A SPOT in the Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) Grand Final is up for grabs when GIANTS Netball take on West Coast Fever in the preliminary final this weekend.

GIANTS Netball vs. West Coast Fever
Saturday, August 21 @3:00pm

These two sides met in the final round of the SSN, with the GIANTS coming away with an emphatic win. However the finals went a little bit differently with the Fever claiming a huge win against Sunshine Coast Lightning, while the GIANTS will be coming in off a loss to the Swift making this battle all the more enticing. If the Fever are able to collect the win they will be heading into back-to-back grand final appearances and will be eager to take it one step further than they did last year. On the other hand, the GIANTS will be hoping to make good of their minor premiership and progress through to the big dance.

There are star match ups across the court for both sides with a host of international and Australian talent littered throughout the teams. Looking inside the goal circle it is hard to go past the services of England international Jo Harten. The goal shooter Is the most experienced players out on court for the GIANTS and will need to shoulder the load under the post. But that is not to say that Sophie Dwyer is not capable of impressing with the goal attack taking the competition by storm throughout season 2021. It is going to be an enthralling battle between Dwyer and Sunday Aryang with the two up and coming players set to lock horns with Aryang renowned for her defensive nous, speed off the mark and overall tenacity. Her partnership with the one and only captain Courtney Bruce has developed at a rate of knots throughout this season and the pair will need to be at their damaging best to offset Dwyer and Harten.

The battles do not get any less exciting through the midcourt with Jess Anstiss and Jamie-Lee Price set to battle it out in centre. Both former wing defences now find themselves at home in the centre role and there is no denying that the pair are more than happy to engage in a little bit of argy-bargy in order to secure any loose ball that comes their way. However the real key for the Fever will be Verity Charles with the wing attack proving to have the ball on a string with her pinpoint precision passes into the goal circle causing all sorts of chaos. It is going to be up to the newly appointed Diamond in Amy Parmenter to stop the flow of Charles while she will also need support from Price to reduce the impact in which the ball can transition down court. An unsung hero for the GIANTS in Maddie Hay will need to have an impact in attack despite likely coming up against Stacey Francis-Bayman with the wing defence a real warrior for the Fever.

Defensively the giants have proven time and time again that they have options with April Brandley and Sam Poolman the desired starting duo but Kristiana Manu’a and Matilda McDonell able to come on and effectively ply their trade. Expect Brandley to put in the hard yards against either Alice Teague-Neeld or Sasha Glasgow with the goal defence able to use her tagging style of defence to nullify the impact of her opponent. The GIANTS are going to have to work in overdrive if they are any chance to stop powerhouse shooting sensation Jhaniele Fowler under the post with the goal shooter able to score at an incredibly high accuracy. The Jamaican goaler does not need a lot of time nor space to have an impact but can turn a game on its head within an instant making her the lynchpin in attack for the Fever.

With a grand final berth on the line expect both teams to come out guns blazing. Neither the GIANTS or Fever shy away from the super shot but it will ultimately come down to whether or not the GIANTS are able to work as a unit to nullify the influence of Fowler under the post and capitalise on the opportunities that come their way.

Photo credit: SSN