By Paddy Regester
It's time for part three of our Suncorp Super Netball Finals Retrospective (read part one and part two now), which means it's time to put some respect on Swifts' name, watch some Finals netball at one of the sport's most storied stadium and crown someone other than the Lightning.
Join us as we get pumped up for the 2022 Grand Final on July 3 in Perth by looking back at the previous five finals campaigns.
The 2019 Top Four
1st – Sunshine Coast Lightning (12 wins, 2 losses)
2nd – NSW Swifts (10 wins, 1 draw, 3 losses)
3rd – Melbourne Vixens (8 wins, 1 draw, 5 losses)
4th – Collingwood Magpies (7 wins, 2 draws, 5 losses)
A new champ is crowned in Brisbane
The Sunshine Coast Lightning’s pursuit of three straight premierships got off to a perfect start on the Sunshine Coast, when they handed the second placed NSW Swifts a 58-48 defeat in the Major Semi Final.
Things were tight to begin the match, with the two sides separated by just two goals at half time. But the Lightning juggernaut came to life in the third, jumping out to a ten-goal lead going into the final quarter and matching everything the Swifts could throw at them to close out the game.
After a thrilling end to the regular season which saw the Magpies defeat the Vixens by 11 and just sneak into the top four on percentage, the two rivals would come together for a good old Melbourne Derby in the Minor Semi Final at Parkville’s State Netball and Hockey Centre.
Unfortunately for Magpies fans their side couldn’t make it two derby wins in a row, as the Vixens celebrated the return to their spiritual home with a 62-49 goal win.
Melbourne exploded onto the court, outscoring Collingwood 34-19 in the opening half as they marched on to a Preliminary Final matchup against their biggest rivals in the Swifts.
Rather than coming in hot off the back of their impressive semi final performance, the Vixens started slow and could never match the pace set by the Swifts at Quaycentre.
Powered by massive games from their bookends Sarah Klau and Sam Wallace, NSW jumped out to an 11-goal half time lead and never looked back, booking a spot in their first Super Netball Grand Final with a comprehensive 60-47 goal win.
Despite their strong Preliminary Final win, the Lightning were red-hot favourites to win their third straight premiership, this time at “home” at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre.
But the young gun Swifts had no interest in the predictions, stunning the reigning champs early and never letting up on their way to a massive 64-47 win.
This was a true full team effort, but there was no denying GF MVP Sam Wallace was the difference in this one, dominating the normally stout Lightning defensive group to the tune of 40-goals, although no one has ever matched Sarah Klau’s 10-gain performance in the biggest game of the year.
The game also would be the last time Super Netball fans would would get to watch Head Coach Noeline Taurua at the helm of the Lightning.
For just the second time in league history, neither the Swifts or the Lightning will be competing for the 2022 title. Will it be the Vixens moving through to their second Super Netball Grand Final, or are the GIANTS going for back-to-back Grand Final appearances with a win in the Preliminary final? Or are the Fever destined to win their first national league title in franchise history?
Click the link below to get your Preliminary Final and Grand Final tickets now.
