The NSW Swifts may have had more than their fair share of injury blows in 2019, but stand-in captain Paige Hadley says it’s the team-first ethos of the squad that will get them over the line if they are to secure a first Premiership since 2008.
The Swifts head to the Sunshine Coast on Saturday to play the 2019 Suncorp Super Netball Major Semi Final against back-to-back Premiers the Lightning. The prize? Automatic qualification and home advantage for this year’s Grand Final.
Despite losing club captain Maddy Proud and defenders Kate Eddy and Lauren Moore to season-ending injuries – along with star goal attack Helen Housby for long periods – the Swifts managed to secure a top two-finish at the end of the regular season. An off-day against the Magpies in Tasmania – and a strong run home by the Lightning – ultimately cost them the Minor Premiership.
But players like Hadley, a World Cup winner, live for a challenge and there aren’t many bigger than the competition’s pacesetters and a hostile Queensland home crowd. Having persevered – injuries and all – the Swifts owe it to themselves to give Saturday a red-hot crack and avoid an elimination Preliminary Final next week.
“This year we’ve had injuries, people missing out on games, we’ve had our setbacks and I think that’s what makes it more special, that we’re still here, still fighting together,” Hadley says.
“It’s not just the 10 that’s going to be suiting up on the weekend, it’s Mads, Kate and Lozzie and everyone that’s stepped in and done their role throughout the year so there’s a lot to play for and there’s a lot of passion and pride among this group.
“We’ve watched both regular-season games against the Lightning (the Swifts lost both by only two goals) and we know it’s our silly errors that cost us in the dying moments.
“It’s about rectifying those and sticking to our game plan and believing in the process. If we stick to that plan we’ll come out on top at the end of the 60 minutes.”
While NSW played Grand Finals in 2015 and 2016, they were both on the road. In fact the Swifts’ last title success was also the last time club netball’s showpiece event took place in Sydney. For Hadley, a proud NSW junior, it’s been too long between drinks.
“As it’s the Major Semi we do get two bites of the cherry but we really want to bring the Grand Final back to Sydney and be able to play in front of our awesome fans,” she said.
“For us it’s super exciting to go up as underdogs. We come in with youthfulness, excitement, everyone just wants to get out there and put their best foot forward and the vibe in the team is awesome.
“I can’t wait to go out there and see this team connect on another level. We haven’t played finals together so it’s going to be pretty special.”
The NSW Swifts and Sunshine Coast Lightning meet at Sippy Downs at 3pm on Saturday (AET). The game will be broadcast live on Channel Nine, Telstra TV and on Tesltra’s Netball Live App.
MATCH NOTES: MAJOR SEMI FINAL
- When the teams last met in Round 11 the Lightning defeated the Swifts 50-48 on the Sunshine Coast. The Swifts led 39-35 at three-quarter time, but the Lightning won the final quarter 15-9 to take the win.
- The Lightning have won five of the six previous meetings between the teams.
- The Swifts only win over the Lightning was a 59-56 victory in Round 7 last season.
- The Swifts are coming off a 64-63 victory over the Firebirds in Round 14 in Sydney.
- The Swifts ended the Minor Round in second place with 10 wins, a draw, three losses and 36 bonus points. The Swifts’ 36 bonus points is the most of any team across the Minor Round.
- The Swifts lost three Minor Round matches in 2019; Round 4 v Lightning 57-59 (Sydney), Round 11 v Lightning 48-50 (Sunshine Coast) & Round 13 v Magpies 56-64 (Launceston)
- The Lightning are coming off a 58-37 victory over the Thunderbirds in Round 14 on the Sunshine Coast.
- The Lightning ended the Minor Round with 12 wins, two losses and 33 bonus points to claim their first Super Netball Minor Premiership.
- The Swifts and Vixens were the only teams to have sat inside the Super Netball Top Four after each round of the 2019 season.
- The Swifts return to the Finals for the first time since 2016 in the former trans-Tasman ANZ Championship.
- The Swifts and Lightning have the best two attacking records in Super Netball. The Lightning are scoring 61.1 goals per match, while the Swifts are scoring 60.4 goals.
- The Swifts have the best defensive record conceding 53.9 goals per match, while the Lightning are ranked second with 54.2 goals per match.
- The Swifts are the most accurate team in Super Netball shooting at 89.9%, while the Lightning is ranked sixth with 87.2%
