By Amanda Myler
Maddie Ryan has played netball for two decades and this season as Bond University Bull Sharks co-vice-captain may be her finest yet.
The 25-year-old defender injects unmatched energy and passion for the game into a Sapphire Division team seeking a maiden HART Premier Netball League (HPNL) premiership in 2025, after finishing in the top four during regular rounds for a second consecutive year.
To ensure direct qualification through to the decider, the Bull Sharks must topple the Kedron-Wavell Cougars in this Sunday’s major semi-final at Nissan Arena.
Just six points separated the two sides in last weekend’s Round 14 clash, which the Cougars won to secure the minor premiership.
"We had set our sights on the top four, and re-evaluated that as we hit mid-season to push for the top two," Ryan said.
"We’re approaching this semi-final with a clean slate. Who doesn’t want to be a minor premier? But that result doesn’t change anything for us as we were always going to play again in this weekend’s semi."
Both teams are expected to run full-strength, with the return of Queensland First Nations representatives in Jayden Molo for the Bull Sharks and Lily Cubby for the Cougars.
"Not having Jayden in our front line last weekend gave us the freedom to experiment," Ryan said.
"We know exactly what we’ve got to work on.
"Finals are a different ball game: the stakes are higher, the intensity is there, and the hunger for the ball is greater. We’re one apiece with the Cougars this season, which puts us on a level playing field, but I don’t think that matters when it comes to finals."
Ryan is expected to start this weekend’s major semi-final at goal defence; it’s a position she’s consistently held in her third season with the Bull Sharks, following a few honest discussions with coach Bec Stower.
"I received a kick up the butt in my first year with the Bull Sharks, but it was in a positive way," Ryan said.
"I didn’t want my fitness to be the thing that limited me. I’ve definitely put in a lot of work outside of training, with a private strength and conditioning coach. It’s nice to see the work being recognised."
While the victor of this weekend’s major semi-final earns a week’s rest before the grand final, the loser will have another opportunity to go through by taking on the winner of Sunday’s second semi-final between the Gold Coast Titans and Sunshine Coast Thunder.
"The idea is to win and have a week off," Ryan said.
"If it doesn’t go that way, we’ll deal with that next week. We’re big at Bond about being in our ‘Bond bubble’. We look only at ourselves, and anything outside of that, we can’t control it, so we don’t give power to it."
HPNL Sapphire Division semi-finals
Kedron Wavell Cougars v Bond University Bull Sharks (Nissan Arena, Sunday 4pm)
Gold Coast Titans v Sunshine Coast Thunder (Nissan Arena, Sunday 6pm)
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