Pies lose Browne but beat NSW in netball

Collingwood have overcome a serious knee injury to Diamonds midcourter Kelsey Browne to boost their Super Netball finals hopes with a 64-56 win over ladder leaders NSW Swifts in Launceston.

Picking up seven points from Saturday's upset win, the Magpies jumped into fourth, six points ahead of the Giants who play the Thunderbirds in Adelaide on Sunday.

The Swifts failed to pick up a point for the first time this season and will drop to second if the champion Sunshine Coast Lightning beat the Vixens in Melbourne, also on Sunday.

The Magpies victory was particularly poignant for coach Rob Wright, who missed the match after his mother died on Friday night.

"Obviously our hearts go out to Rob and his family," said assistant coach Kate Upton.

"Our motivation was to make sure that not only did we get the process done, but we make Rob proud at the same time."

Browne went down clutching her left knee shortly before halftime and was assisted from the court in obvious discomfort.

"I'm not too sure how it is, we'll wait and see what happens over the next couple of days," Upton said.

Collingwood's Jamaican shooter Shimona Nelson dominated the contest, making 52 of her 54 shots as she capitalised on excellent service from goal attack Natalie Medhurst and midcourter Ash Brazill.

And at the defensive end England international Geva Mentor and the Diamonds' April Brandley both pulled off some big plays to thwart the Swifts attack.

Swifts' coach Briony Akle made numerous changes throughout the game and her team briefly drew level early in the third quarter, but Collingwood quickly regained momentum and pulled away.

"Full credit to Collingwood I thought they came to play and they had a lot to play for," Akle said.

"I thought we just didn't turn up for whatever reason and we went off our Swifties style of play. We were not really in the contest all the way down the court today."