By Stephanie Smarrelli
And then there were two.
For the Adelaide Thunderbirds and NSW Swifts, it all comes down to this.
The best and the most in form sides of the Suncorp Super Netball competition will go head-to-head at Melbourne’s John Cain Arena on Saturday night where they will vie for premiership glory.
For the Thunderbirds, they’re on the verge of making history. Not only could they break a decade long premiership drought, the club could claim its maiden Suncorp Super Netball title.
The Swifts have been there done that. They’ll go into the match full of finals experience.
But if one thing is for sure, if the last two matches between the Thunderbirds and Swifts are anything to go by we’re in for an absolute thriller.
DÉJÀ VU
Saturday’s grand final blockbuster will mark the third time the pair have gone head to head in the last month.
The Swifts and Thunderbirds will face off for a fourth time this season when they meet in the grand final. On both occasions the Thunderbirds rose to the challenge defeating the minor premiers by a margin no larger than three.
But it could be third time’s a charm for the Swifts when they come up against the Thunderbirds having learned their lessons along the way.
Two weeks ago, the sides played out a breathtaking major semi final, where Lucy Austin was the Thunderbirds hero sending the match into extra time.
While last weekend it was Sophie Fawns who spearheaded the Swifts to victory.
Come Saturday night the pressure will be on both sides’ young guns to stand tall and absorb the pressure once again.
Every single moment will carry the potential to win or lose the trophy and every player on the court will be putting their hand up to be the difference for their team.
In defence for the Thunderbirds, Shamera Sterling will be the catalyst for her side to charge with the most deflections and intercepts of any Suncorp Super Netball player in 2023.
Sterling will be breathing down the necks of the Swifts shooters. Sterling will line up alongside teammates Latanya Wilson and Matilda Garrett with the task of stopping the league’s most prolific long range shooter Helen Housby and Swifts teammates Romelda Aiken-George and Fawns.
While for the Swifts Sarah Klau will need to have a red hot match alongside Maddy Turner and Teigan O’Shannassy to halt the shooting skills of Eleanor Cardwell, Tippah Dwan and Austin.
The midcourt battle will be intense with Swifts co-captains Maddy Proud and Paige Hadley set to clash with Thunderbirds captain Hannah Petty and teammates Georgie Horjus, Tayla Williams and Maisie Nankivell.
Williams provided the spark the Thunderbirds needed in the major semi final to give her team the opportunity to play in extra time.
While the combination of Hadley and Proud is hard for any opposition to stop with the added skills of Tayla Fraser.
When the sides last met the Swifts held possession for the majority of the match but, spent more time out of play with a total of 74 penalties to the Thunderbirds’ 59.
The pressure will be on Housby to make the most of her team's opportunities. To win the grand final they’ll need to clean up in defence and make the most of their time in possession to convert as many goals as possible to put the pressure on the Thunderbirds to chase.
The Thunderbirds have proven they can chase down a lead under pressure, though the added pressure of the grand final will provide an another challenge.
The Adelaide side will have the belief that they can defeat the Swifts having done it twice already this season, while the Swifts will know they have what it takes to go all the way with the slimmest of margins separating the sides and two Suncorp Super Netball premierships already under their belts.
If scores are close on Saturday night, it’s likely going to come down to a shoot out between Super Shot specialists and which team can gain possession when it matters most.
