After finishing the season as the Minor Premiers, it’s easy to say that the key to success for the Sunshine Coast Lightning is to keep doing exactly what they’ve been doing all year.
But we all know that’s easier said than done.
With, the other three finals bound teams having now played the Lightning twice this year, the Swifts, Vixens and Magpies will feel they have a pretty good idea of what to expect from Noeline Taurua’s ladder leaders.
But, if there’s one thing the girls from the Sunshine Coast know how to do, it’s win big games at the right time.
What do the Lightning need to do to secure their third straight Suncorp Super Netball title? Here’s what we think.
Make the Most of Home Court Advantage
Unlike the Swifts, Vixens and Magpies, the Sunshine Coast Lightning will play in the friendly confines of USC Stadium and BEC for the next two games they play in this finals series.
This is huge! A house filled with fans dressed in yellow and purple cheering you on and, more importantly, booing the opposition.
Can the minor premiers take advantage of this and give those home fans plenty to cheer about? Will the Lightning faithful fire up and become the eighth bib on the court, spurring their team on to a magical three-peat?
Productive Proteans
Karla Pretorius has arguably been the best defender in the Suncorp Super Netball league since she joined the Lightning in 2017.
No matter her partner in the defensive circle, Pretorius has terrorised goal attacks, and 2019 may have been her best season yet. And a lot of that has to be because of her deadly defensive combination with fellow South African international Phumza Maweni.
These two have been unstoppable, racking up an unbelievable 92 interceptions and 129 deflections together as well as playing the majority of the minutes for the team that allowed the second fewest goals against for the season (759).
If one of the other top four teams can’t find a way to solve the Pretorius-Maweni riddle, it’s going to take a really special performance to outscore the Lightning.
Been There, Done That
A lot has changed in the Sunshine Coast Locker room since the team last lifted the premiership trophy just one year ago.
When the Lightning lost Bassett, Mentor, Browne and Mikaere at the end of last season, you could have been excused for expecting a drop off in performance.
But here we are, 12-months later, and the Lightning are the minor premiers. How? Because head coach Noeline Taurua and her core of extremely tight and talented players know how to get the job done when it matters.
Never underestimate the power of experience, especially at the business end of a sporting season.
