Aiken-George makes record debut as Fever beat Lightning
Jamaican veteran Romelda Aiken-George made a triumphant, record-breaking return from retirement as the West Coast Fever beat Sunshine Coast Lightning 68-65 at home in the opening round of Super Netball.
The new-look shooting combination of Aiken-George (53/62) and Sasha Glasgow (10/13) was a key factor in the Fever’s win at the RAC Arena in Perth.
Aiken-George retired at the end of last season but was persuaded to return to the field and her fourth Super netball team after the Fever needed a new player when compatriot Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard became pregnant.
Fever’s Romelda Aiken-George receives a pass during the first round Super Netball match between West Coast Fever and Sunshine Coast Lightning at the RAC Arena.Credit: Getty Images
The Fever also started the season without four injured players, including Diamonds defender Sunday Aryang, but were ahead for almost the entire game on Sunday.
Aiken-George, a 37-year-old multiple-championship winner who started her Super Netball journey with the Queensland Firebirds in 2008, finished the competition with the highest number of goals in a single match.
When asked how she felt about the record success, Aiken-George said, “It’s really good.”
“The crowd was going crazy, the girls couldn’t hear me from the front,” she told Fox Sports and Kayo.
Glasgow, a long-shot specialist and 2022 grand final MVP, returns to the club after two years with the Melbourne Mavericks.
He hit five of seven Super Shots in the first three quarters, but his ankle needed more support before the final quarter.
