Manchester Thunder Thump Celtic Dragons in images

Superleague Champions Manchester Thunder recorded their greatest win of the season to date last night as they beat Celtic Dragons 81-36 at the Thunderdome.

Goal Attack Eleanor Cardwell earned her first start of the season and teamed up with England Goal Shooter Helen Housby.

Manchester Thunder were too strong for Celtic Dragons as the home side dominated from start to finish and ended the first quarter 20-11.

But there was a blow for Thunder at the start of the second as Goal Keeper Kerry Almond went down with an ankle problem and couldn’t continue.

Jodie Gibson switched to Keeper and young England defender Georgie Webster came on at Goal Defence.

Thunder coach Tracey Neville rotated her shooters and young Alice Travis was brought into the squad to offer up options as their lead stretched to 30-15.

New Australian recruit Chelsea Pittman lifted Thunder’s tempo further, lofting perfectly-weighted passes into her shooters as a string of two-pass centre to goal combinations really knocked the wind out of the Dragons.

Player of the match Jodie Gibson played out the entire match for the first time this season and said: “I’m really, really happy with that.

“It feels good to get a full 60 minutes and I was happy to get on court with Georgie Webster and she was so strong.

“Complacency isn’t a word that Tracey (Neville) uses and she always demands quality.

“We pushed on and it didn’t feel like we were that far ahead out there. It was a great team performance today.”

Neville’s side play at home again against a struggling Loughborough Lightning on 28th February who lost 48-68 to former Superleague champions Surrey Storm at home and have won only two of their last five games.

Unbeaten Thunder will be hoping for another giant win and Lollipop will be cheering them on this Saturday.

Please welcome your Manchester Thunder squad of 2015

If it aint broke don’t fix it Lollipop. Netball Superleague title holders Manchester Thunder have announced what they hope will be a winning 2015 squad which lists just one new signing for the black and yellow side.

England Centre Sara Bayman will once again captain the team having played for England in this summer’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and in their Series tie against Australia last October.

The only new face Lollipop and I will be waiting to see on court is former Australian international Chelsea Pitman. The 26-year-old penned a new contract with Manchester Thunder in July and last played for West Coast Fever in the ANZ Championship in Australasia.

Pitman said: “’I am extremely excited about joining the girls at Manchester Thunder and challenging myself to learn a different style of netball.”

Versatile Pitman can play at goal attack, centre or wing attack and should give the champs the added boost they need as they face Superleague runners up Surrey Storm in their opening fixture of the season on January 26^th 2015.

Thunder’s squad will consist of the usual suspects Beth Cobden and  Laura Malcolm in centre court, experienced defender Emma Dovey and talented youngster Georgie Webster, who have both been selected for the England A squad in their upcoming international game against Scotland in Liverpool. Jodie Gibson will also line up beside keeper Kerry Almond.

Thunder’s incredible attacking force remains intact as England shooter Helen Housby, who scored the last-gasp winner in the Superleague final against Surrey in April keeps her place along with Krista Enziano, Alice Travis, Kathryn Turner and Eleanor Cardwell.

But with rivals Surrey Storm naming six new faces in their 2015 squad Tracey Neville’s more or less unchanged side will have to step up their game.

Former Hertfordshire Mavericks trio Mikki Austin, Josie Huckle and Laurelle Borck all make the cut for Surrey Storm along with England captain Pamela Cookey, who confirmed her place in October.

Former New Zealand U21 Borck plied her trade with ANZ Championship side Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic and returns to England following a stint with Hertfordshire in the 2009/10 season. Ex-Team Bath shooter Kat Hayes and former Loughborough Lightning defender Becky Gentle, who plays alongside a number of Storm players at Premier club Downs, complete the line-up of new signings.

Surrey Storm coach Tamsin Greenway felt her side were desperately unlucky in last season’s thrilling final game but now with such a strong squad her team looks rejuvenated.

They are also not the only team to make some dramatic changes. Five-time title winners Team Bath have named New Zealand defender Bessie Manu in their squad for the 2015 Superleague season.

The 28-year-old has also been signed from Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic and becomes Bath’s first overseas player.

Also joining the side is Wales Centre Kyra Jones and Scotland captain Claire Brownie.

Both sides have made huge signings to improve upon last season and secure the title. Although Thunder have made just one in Chelsea Pittman Coach Tracey Neville clearly believes in the new recruit and said “Her versatility across three positions will endeavour to build on the squad system I have been sanctioning over the last three years and will push players further to perform as we had the pleasure of witnessing last year.”

Yes, what Lollipop and I witnessed last year in the dying seconds of the Superleague final was sensational but we doubt such a gripping win can be repeated. The season has not yet begun but the level of the players and the tempo of the game has just been upped. Lollipop’s not making any premonitions just yet but even she knows Manchester Thunder’s rivals just became a lot harder to beat.

Roll on January 2015.

Full Manchester Thunder 2015 squad:

Helen Housby, Kathryn Turner, Krista Enziano, Alice Travis, Eleanor Cardwell, Gabrielle Marshall, Sara Bayman , Chelsea Pitman, Laura Malcolm, Beth Cobden, Paige Kindred, Kerry Almond, Emma Dovey, Jodie Gibson, George Webster.