Aiken-George makes record debut as Fever beat Lightning

2 hours ago 3

By Adrian Warren

March 15, 2026 — 9.02pm

Jamaican veteran Romelda Aiken-George has made a triumphant and record breaking return from retirement in West Coast Fever’s Super Netball opening round 68-65 home win over Sunshine Coast Lightning.

The new-look shooting combination of Aiken-George (53/62) and Sasha Glasgow (10/13) was a major factor in Fever’s win at RAC Arena in Perth.

Aiken-George retired at the end of last season but was coaxed back to the court and to a fourth Super netball team, after Fever needed a replacement when her compatriot Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard became pregnant.

Romelda Aiken-George of the Fever receives a pass during the round one Super Netball match between West Coast Fever and Sunshine Coast Lightning at RAC Arena.

Fever also started the season without four injured players including Diamonds defender Sunday Aryang, but were ahead for almost all of Sunday’s game.

The 37-year-old multiple title winner Aiken-George, who started her Super Netball journey in 2008 with Queensland Firebirds, finished with her highest single game goal tally in the competition.

Asked how she felt about her record haul, Aiken-George said: “Really good”.

“The crowd was insane, the girls couldn’t hear me out the front,” she told Fox Sports and Kayo.

Glasgow, the long shot specialist and 2022 grand final MVP, returned to the club after two years at Melbourne Mavericks.

She hit five of seven Super Shots through the first three quarters, though she needed more strapping on an ankle before the last.

Diamonds shooter Donnell Wallam marked her Lightning debut and return to Super Netball after a year in New Zealand by making 48 of 62 shots, including five of 12 Super Shots.

Fever looked to be coasting to a comfortable win when leading by 12 inside the last five minutes.

Lightning hit five long range shots to set up an exciting finish.

“It’s been a thing for us in the pre-season closing out games when we’re ahead, so I think it’s definitely going to be a part of the video that we look at tomorrow,” Aiken-George said.

Lightning, who fielded another quality debutant in Silver ferns captain Karin Burger, were on the wrong end of a 72-37 penalty count, with former Fever defender Courtney Bruce pinged 23 times.

AAP