The 2025 Men’s Netball Super League season started with a blockbuster opening match between the last Super League seasons finalists South Adelaide and Matrics. 

South Adelaide are the reigning premiers and have a new coach after the retirement of esteemed and richly experienced mentor Jackie Blyth. Scott Fort is at the helm of South Adelaide this season and brings a wealth of experience and knowledge as a coach and highly successful former player. Matrics have the astute Matthew Harrison at their helm and he is a past state U21 player who is well versed in the preparation of a team that is cohesive and well drilled! A great opener to the season! 

From the first whistle it was clear that this was going to be a battle royale! South Adelaide's key factor emerged early, the high pass to the holding, towering goal shooter Matt Fowler, with Travis Wood at wing defence driving powerfully through the centre third to set up the attack, supported by Reece Turtur at centre and creative Ryan Norfolk at goal attack. 

For Matrics, Tom Cross started at goal attack and was having an immediate impact. Highly skilled in give and go passages in attack, Cross was the creative general early in the first quarter. 

South Adelaide began to feed ball to Fowler with ease as the Matrics defenders tended to have their heads down, and gave Fowler too much space by coming off the body and not challenging his preferred side to receive the pass. In addition, Matrics were not tight enough on their opponents in their defence third. 

Supported by the ever-creative play maker Ryan Norfolk, South Adelaide broke away from Matrics with Fowler dominant in the closing stages of the first quarter.

First quarter scores South Adelaide 21,  Matrics 13.

The second quarter commenced as the first ended with South Adelaide putting the foot on the accelerator! Tom Cross for Matrics was moved to wing attack in what would prove to be a battle of play makers between Cross and Wood. Turtur continued to feed South Adelaide's goalies creatively until what seemed to be a rolling of his ankle saw him leave the court and young Reid O’Callaghan came on into centre. 

Matrics showed signs of it coming together thanks to the tireless work of Tom Cross and the gelling combination of Will Sampson and Alec Davis in goals. Davis’s timing was beginning to fire and this was ably supported by both Cross and Sampson. 

Second quarter scores were South Adelaide 38 (17) and Matrics 26 (13).

The third quarter continued as the second finished, goal for goal as both teams looked for ways to counter the other’s play making. Jesse Robinson came on into wing defence for South Adelaide and Travis Wood to goal defence. Tom Cross continued to have an impact as he moved to goal attack. Fowler's height continued to hold South Adelaide together despite Matrics beginning to find ways to open their attack circle with the creative moves of Will Sampson. It proved to be a tightly contested quarter with Matrics out scoring South Adelaide by one goal, 16 to 15.
Three quarter time scores were South Adelaide 53, Matrics 42.

The final quarter began with a flurry of goals and more positional changes by South Adelaide. The combinations of Davis at goal shooter, Cross and Sampson began to really fire for Matrics, particularly Davis in the circle finding space easier with Sampson’s silky moves opening up the circle leaving South Adelaide's defence flat footed. Also, the many changes from South Adelaide seemed to unsettle their attack and open the door for Matrics to challenge. They clearly had the better of South Adelaide for much of the final quarter and outscored the reigning premiers 18 to 13.
Final scores were South Adelaide 66, Matrics 60.

The tireless and creative playmaking by Travis Wood saw him awarded MVP in last Super League season grand final and his efforts in tonight’s opening round were on par.
Quietly unassuming, Travis has a surprisingly long record of involvement in the game. He started playing as a youngster at Parafield Gardens Primary School and then transitioned to CANA carnivals, then SAMMNA. Travis has represented the state at 23’s and Open Men's level and he was also selected in the 23’s All Australian tournament, non-touring team. He is currently a member of the State Open Men's team to compete at the AMMNA Nationals 2025 in Melbourne.
Blessed with a great netball brain, Travis is the ultimate team man. Very supportive of his teammates and ever the play maker, Travis has much to contribute to the sport. A good netball head on his shoulders, one hopes that when his playing days begin to draw to a close, he uses his great skills and knowledge to coach and mentor emerging male netballers. Ever the fierce competitor, Travis is one of men’s netball’s quiet unsung heroes, and a great bloke to boot.