Tippett set to shine

FIREBIRDS coach Roselee Jencke says the career-best form of goal attack Gretel Tippett will help Queensland overcome the rare loss of goalshooter Romelda Aiken for the Suncorp Super Netball clash with Adelaide tomorrow.

Aiken will be out of action for two to three weeks with a leg injury – the match-up against the Thunderbirds at Adelaide’s Priceline Stadium just the second game she will miss in her stellar 12-season career with the Firebirds.

Jencke said the injury cloud hanging over the prolific Jamaican had a silver lining with Tippett to get a further chance to shine.

The athletic Tippett has all but booked her ticket to the Netball World Cup with eyecatching form in 2019 that includes 81 goals from 81 attempts in her past two outings for Queensland.

“Gretel has been in incredible form, the best form of her career ... just so consistent, so powerful,’’ Jencke said.

“She’s been dominating the goal attack position throughout all of Australia and for Gretel it’s about ... doing her job and going to the post really confidently.”

The winless Firebirds have three losses and a draw after four rounds to be second-last on the ladder and cannot afford to drop this game to last season’s wooden spooners if they want to play in the finals.