone, with goalkeeper Kelly Jackson (six gains, four intercepts and six deflections) proving to be a more than worthy opponent for Aiken-George. Jackson’s extraordinary reach and strong positioning caused the Jamaican plenty of headaches, and the Firebirds counterattacked as a result. The visitors led by three goals on the verge of the super shot period in the second term, much to the surprise of the 8403 fans in attendance. Wilkinson’s introduction changed up the shooting dynamic, and a pair of super goals gave Fever a three-goal lead heading into the main break. Zoe Cransberg (21 goals assists, and 38 feeds) was switched into centre while her twin Jordan replaced Teague-Neeld in wing attack, and the sisters were dynamic across the court, cutting the Firebirds’ defence to pieces. The game looked entirely different in the third term as Fever took total control, blowing the lead out to 12 goals at the final break. Queensland mounted a late charge to narrow the gap back to three goals, but Fever held their composure to consolidate their spot in the top four.