BENDIGO star shooter Caitlin Thwaites has made a stunning start to the ANZ Championship season, playing a vital role in the NSW Swifts six-goal win on Sunday.
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Thwaites scored 39 goals from 43 attempts against the Southern Steel.
Her efforts meant she earned the Most Valuable Player award.
Thwaites was a finalist in the 50th Bendigo Bank Bendigo Advertiser-Prime 7 Sports Star of the Year which was announced on Friday night.
Former Kerang defender Julie Corletto played her first game with the Swifts.
Corletto and fellow defender Sharni Layton teamed up in the 68 to 62 win in Invercargill.
It was a tight contest, with only a couple of goals separating the sides throughout the match, however it was the class and experience from the Swifts that pushed them over the line.
Reigning premiers, Melbourne Vixens started their title defence with a massive 24 goal win against the Pulse at Margaret Court Arena.
The Vixens won 64 to 40.
Talented shooter Tegan Philip (nee Caldwell) broke the club's all-time scorer record of 1186 goals, which was previously set by Caitlin Thwaites.
Philip said getting their first win on the board was more important than the scoring achievement.
"I was made aware of it (the scoring record), but my focus was to go out and win with the girls and do what I needed to do for the team," Philip told the Vixens website.
Bendigo defender Chloe Watson was on the interchange bench and didn't get a stint on court.
In contrast, fellow Bendigo defender Bec Bulley played her 100th ANZ Championship match at the weekend.
It was also star shooter Romelda Aiken's 100th game.
However, the team was not able to celebrate their special milestones, with the Firebirds losing to the West Coast Fever 57 to 50.
Echuca's Caitlyn Nevins also made her debut for the Firebirds in the wing attack position after leaving the Melbourne Vixens last season.
She played three quarters of the game before being replaced by Verity Simmons.
"It is disappointing that we can’t celebrate Romelda and Bec’s milestones along with all our new players with a win,” Firebirds coach Roselee Jencke told the Firebirds website.
In round two action the Firebirds will take on the Pulse and the Vixens will host the Adelaide Thunderbirds on Saturday.
The Swifts will play against the Magic on Monday.
It is the second week the Swifts will play in New Zealand and the first time the two sides will meet since last year's thrilling one goal semi-final loss, which saw the Swifts dismissed from the finals series.
