Wednesday 20 March 2019 15:56, UK
Lightning's last-second win, Thunder impressing at Mavs, a focus on Celtic Dragons and more... it's a bumper set of talking points this week from Tamsin Greenway.
From the Team Bath Arena on Saturday to the thriller that unfolded live on Sky Sports on Monday night, Round Ten of the Vitality Netball Superleague had it all.
The result is a new leader of the pack as Manchester Thunder take top spot in the table. With so much to discuss let's not wait any longer and instead, here's Tamsin to take you through her talking points...
What a match - Loughborough versus Wasps - and captured live on Sky Sports which was awesome and so many people have been buzzing about it.
Regardless of whether you were supporting a team, it was just a cracking show of netball and showing just how close the competition is this season.
You thought that, at eight-goals up with seven minutes left, Wasps had it in the bag and to be honest they should have. They should have been in complete control with the calibre of players that they had out there - the likes of Bongiwe Msomi and Jade Clarke - they should have finished that game off.
But, full credit to Loughborough who just did not stop. Nat Panagarry was deservedly player of the match - she was just tireless in attack and defence.
It is interesting to see how pressure affects teams, and once Loughborough Lightning got a couple of turnovers the crowd got behind them, it became really noisy and Wasps just stopped attacking.
Loughborough, on the other hand, thrived scoring 20 goals in the final 15, and it was players like Ella Clark who needs a special mention because she was so cool and calm in those last few minutes...
Lightning came out on top and they've blown the table wide open!
It just goes to show how tight netball is, it's never over until that whistle has gone because you can score so many goals in such a short period of time.
I really think that it was a game about momentum and how it ebbed and flowed. Loughborough had the advantage in the first quarter, Wasps came back and finally got control of it and then it all changed after one error.
So how will both sides react now?
Well the reality is in these competitions, and I've been part of them for a very long time, is that the whole process is a journey.
For Wasps you would rather that [a narrow loss] happens now instead of in the semi-finals. It's pick yourself up - there's too many quality players in that team to let that happen again.
For Loughborough, they've got two things. They're on a roll now which is brilliant but they will have to address how they were eight goals down with seven minutes to go. I'd doubt a Mavericks or a Thunder would throw that [type of lead] away.
So there's a couple of things that both teams will need to look at as they move into their next games.
Next, let's talk about Thunder and Mavericks with Thunder coming out on top 57-49.
I'd actually called Mavs to win and one of the reasons was because they've been very consistent over the past few weeks and they were at home for this game.
Liana Leota wasn't starting for Thunder which was a big loss to them in the attacking end and they've had mixed results in the past few weeks.
Mavericks have made some big calls about having the squad to win the competition this year, after missing out on top four last year, and I also believe they have a squad that's capable of doing just that.
But once again, Thunder we're just so cool, calm and consistent.
Laura Malcolm played WA and they just didn't falter. They plugged away throughout the whole game, ground Mavericks down and kept them to quite a low score as well.
It was a really impressive performance from Thunder, it showed the class that they have and how good their bench is as well.
It's a big win for Thunder and Mavs will need to start looking, and thinking about, how they can score more goals against the top teams.
Defensively Jo Trip and Razia Quashie have been brilliant for them but to actually win Grand Finals they're going to have to beat the likes of a full-strength Thunder (as an example) so that's something for them to ponder on...
If you look at the table now, beyond the top five there's a gap.
The top five [Thunder, Wasps, Mavs, Lightning, Bath] are going to be the ones that make the Final. And, if Bath win their game in hand there will be three points separating the top five which is crazy at this point in the season and amazing for the sport.
So why have I picked out Celtic Dragons?
They ran Bath really close in the last round 56-50, they were only three down going into the last quarter and they've still got all of the top teams to play in this second half of the season.
I actually think that Celtic Dragons are the team that can get a scalp. On an off-day, a top side, could be taken.
Dragons are just consistently playing really well. They're beating the teams below them and I think that they can cause some trouble in the second half. So they're a team, for me, that I think the top teams need to be wary of going into these last few rounds.
They're a physical side, Dragons' defensive unit with Stacian Facey, Dee Bolakoro and then Nia Jones and Kyra Jones - they are on you the whole time and they've upset teams by doing it. Then with Kalifa McColin and Chelsea Lewis down the other end as well.
If they can keep that group together for next season they'll be pushing up [the table] as well because they're playing together as a real team.
Watch more live Vitality Netball Superleague when Celtic Dragons host London Pulse on Monday, March 25 live on Sky Sports Mix & Action from 6.45pm. Also, Sky Sports will be showing every game of the 2019 Vitality Netball World Cup in July.
