As the Netball Super League’s top four teams gear up for a tricky week, three questions stand out.
Who is ready to make the big push at the top end of the table?
Can Leeds Rhinos find some consistency at the bottom?
And how are England’s attacking options shaping up before the World Cup following the retirement of a key shooter?
Here is all you need to know from round 13.
Top four gear up for crucial weekend
As defending champions Manchester Thunder enjoyed a weekend off, there were wins in round 13 for Surrey Storm, London Pulse and Loughborough Lightning before what could be a crucial week in the title race.
Storm returned to the top of the league with a 63-51 win over Saracens Mavericks before – playing at home for the first time in six matches – they defeated Leeds Rhinos 65-49.
Pulse beat Severn Stars 56-50 but drop to second on goal difference while Lightning overcame Strathclyde Sirens 61-45 to remain fourth, behind Thunder.
But things could intensify in the next round when Storm will host Pulse in a top-of-the-table match while Thunder take on Lightning. Then Thunder host Pulse in a double-header weekend, while Lightning take on Mavericks.
Thunder have beaten both Lightning and Pulse this season, but facing both in less than 48 hours will prove a tough challenge for Karen Greig’s side.
The top four has taken shape, albeit with plenty of jostling for position still to be done. The teams who finish first and second in the regular season will secure a home semi-final on 9 June with the Grand Final taking place two days later at London’s Copper Box.
‘If we could put that in for 60 minutes, we’d be unstoppable’
It has been a tough season so far for Rhinos, who have won just one game and sit second from bottom.
With a player overhaul and a new coach at the start of the season, the Yorkshire side are still trying to find their groove under former New Zealand international Liana Leota.
They fell 12 goals behind Storm in the opening quarter and struggled to overturn the deficit – with Leota saying her side offered “too little too late” against the league leaders.
“It was a poor start, I thought we were going to come out with a hiss and a roar, but it took us too long to get into it,” she told BBC Sport.
Leota, who won the Super League as a player with Manchester Thunder in 2019, said her side have shown glimpses of brilliance but are lacking consistency.
“In some games we’re engaged for long periods and then something happens and you think it’s going to click and the next week it doesn’t quite go right or we go back to the start of the season,” she said.
“I have seen moments where I think: ‘Wow, if we could put that in for 60 minutes, we’d be unstoppable.'”
Leota said she finds coaching more stressful than playing and developing a winning mentality is something she hopes Rhinos can work on next season.
“We are getting there and I think I have to be a bit nicer,” she said. “I hope we can take this forward to next year and start seeing some consistency – that’s where I’m looking.”
Above Rhinos, Team Bath edged a close encounter with Celtic Dragons 56-53 to secure their third win of the season.
World Cup watch: What are England’s shooting options?
England shooter Jo Harten, who has 117 caps and was part of the squad who won Commonwealth gold in 2018, announced her retirement from international duty on Monday.
Her decision leaves the Roses without one of their most experienced and prolific shooters before this summer’s World Cup.
Harten’s usual partner in the shooting circle, Helen Housby, and former Manchester Thunder star Eleanor Cardwell have featured regularly in recent international series and are likely to be in head coach Jess Thirlby’s thoughts for the South Africa tournament.
Captain Natalie Metcalf can also play at goal attack and would provide back-up to England’s shooters but Harten’s absence leaves a gap for a target shooter.
London Pulse’s Olivia Tchine lacks major tournament experience but has featured in recent series against Australia and Jamaica and, as the highest-ranked English scorer in this season’s Super League with 431 goals, is a presence in the circle.
Future Roses Paige Reed, Lois Pearson, Berri Neil and Emma Thacker are also options but this World Cup may come too soon for the youngsters.
Sophie Drakeford-Lewis has been magnificent for Surrey Storm this season – scoring 316 goals – and is the only goal attack ranked inside the Super League’s top 10 shooters in 2023 but tends to offer versatility in mid-court and not as a target shooter.
