Magpies hoping for Super Netball upset

The Magpies were already struggling with just one win from nine games when they were hit this week by season-ending knee injuries to sisters Madi and Kelsey Browne.

With their squad training partners still locked in at home in Victoria, Collingwood have brought in young South Australian Tyler Orr to bolster their midcourt.

The Magpies take on the sixth-placed Thunderbirds on Sunday afternoon at Priceline Stadium, with the Adelaide team looking to take advantage of three successive home games.

Co-captain and former Diamonds ace Madi, who has elected to retire with immediate effect, said while their young team had challenged some of the front-runners throughout the condensed season they struggled to put together four strong quarters.

She said they were missing Test players Ash Brazill (knee) and Natalie Medhurst (maternity leave), and now Kelsey who is also a current Diamond.

"We are sitting with only one win but I think this group is very inexperienced at this level," Browne said.

"I think we do have the calibre of players that we need and the ability and skill, it's just the execution at this elite level and that's only going to come through shared experiences.

"It's a bit of a building phase ... and hopefully in another year we're sitting in a much better position on that ladder.

"And also hopefully we can finish off this season with another win or two."

In other round 10 matches, competition front-runners Melbourne take on West Coast Fever in a top-four battle in the early Saturday match at Brisbane's Nissan Arena, followed on court by NSW Swifts and Queensland Firebirds.

The Fever have now won three straight after banking their first-ever win over the Firebirds, although the Vixens have only dropped one match for the season.

The Giants play Sunshine Coast Lightning at USC Stadium on the Sunshine Coast at 1pm followed by the Adelaide match.

Australian Associated Press