Finishing atop the WNCL table after the regular season’s completion, Queensland has the chance to make amends for last season’s losing final result.

With Tasmania taking the last two titles, including last year’s final against Queensland, the latter has what it takes to match it with the powerhouse of the domestic league in New South Wales.

Despite a younger side than the competition is used to, the Breakers boast some exceptional talent, which saw them best the Fire in the opening week of the competition.

Nonetheless, Queensland has its own young weapons which include bowler Courtney Sippel and all-rounder Sianna Ginger, who are eager to turn the tables on the twenty-time champions.

A rising figure in Australia’s domestic set-up, Sippel has overcome a tough start to the season. The 23-year-old is a crucial member of her side, having taken eight wickets in the last eight matches with two three-wicket hauls coming in her best performances.

She spoke about her season exclusively with Rookie Me Central ahead of the WNCL final.

“[My season was] not too bad [but] not exactly how I would have liked it,” she said reflecting on how her season has been, “I think it’s just good to be back on the park, I missed the first four games due to injury so I think it’s just nice to be back on the park and playing with the girls and playing for Queensland and being able to put my best foot forward for the team.”

When asked about how the Queensland squad is feeling in the lead-up to the final, Sippel was excited by the prospect of playing a day-night decider.

“The vibes are pretty high,” Sippel said.

“We are all up and about for a home final and the fact that it’s going to be a day-nighter, is pretty cool, I don’t think many of us have played a home final of WNCL at Allan Border, so that’s pretty cool.

“[I’m] pretty relaxed to be fair, it’s just a normal training week, but [I’m] getting pretty excited for the day-nighter.”

In the final week of games preceding the final, their was a tight finish to the top of the ladder which saw the second final spot up for grabs. South Australia lost their final game which handed NSW the position, with Queensland locking in a home final. If SA had won both games with bonus points, they could have possibly hosted the Fire this weekend themselves.

Sippel reflected on the prospect of knowing their fate earlier than the other teams and how the camp faired having to wait to see results play out.

“I think a few of the girls were a bit more into it than I was, I really didn’t mind to be fair where we were playing [the final],” she said.

“I’m pretty laid-back and more chilled about it all but I know a few of the girls were really keen to see who we’d be coming up against and see if we actually did have a home final or not.”

In contrast, teammate Ginger is suiting up for her second WNCL final in just her second fully contracted season. She also shares the excitement at the opportunity but hopes that the side can stay composed in order to reverse their fortunes this year.

“I’m really excited, I played in the [final] last year and that was my first WNCL final so the second one is really cool,” Ginger explained.

“I think I’m really itching to get that one better again, I’m excited but I’m trying to still remain calm and treat it like any other game and not get too amped up about it.”

Starting the year off with a pair of losses against their finals opposition, the Fire have finished the year strongly to catapult themselves into the final. Winning four of their last six matches, Ginger thinks that they are peaking at the right time of the season.

“We didn’t start the season off incredibly well this year so it’s been a really good back-half for us,” she said.

“It’s really cool to see how all different players are contributing to us getting wins in the back-half of the year and I think we wouldn’t have been in this position, we wouldn’t be in the final if it wasn’t for that.

“I think we’re peaking at the right time and I think we are in a good spot to go one better this year.”

“I guess just staying a lot calmer [is something we can take into the final from last year’s experience], we’ve been in the final a couple of times and I think it’s [the ability] to just stay calm and practising our skills and going to what’s been working for us throughout the whole year.”

When asked about those results and how they might educate the team on how to best NSW this weekend, Ginger was candid in admitting that they haven’t put much stock in their previous encounters considering their form since then.

“It was a fair bit ago, I hadn’t thought about it for a while, I think that we start our prep on NSW in the coming days,” Ginger continued.

“I think looking back on those games, I think they just won the key moments to change momentum and we didn’t get that wicket when we needed to, in moments like that so, I think that I said where the team is before, we can really think as one and play as one and we will be win those moments that more often.”

A rising power in the women’s game, Ginger is taking all the opportunities afforded to her in her stride. She looked back at how she’s gone about her second season as a full Fire member and who’s helped her along the way.

“I think compared to last year, it’s definitely been better, when I’ve gotten opportunities I’ve taken them a lot better than I have in the past,” Ginger said.

“I’ve been backed by the organisation with getting opportunities higher up the order which has been really cool and I think I’ve had a much bigger role with the ball than I thought I was going to have and during pre-season.

“I didn’t expect it but I think I’ve done my best to do my role really well and I’ve had really good conversations with other players and with staff about how to get better and win each moment.”

She then spoke about what it means to her to have the start to her career that she is having and how she feels about it.

“Any achievement, any chance to play for Queensland or make a final is very cool so I’m very grateful that I’ve been able to play such big games already,” she admitted.

“I’m very grateful for everything my parents have done when I was really young to everything that [Queensland Cricket], the players and staff have done for me in my career and hopefully I can keep making these achievements and hopefully win some titles.”