Lightning back on top of Super Netball

Sunshine Coast have held off a gallant Adelaide to return to the top of the table, after both teams had joined arms for a pre-game protest directed against Netball Australia.

The Lightning's 59-50 Super Netball victory on Saturday night at Brisbane Entertainment Centre moves them above the Giants and Melbourne Vixens, at least until both play on Sunday.

The Australian Netball Players' Association initially threatened strike action if former Australian captain Kathryn Harby-Williams was not retained as a Netball Australia board member.

But, after she was not re-elected on Friday, the Firebirds and Lightning players opted for a one- minute huddle ahead of the match.

The Lightning blitzed the Firebirds early, taking a 10-point lead into halftime with Laura Langman in scintillating form recording 10 goal assists.

The home side then switched things around, with Erena Mikaere and Kelsey Browne coming on for Karla Mostert and Maddy McAuliffe, meaning Langman moved to wing defence. This changed the momentum and a Thunderbirds charge reduced the deficit to just two points.

Mostert returned to the court in the last quarter which steadied the Sunshine Coast franchise and enabled their superior shooters Caitlin Bassett (37 from 41) and Stephanie Wood (22 from 25) to extend their lead once more.

The Thunderbirds remain rooted to the foot of the ladder with just one win from nine matches, but they will take much encouragement from their second-half performance.

"I think what's really important to us is showing we're united as a playing group," Lightning's McAuliffe said after the match.

The wing defender felt it was particularly apt that the pre-game gesture came this week in the designated Confident Girls round, a foundation aimed at giving opportunities to vulnerable girls through the sport.

"That was probably a good alignment this week so we did talk about that (in the huddle)," McAuliffe said.

"We talked about the confidence of us to stand together.

"We did a hands-in and said 'confident'; it was really good to come together as a group and do that."