The NSW Swifts will play the Sunshine Coast Lightning in the 2019 Grand Final of Suncorp Super Netball after a dominant first quarter set up a 60-47 Preliminary Final win over the Melbourne Vixens at Sydney Olympic Park’s Quaycentre today.
Next Sunday’s decider, which takes place at Brisbane Entertainment Centre, will be the Swifts’ first Grand Final since 2016, and also their first since Super Netball replaced the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship in 2017.
A huge start and a strong finish book-ended a Prelim final that, despite the final score, the Vixens contributed hugely to. At times the Victorians got within five goals of their hosts but Briony Akle’s troops managed to show enough steel to repel them at key times.
Big defensive shifts by Katrina Rore, Sarah Klau and Maddy Turner, and an MVP performance by centre Paige Hadley, were the backbone of the win, with a 95% shooting return by Sam Wallace rewarding them handsomely.
In reality, it was the first quarter which would haunt the Vixens. Defensive tips from Klau and Turner allowed the Swifts to get out to a 4-0 lead in the opening exchanges with Helen Housby and Wallace in good touch in the shooting circle. The Vixens were then forced to call the first timeout of the game when a loose Renae Ingles pass was chased down by Hadley, allowing the home side to get 8-3 up.
There was little respite from the Swifts after the timeout as they thwarted the Vixens in both attack and defence, forcing visiting coach Simone McKinnis into an early change when she introduced Mawi Kumwenda at goal shooter in place of Caitlin Thwaites. The Victorians started to look more composed but the Swifts took a 19-12 lead to the first break.
Both sides won turnover possession early in the second quarter but converting it was proving difficult. Poor communication in the Vixens midcourt allowed the Swifts another sniff, and when Ingles through a pass out over the baseline it gave NSW the impetus they needed to seize control of the quarter and take an 11-goal lead to halftime (33-22).
The Vixens’ task in the second half was huge but they got the start they needed with a defensive intercept. Goal attack Tegan Philip was shooting well from range, and Kumwenda was moving impressively as a target.
Great defensive work by Emily Mannix and Jo Weston allowed the visitors to build up a head of steam and within five minutes they were back with four goals, with momentum starting to swing their way. But a defensive rebound by Klau meant the Swifts would have the last say in the quarter and they took a seven-goal lead to the last break.
From there all they had to do was hold their heads. Forcing the Vixens into an error of the first centre pass of the period gave them some extra breathing space before the Victorians surged again. But this time NSW held strong and with the Vixens having to force the game, the errors came. The Swifts pounced on them to book their ticket to Brisbane.
SWIFTS | Q1: 19, Q2: 33 (14), Q3: 44 (11), Q4: 60 (16)
VIXENS | Q1: 12, Q2: 22 (10), Q3: 37 (15), Q4: 47 (10)
Starting Teams
SWIFTS | GS Sam Wallace, GA Helen Housby, WA Natalie Haythornthwaite, C Paige Hadley, WD Katrina Rore, GD Maddy Turner, GK Sarah Klau
VIXENS| GS Caitlin Thwaites, GA Tegan Philip, WA Liz Watson, C Kate Moloney, WD Renae Ingles, GD Jo Weston, GK Emily Mannix
Shooting Stats
SWIFTS: 60/64 @ 94%
S Wallace: 40/42 @ 95%
H Housby: 19/21 @ 91%
S Garbin: 1/1 @ 100%
VIXENS: 47/58 @ 81%
C Thwaites: 4/7 @ 57%
T Philip: 21/25 @ 84%
M Kumwenda: 22/26 @ 85%
