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Both Manchester Thunder and London Mavericks have four wins to their name so far this season but with both sides narrowly losing last weekend, this match could prove to be pivotal in the race to secure a top four end of season spot.

Manchester Thunder will be hoping to get back to winning ways after they succumbed to their second loss of the season last weekend in a well fought 56-61 match to an undefeated London Pulse side. After an opening round defeat to Loughborough Lightning, Thunder were on a four-match winning streak. But it was instrumental game makers Olivia Tchine and Funmi Fadoju that kept the scoreboard ticking over, Tchine notched up 37 goals while it was Fadoju’s interceptions, gains and deflections that saw her awarded Player of the Match and helped seal a crucial win. The victory bolstered Pulse’s reign at the top of the leaderboard increasing the gap between them and second place Manchester Thunder to six points.

London Mavericks were struck down by Loughborough Lighting in a thrilling 55-45 defeat in round six. After trailing early on Mavericks overturned the score to take the lead in the second quarter. But it was Lightning that went into half-time in the ascendency and went on to make life difficult for the Mavericks, which ultimately the London club couldn’t recover from.

London Mavericks loss means that they are one point behind Manchester Thunder in the league table as both sides square up in Round 7.

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Manchester Thunder coach Karen Greig said after his side's 61-56 loss to London Pulse: "I'm super proud of the girls. We knew that today was going to be a tough ask for us, and a little bit of inexperience showed at times.

"But the fact is we have pushed a London Pulse team full of superstars. There was a point in that fourth quarter where we could have taken it on.

"We had areas where we lost focus but there's really big positives and near the halfway stage we have more to show."

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Eight teams will compete in the 2025 Netball Super League:

• Manchester Thunder
• Loughborough Lightning
• London Pulse
• Leeds Rhinos
• London Mavericks
• Cardiff Dragons
• Birmingham Panthers
• Nottingham Forest

The league has been reduced from 10 to eight teams and squads trimmed from 15 to 10 players to ensure a more even distribution of talent.

Team Bath, Severn Stars, Strathclyde Sirens and Surrey Storm were not selected to be part of the league, while Forest and Panthers are new additions.

The eight clubs were selected after an open tender process which started in October 2023.

Teams have committed to delivering certain standards, including an increase in player salaries and the ability to each host at least two games per season in a large arena.

Clubs were given an opportunity to bring in players during the signing window, which took place between Monday, 1 July and Friday, 23 August 2024.

The final squads were revealed on September 4 2024.

BBC iPlayer

2025 Netball Super League: Manchester Thunder v London Mavericks - 18:45-20:45 BST - on BBC iPlayer & BBC Sport website

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• Netball is an all over body workout so is great for general fitness and improving muscle tone.
• You don't need any special kit, just clothes that you feel comfortable exercising in and trainers.
• You move through the court by running and jumping so it helps with balance and co-ordination.
• Walking Netball, external is growing in popularity and is a low-impact way to play the game with no age limits - younger or older!
• Disability Netball is similar to the traditional game but with a few adaptations such as using a ball with a bell inside for people with visual impairments or installing an induction loop for those who are hearing-impaired. Find your nearest club on Parasport UK, external.

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Netball is a seven-a-side game where the aim is to score goals by passing the ball down the court and throwing it in your opponents net. Unlike basketball, players are not allowed to move/run/dribble with the ball. It is all about the passing.

The 2023 World Cup is taking place next summer in South Africa, with teams from England, Scotland, and Wales competing against the likes of Australia and Jamaica. So there's no better time to get inspired by the top teams and have a go at netball yourself!