A Fascinating NSL Grand Final and Knockout Netball

A Fascinating NSL Grand Final and Knockout Netball

It's Grand Final week, which means time for Paul and Chloe to get their heads together and look ahead to the showpiece of the Netball Super League season. A memorable Saturday in Manchester beckons, on and off the court, and Chloe will be at the Co-Op Live for us, but before all of that we preview the action and look back on the Preliminary Final. After London Pulse got the perfect response to their major semi-final defeat, we break down a smothering defensive performance and a clinical attacking performance and ask if Pulse can go again. Loughborough Lightning were on the receiving end and for the first time since 2019 they will not be in the Grand Final, so we ask where the franchise goes from here, and whether there might be a refresh on the cards after a run of three NSL titles in six seasons. After all that we get into the 2026 Grand Final, with the tactical questions facing Karen Greig and Sam Bird and the head to heads across the court. It's Roses match-ups everywhere you look as Halimat Adio vs Eleanor Cardwell tops our power rankings list of the battles, closely following by Taylor McKevitt up against Alicia Scholes and Funmi Fadoju against Lois Pearson. There's plenty more for us to weigh up as the league prepares to crown it's champions, and there's time for a quick round up of the news as the iconic Jane Watson retires, and the SSN gets their final four. Which also means, we ask if anyone can stop the fearsome Adelaide Thunderbirds.

Shaquanda Greene-Noel Unlocked: The Big Interview

We’re back with another edition of our Big Interview series, and this week we’re joined by Trinidad and Tobago's Shaquanda Greene‑Noel for a thoughtful and wide‑ranging conversation. The chat begins with Chloe and Shaquanda reflecting on her Netball Super League start, when she arrived as a relatively unknown defender with a big personality. We revisit her standout Commonwealth Games debut at Birmingham 2022, a tournament that introduced her to a global audience and showcased the impact she could have on the international stage. Shaquanda shares what that experience meant to her, how it changed expectations, and why it remains one of the highlights of her career so far. The chat then turns to challenges of the 2023 Netball World Cup, a campaign that left the defender fundamentally questioning her relationship with the sport. Shaquanda speaks openly about her decision to step away afterwards, how she fell completely out of love with the game, and the period of recovery that followed — including a health scare that kept her off her feet and forced her to slow down in ways she never would have anticipated. From there, the Trinbago star tells of her steady path back: the small wins, the reality of getting her body moving again, and a renewed motivation that eventually led her to return to national training. Shaquanda talks about rediscovering enjoyment, rebuilding confidence, and allowing herself to dream again about competing on netball’s biggest stages. Chloe and Shaquanda also discuss World Netball’s decision to move to a two‑year World Cup cycle, what that shift could mean for Trinidad and Tobago, where simply getting enough water for training is an issue. And, of course, take a look at some of Shaquanda’s funniest and most memorable social media moments.

Semi-Final Review and One Place Left

Chloe is back from Manchester to join Paul for a review of the first weekend of knockout netball in the Netball Super League. First up, it’s the Major semi-final in Manchester, as Thunder hold off a late charge from the defending champions, London Pulse, to book a place in their third Grand Final in five years. As ever, the tactical battle was crucial; we get into how the game unfolded, injury repercussions, and hear from both Sam Bird and Karen Greig. After that, we review Lightning’s dominant performance over Nottingham Forest and ask whether Forest were overwhelmed and drill down into a tactical masterclass from Vic Burgess. All that means we have London Pulse against Loughborough Lightning in the Preliminary Final - we ask where that game will be won and lost for the right to face Thunder in the Grand Final on June 20. There is plenty of news to get through too, as we reflect on our interview with England head coach Anna Stembridge, round up a decisive weekend in SSN and ask if the world rankings actually matter!

Anna Stembridge Interview — Inside the mind of the returning England Roses’ Head Coach

England Roses head coach Anna Stembridge joins Paul and Chloe to reflect on a whirlwind few months since taking over from Jess Thirlby. 12 years on from her dismissal as England coach after the 2014 Commonwealth Games, Anna discusses her journey since then, and the stability she believes the Roses team needs. There’s plenty more to discuss, including the injury to Helen Housby, the upcoming Roses selection for Glasgow 2026 and the environment needed for success. Anna also goes into detail on the series defeat to South Africa, and an intentionally designed tough schedule that included games against the Australian Kelpies. And we wrap up with a look ahead to what will be success for this England squad, why the World Cup remains the ultimate ambition and plans to make Commonwealth medals the norm, rather than the anomaly.

NSL 2026 Semi-Final Preview with Frankie Wells

Frankie Wells joins Paul to look back on Round 14, as the 2026 regular season in the NSL came to its conclusion. As well as rounding up the news - including Helen Housby being ruled out of the Commonwealth Games- we catch up with Frankie on how she has taken to life as a Sky Sports commentator, her role in county and school netball and get some big picture thoughts on shooting and the NSL after two seasons of 2.0. We dive headfirst into the drama of Thunder v Lightning, and a win for Thunder that sees them take first place. Is Karen Greig’s yellow machine unstoppable? And are injuries taking their toll on Lightning? We reflect on a win for Pulse in Nottingham that sees them pinch second spot in the table as Frankie assesses the importance of Alicia Scholes to the defending champions and how Forest navigate their shooting circle conundrum. With Dragons beating Mavs to secure their best finish in a decade and Panthers getting the better of Rhinos to finish seventh, we review all four teams and take an early look at what might be on the cards for 2027. And we preview two thrilling semi-finals as Thunder and Pulse meet in Manchester for the right to go straight through to the Grand Final, and Lightning host their bogey team Forest to keep their season alive.