AO Manchester Thunder won their fifth Netball Super League title with a thrilling 54-51 win over London Pulse in front of a home crowd of over 8,000 fans at the Co-op Live.
The Grand Final in Manchester was tied at 51-51 with less than a minute remaining before the Thunder’s Eleanor Cardwell edged them ahead with a super shot. Player of the match Sophie Fawns sealed victory, marking the perfect end to the Australian’s first season in England.
It was the Thunder’s first title since 2022, and comes after they finished top of the regular season table.
It also secured a third title for Thunder director and head coach Karen Greig since she took charge of the team in 2016.
“I think first and foremost it was important to have a final in Manchester and away from London – to show the netball community that there is a hunger for netball in the north,” Greig told BBC Sport.
“[There are] a lot of young fans who will go home inspired by their heroes on the court. Excited to be part of history.
“[The title in] 2019 was a rollercoaster, 2022 was special for different reasons, but playing in Manchester, 10 minutes down the road from where I live – I could probably throw a netball and it would land in my back garden – so definitely proud to do the job we could do and it definitely ranks up there.”
Thunder got the better of a Pulse team who were first-time NSL champions last season, with Saturday’s outcome following on just two weeks after the result went the same way when the sides met at the beginning of the play-offs.
England international Cardwell returned home for this season after three years playing at the highest level in Australia.
The 31-year-old scored a team-high 20 goals in the Grand Final, with only Pulse’s Liv Tchine, who managed 35, getting more.
Thunder’s success with the two-point super shots proved crucial, as they managed 11 to Pulse’s four.
Goal shooter Cardwell reflected on how far netball has come in England since her early days, with the sport having embarked last season on a push towards full professionalism.
That is expected to take several years before full fruition, but large-scale events in major arenas mark a step towards that goal.
“I’m thinking back to the 2012 Grand Final,” Cardwell said. “It was in a sports hall leisure centre and it was so easy to spot my mum and dad.
“Today? I couldn’t find them.
“It’s incredible, we need to keep that standard up and the momentum. Plus, Manchester was busy today as a city so it was amazing to see so many fans come out for us.”
