By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Durban, KwaZulu-Natal — The Free State Crinums, made it a perfect six wins from six matches, while defending champions the Gauteng Golden Fireballs recovered from an early wobble as Power Week 1 wrapped up in Durban on Saturday.
With momentum, standings, and confidence all on the line, Day nine provided a fitting conclusion as sides now turn their focus to the next phase of the tournament.
The Crinums continued their commanding run in Division 1 with a 56–36 victory over arch-rivals the Jaguars at the Durban University of Technology on Friday, taking them to 12 log points.
The experience of Proteas legend Karla Pretorius came to the fore, with the towering goal defence earning the Player-of-the-Match accolade.
The Fireballs bounced back from successive losses to produce a composed performance in a 58–49 win over the Southern Stings, continuing their push up the standings. They were third on the log on six points, behind the Crinums (12) and Jaguars (eight) heading into Saturday’s final day.
The Tornados capped an outstanding Power Week 1 campaign with a 51–45 victory over Free State Sonoblomo, maintaining their unbeaten run in the second division.
After leading 28–21 at halftime, the Tornados were tested by a determined Sonoblomo side, who mounted a strong third-quarter comeback to close the gap to just three goals.
However, the Tornados held their nerve in the final quarter to secure the win and underline their status as the team to beat, and it was their centre player Lara Ehlers who once again played her heart out to earn the Player of the Match accolade.
The Kingdom Queens continued their impressive run in front of home support with a 60–48 win over the Comets.
In a competitive contest, the Queens gradually asserted control, pulling away in the second half to secure a convincing victory, much to the delight of the home crowd. Queen’s Goal Shooter Aphiwe Thusini once again starred and was named Player of the Match.
The Baobabs secured a solid 52–44 win over Tshukudu in a closely contested encounter, holding their composure in the final minutes to close out the result.
Meanwhile, the Southern Stings edged the Flames 51–45 in a tightly fought battle, maintaining their advantage throughout to finish the week on a high.
The Aloes delivered a controlled performance to defeat the Kingdom Stars 49–34, capitalising on defensive pressure and limiting the Stars’ attacking flow.
Despite a late push from the Stars, the Aloes maintained their advantage to secure a comfortable win.
The Malawi U21 side continued their impressive form, closing out their campaign with another strong performance against the Lilies.
From early inconsistency to clinical execution, Malawi showed significant growth throughout the tournament, finishing with authority — highlighted by back-to-back Telkom Supershots to end the match.
Power Week 1 concludes
As Power Week 1 comes to an end:
- Crinums emerge as the dominant force in Division 1
- Tornados finish unbeaten at the top of Division 2
- The Malawi U21 side leaves a lasting impression
- Several teams build momentum heading into Power Week 2
With lessons learned and momentum gained, teams will now regroup and prepare for the next leg of the Telkom Netball League, where the competition is set to intensify even further.