New South Wales’ two Super Netball sides have finished in the top two places on the league’s ladder at the end of the 2021 regular season.
New South Wales netball’s year from hell will have a silver lining with at least one Sydney-based team to play in the Super Netball grand final.
Both Sydney teams booked their place in the major semi-final on Saturday – the NSW Swifts beating Sunshine Coast Lightning 69-64 and Giants Netball overcoming ladder leaders West Coast Fever 75-73 – to earn a crucial second chance in the playoffs.
The top four teams headed into the final weekend of the regular season at Brisbane’s Nissan Arena locked on 32 points, with a quirk in the draw meaning they would play each other to decide the make-up of the playoffs, the winners progressing to the major semi and the losers relegated to the knockout final.
The minor premiership was also on the line, with the Giants taking the honour following their thrilling win over the Fever, thanks to their better goal percentage than the Swifts.
In a difficult year for all teams in the league due to Covid outbreaks, none have done it tougher than the NSW sides, who have been away from home for the past seven weeks, shuffled to Queensland, Victoria, South Australia and back to Queensland again as Covid outbreaks wreaked havoc on the competition.
Giants captain Jo Harten, who was outstanding for her side in the clash against the Fever, summed it up the mix of fatigue and elation felt after the upset win.
“I think this is our fourth state in about six weeks, we’ve been in a lot of turmoil – we’ve lost two players today so we’re playing with a squad of eight and we’re missing our family, our friends and our members back home,” Harten told Channel 9 after the match.
“We’re elated to get that win to finish on top of the table and be playing for a place in the (grand) final next week.
“It’s reward for the hard work we’ve done this year.”
Harten said the NSW derby was a boon for fans in lockdown in large parts of the state.
“Netball NSW have backed us in the whole way along this journey this season and we’re dreadfully missing seeing our fans and our members, so what a reward for them to have the NSW derby in that major semi-final next week,” she said.
The Giants’ win was a massive upset given they entered the match with just one reserve following the withdrawal of defenders April Brandley and Tilly McDonell, who were both ruled out on match eve with ankle injuries.
Fever may have been level on points with the other members of the top four but it was only due to the 12 competition points they were deducted for historic salary cap breaches, with the West Australians actually winning three more games than any team this season and heading into the match as massive favourites.
But the Giants paid little attention to the odds, clawing back a six-point first-quarter deficit to take a one-goal lead to halftime and refusing to yield in the back half.
Earlier, the Swifts overcame an understrength Sunshine Coast Lightning side, winning 69-64, with the score no real indication of their dominance.
The 2019 premiers – whose coach Briony Akle is still in hotel quarantine, allowed out only to coach her team at formal training sessions and games – sprinted from the blocks, setting up a 5-0 lead within minutes, stretching that to 15 goals at one stage in the second quarter and being able to rest key midcourter Paige Hadley ahead of finals.
Shooter Sam Wallace continued her dominant season, finishing with 50-of-52 attempts at 96 per cent, while midcourt general Maddy Proud was instrumental in her team’s win.
A late super shot flurry from the Lightning’s Cara Koenen and Binian Hunt made things interesting in the final minutes, with the margin just five points after Hunt hit her two-point goal with just over two minutes remaining.
But the Lightning were left to rue their poor start and a raft of simple errors throughout the game.
Defender Maddy Turner is likely to undergo concussion protocols ahead of the semi-final after a heavy clash with Hunt which left her dazed.