Blockbuster start for Sunshine Coast Lightning as season draw revealed

The Sunshine Coast are bracing for an acid-testing start to the Super Netball season.

The draw, officially announced Friday, reveals the Lightning will meet the other three finalists from 2020 early in their quest for national league glory.

The Lightning will clash with Melbourne, West Coast and New South Wales during the first four rounds, after a season opener against underperforming Collingwood.

The first fortnight of their campaign will be in Melbourne, with the clash against the Magpies on May 1 and the much-anticipated match against reigning champions Vixens on May 9.

The Lightning’s first home game at USC Stadium will be in Round 3 on May 15 against the Fever, who eliminated them in the preliminary final last season.

The competition’s eight teams will contest 14 regular season rounds, playing each other home and away.

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The Lightning’s derby against the Queensland Firebirds will be contested on the Sunshine Coast in Round 6 (June 6) and in Brisbane in Round 13 (July 31).

At least eight of the Lightning’s games are set to be broadcast live on Channel 9, with the remainder shown across the Netball Live App and TelstraTV.

Five of their games are in the Sunday 1pm tine slot.

The Lightning have been a powerhouse in the competition since their inception in 2017.

They have finished first, first, second and third and have won almost 71 percent of their games.

They head into the new season with a relatively unchanged squad to last season.

Former Adelaide defender Kate Shimmin, ex-Queensland midcourter Mahalia Cassidy and former Lightning training partner Ashlee Unie have been signed during the off-season, essentially replacing juggernaut Laura Langman (retired), Jacqui Russell (retired) and Annika-Lee Jones (Celtic Dragons).

Regulars include Cara Koenen, Peace Proscovia, Steph Wood, Laura Scherian, Madeline McAuliffe, Karla Pretorius, Phumza Maweni,

More to come.

Sunshine Coast Lightning 2021 Fixture:

• Round 1: Collingwood Magpies v Sunshine Coast Lightning Saturday 1 May 2021, 7pm John Cain Arena, Melbourne
• Round 2: Melbourne Vixens v Sunshine Coast Lightning Sunday 9 May 2021, 1pm John Cain Arena, Melbourne
• Round 3: Sunshine Coast Lightning v West Coast Fever Saturday 15 May 2021, 7pm USC Stadium, Sunshine Coast
• Round 4: Sunshine Coast Lightning v NSW Swifts Sunday 23 May 2021, 1pm USC Stadium, Sunshine Coast
• Round 5: Adelaide Thunderbirds v Sunshine Coast Lightning Sunday 30 May 2021, 1pm Netball SA Stadium, Adelaide
• Round 6: Sunshine Coast Lightning v Queensland Firebirds Sunday 6 June 2021, 3pm USC Stadium, Sunshine Coast
• Round 7: Giants Netball v Sunshine Coast Lightning Saturday 12 June 2021, 3pm Ken Rosewall Arena, Sydney
• Round 8: Sunshine Coast Lightning v Collingwood Magpies Saturday 26 June 2021, 3pm USC Stadium, Sunshine Coast
• Round 9: Sunshine Coast Lightning v Melbourne Vixens Sunday 4 July 2021, 1pm USC Stadium, Sunshine Coast
• Round 10: West Coast Fever v Sunshine Coast Lightning Saturday 10 July 2021, 6pm (AWST) RAC Arena, Perth
• Round 11: NSW Swifts v Sunshine Coast Lightning Sunday 18 July 2021, 1pm Ken Rosewall Arena, Sydney
• Round 12: Sunshine Coast Lightning v Adelaide Thunderbirds Saturday 24 July 2021, 3pm USC Stadium, Sunshine Coast
• Round 13: Queensland Firebirds v Sunshine Coast Lightning Saturday 31 July 2021, 7pm Nissan Arena, Brisbane
• Round 14: Sunshine Coast Lightning v Giants Netball Saturday 7 August 2021, 3pm USC Stadium, Sunshine Coast