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Collingwood midcourter Kelsey Browne lifted in the absence of her injured sister to help salvage a 57-57 Super Netball draw with the Queensland Firebirds.
Kelsey Browne has ended a rough week for her family by helping Collingwood to salvage an unlikely draw in their Super Netball clash with the Queensland Firebirds.
The 57-57 result left many of the 4578 crowd on Saturday afternoon wanting more at the first official national league game at the newly opened Queensland State Netball Centre.
It was a memorable battle featuring gripping head-to-head duels, a nine-goal fightback from Collingwood and blood spilled by the Magpies' Nat Medhurst whose absence for treatment made a huge impact on the contest.
Browne's sister Madi will miss the rest of the season after a knee reconstruction last week but the Magpies showed they will remain formidable in her absence.
Midcourters Browne and Ash Brazill stepped up, while Medhurst displayed her class and experience after returning to the court with stitches in a split lip.
"I feel like I need to stand up in that position," Browne said after finishing with a game-high 33 feeds.
"I know a lot of the girls are feeling the same. She's (Madi) a big hole to fill."
Collingwood's Shimona Nelson top-scored with 42 goals from 47 attempts, while the Firebirds' goal attack Gretel Tippett was outstanding with 26 goals at 96 per cent accuracy, 17 feeds and 13 assists.
The decisive work was done at the defensive end.
Queensland were under pressure when the Magpies clawed back to lead by a goal in the final term.
Defender Tara Hinchliffe and Kim Jenner were among the least-experienced players on court but they hassled and hurried Collingwood's attackers.
Hinchliffe grabbed an intercept and a deflection in the closing moments to win the possession which the Firebirds needed to steady.
"It's such a pleasure to work with them," Firebirds captain Gabi Simpson said of her defenders.
"They're like sponges and they want to learn. Every time we come off for a chat, they do exactly what we talked about.
"That's exciting. Every single game, they continue to grow and I love them to bits."
Collingwood's well-drilled line-up was unruffled until a bloodied lip, split in a collision with Hinchliffe, forced their prized recruit Medhurst off the court in the first quarter.
While the goal attack was being treated, momentum tipped back in favour of the home side.
Replacement goaler Gabrielle Sinclair, in just her second game, couldn't orchestrate the same harmony as Medhurst when at her scheming best.
