Giants extend lead on Super Netball ladder

The ladder-leading Giants have showcased their Super Netball title credentials with a four-point victory over back-to-back champions Queensland Firebirds at the Gold Coast Exhibition Centre.

The long-range shooting of Jo Harten and Susan Pettit proved crucial on Saturday as they hit a combined 13 from 14 from outside 2.5 metres, helping their side to a 55-51 win.

The Firebirds had the better of an untidy start, holding an early 5-1 lead but this was reversed to a 14-10 Giants advantage by the first break.

The scores were back level at 20-apiece with five minutes remaining in the second quarter, leading Giants coach Julie Fitzgerald to take a tactical time out and her words clearly had affect as the visitors restored their four-point lead by the long break.

Despite arriving late for the game after a delayed flight to Queensland, South African international Erin Burger entered the match at the start of the third quarter and had immediate impact taking an interception with her first play and inspiring the Firebirds to level the scores once more at 29-29.

Her efforts were to little avail though as once more the Giants pulled away to hold a 40-37 lead at the end of the term and the Firebirds never really threatened to take victory from this point onwards.

Wing Attack Caitlin Nevins was the standout for the hosts ending the match with a game-leading 42 feeds and 12 goal assists.

The defeat leaves the Firebirds in fifth position on the ladder, a point behind the Magpies, with six matches remaining.

The Giants have a three-point lead over the Sunshine Coast Lightning, ahead of the latter's match at the NSW Swifts on Sunday.

Giants skipper Harten was impressed with the result but not with her side's performance.

"It went frantically and we didn't control the game as much as we'd like to," Harten said.

"It's impressive to come here and win, but Julie wants more from us we want more from us.

"But we're pretty happy going into the bye, we're going to rest up then go full speed into the last six weeks of season."

Defeated skipper Gabi Simpson, meanwhile, believes the Firebirds are heading in the right direction ahead of the mid-season break next week.

"This was one of our best games yet to be honest," Simpson said.

"We started to get that flow and fearless play back. I'm so proud of the improvement from last week.

"We don't need to be at the top of our game now we have to be at the top of the end of the season."