The Queensland Firebirds have burst the West Coast Fever's Super Netball bubble with a dominant 71-61 victory.
The table-topping Fever went into Saturday's clash in Brisbane with a 4-0 record but the Firebirds showed they are a real title threat in the second season of the new competition as they improved to 3-2.
The Firebirds also took the bonus points for winning three of the quarters, with the Fever winning only the second quarter by 17-16.
Former national captain Laura Geitz played her first home game for the Firebirds since 2016 and was strong in defence when up against the Fever's gun goal shooter Jhanielle Fowler for the full match.
So prominent in the Fever's impressive season start, Fowler still bagged 48 out of 49 goals for her team and Nat Medhust made 11 of 14 but it was not enough as the Firebirds' accuracy and intensity across the court rattled the Fever, who coughed up repeated turnovers.
"In defence, it is obviously hard with Fowler down the back so it was just putting as much pressure as we can and really capitalising on the turnovers," said Firebirds centre Mahalia Cassidy.
Firebirds goal shooter Romelda Aiken made 45 shots from 51 attempts while goal attack Gretel Tippett made an impressive 26 shots out of 28.
Fever coach Stacey Marinkovich denied her team had been too predictable.
"It's about testing our depth and what variations we got, so we have taken a lot out of this game as to what we can deliver," she said.
"I don't think we are too predictable, I think we have got some variation.
"We strayed away from what wanted to deliver in our game plan and that's something we have to work out."
The Firebirds next face the lower-ranked Magpies in Launceston next weekend while the Fever face another tough assignment against the Giants in Perth.
