The West Coast Fever have shocked two-time Super Netball champions Sunshine Coast Lightning with an 82-62 thrashing in Perth.
In Sunday's earlier match, the Melbourne Vixens defied an electrifying Super Netball debut from Donnell Wallam to record a 70-65 victory against the Queensland Firebirds in Brisbane.
Across in the west, new Fever coach Dan Ryan has taken over from Diamonds boss Stacey Marinkovich, with Jhaniele Fowler honouring the transition with 65 goals at 97 per cent accuracy at Perth's RAC Arena.
The team total was the highest in Super Netball history and just two goals short of the 84-goal tally amassed by the Southern Steel in the trans-Tasman competition.
Fowler was in sight of her own single game individual record of 70 before a final-quarter fade-out from the Fever.
The beginning of the Ryan era showed he was prepared to shake up what has been a strong and established line-up for the past two seasons.
He started regular goal attack Alice Teague-Neeld at wing attack, rotated the midcourt and gave captain Courtney Bruce a brief run at goal defence.
They all shone. Another shift in focus came from Sasha Glasgow (12 goals in 45 minutes) at goal attack where she contributed heavily in partnership with Fowler.
The only thing to cheer about in the first half for the Lightning was a promising debut from 19-year-old goal shooter Reilley Batcheldor, who sank a super shot with one of her first confident touches.
There were already worrying signs for the Queenslanders who had been blown away by a 26-point opening term from the hosts.
Coach Kylee Byrne tried everything to ignite her stunned side.
Sisters Taraand Maddie Hinchliffe had a rare outing together in the Lightning defence and the midcourt was rotated in every combination.
Diamonds goal shooter Cara Koenen finished the game on the Lightning bench after being held to 24 goals and a super shot by Bruce.
Vixens win on the road
Some last-quarter heroics from the Firebirds failed to claw back a 13-goal three-quarter time deficit to the Vixens, who were wooden spooners last year but fancied by many to reach the grand final in 2022.
Wallam was one of the major contributors to a high-scoring and thrilling game, sinking 41 goals and two super shots from 48 attempts in her first Australian national league performance.
The Vixens, however, were steadier and cleaner. They absorbed every blow from Wallam and fired back a 25-goal third quarter to quieten the pro-Queensland home crowd.
Shooter Mwai Kumwenda contributed every quarter to finish with 43 goals and a super shot at 89 per cent accuracy.
Melbourne star Liz Watson's first game back from last year's injury-forced absence with 38 feeds and 22 goal assists was another reason for the opening-round win.
Rarely has there been a more anticipated Super Netball debut than that of Wallam, the 28-year-old who averaged 43 goals per game last year for the Leeds Rhinos in the UK Superleague.
She backed herself, first in the UK, then to earn a full-time contract in Queensland, well away from her family in Harvey in south-west Western Australia.
The former basketballer looked instantly at home, fed precisely by the Firebirds' experienced attackers.
She had 22 goals at 95 per cent by half-time as the Vixens thwarted the Firebirds' energy to lead by two goals.
The problem for the home side was the mountain of penalties conceded (87-69) in defence where Kumwenda and Rahni Samason (13 goals, two super shots) ran riot.
On the same court where she made her dazzling debut last year, Samason took the game away from the Firebirds with a near perfect third term that included a pair of two-point super shots.
AAP
