All the signs pointed to a Sunshine Coast Lightning three-peat in the Suncorp Super Netball grand final.
And yet the NSW Swifts defied injury, the critics and most of the experts to claim their first national title since 2008.
So where was the game won?
Nissan Net Points provides a telling insight into the biggest game of the year.
FIRST QUARTER
A fast start is always important in a big final, and while most of the Sunshine Coast Lightning players would be wishing they could have that first quarter over again, the Swifts struck a telling blow with a scintillating opening 15 minutes.
Nissan MVP Sam Wallace, who scored just 16 goals from 19 attempts in the semi-final and had four turnovers to finish on -5 Nissan Net Points, stormed out of the gates in the season decider, potting 11/12 and leading her team with 29.5 Net Points for the quarter.
Natalie Haythornthwaite started with a bang, racking up 26.5 Net Points courtesy of seven goal assists, but at the other end of the court Lightning goal attack Steph Wood was struggling under the pressure, missing both of her shots on goal and adding two turnovers before being benched after 13 minutes when she was sitting on -13 Net Points.
Were it not for the determination of goal defence Karla Pretorius, who led all players with 32 Net Points for the quarter after having two intercepts and a deflection, the Lightning would likely have been in an even deeper hole.
Sarah Klau, meanwhile, was already having a day out, with two gains and three deflections to chalk up 24.5 Net Points.
SECOND QUARTER
Laura Langman flew the flag in the second quarter for the Lightning, amassing 33 Net Points and at one point helping her team close to within a goal.
But it was those same three Swifts stars who made all the running, with Klau’s two intercepts and two deflections earning her another 26.5 Net Points for the quarter, while Wallace had 25.5 and Haythornthwaite 24.5.
IIlustrating just how dominant the trio were, it was the first time for the entire season that three players from the one team had finished a first half on more than 50 Nissan Net Points each.
The result? An eight-goal half-time lead to the Swifts.
THIRD QUARTER
Two words: Sarah Klau.
The Diamonds goal keeper had a quarter for the ages, grabbing four gains and another four deflections to all but end the Lightning’s chances.
Her 47 Nissan Net Points for the quarter was the 15th highest single-quarter score by any player this season – a telling indication of just how dominant she was.
The Lightning have often been able to rely on Pretorius to do something special when they’re under the pump, but the South African just couldn’t summon her usual magic this time around, finishing the quarter without a turnover, and only three Net Points to her name.
FOURTH QUARTER
It was going to take a miracle for the Lightning to find a way to haul in a 10-goal margin in the final term, but any chance of that happening was quickly snuffed out as the Swifts had their most dominant Net Points quarter of the game.
As a team they almost doubled the Lightning’s 67 Net Points for the quarter as the margin blew out to 17 goals.
Wood and Laura Scherian had their best Net Points quarters of the game, with 16.5 and 21.5 points, respectively, but they couldn’t make a dent in the Swifts’ advantage, as Wallace, Klau and Helen Housby all added around 28 points to their own tallies to underline an overwhelming team performance.
FINAL NISSAN NET POINTS SCORES
NSW SWIFTS (Total 478)
Sarah Klau - 117.5
Sam Wallace - 110.5
Natalie Haythornthwaite - 71
Helen Housby - 71
Paige Hadley - 37
Maddy Turner - 33.5
Sophie Garbin - 22.5
Katrina Rore - 11.5
Tayla Fraser - 5
Sophie Halpin - -1.5
SUNSHINE COAST LIGHTNING (Total 282.5)
Laura Langman - 85.5
Laura Scherian - 44
Maddy McAuliffe - 42
Karla Pretorius - 41
Phumza Maweni - 40.5
Peace Proscovia - 19
Cara Koenen - 11.5
Annika-Lee Jones - 4.5
Steph Wood - 4
Jacqui Russell - -9.5
