AN emotional farewell to the Collingwood Magpies added fuel to the fire to get them over the line in the end with a hard-fought three-goal win over the West Coast Fever.

A 65-62 victory for the Magpies felt like a grand final win with emotions running across players, staff and fans. The Magpies have now concluded their season on a high as they had their last Suncorp Super Netball game in Tasmania coming away with the bragging rights.

There was not a dry eye in the room or among fans at home with all players wearing their heart on their sleeves, leaving everything out on the court. All of their hard work had paid off in the end with them achieving their fairytale finish.

This was Ash Brazill’s last domestic league game where she finished as the longest serving Magpie, a dual code athlete, and the heart of the Collingwood Magpies.

All Magpies players helped get their team over the line with each player doing their job effectively while putting constant pressure on the scoreboard over the reigning premiers who were just handed their biggest loss of the season.

Smiles were plentiful for player of the match Sophie Garbin who arguably played her best game this season racking up 113 NNPs 13 goals, 20 goal assists and two rebounds. Garbin was the playmaker for the Magpies, being left of her own out the front to create the play. She was slotting the goals so the Fever defenders were unable to double defend Shimona Nelson (51 goals) as Garbin was putting up the goals.

It seemed as though the Magpies were playing ever so freely and letting any ball go, which was paying off with Kelsey Browne (85 NNPs, 32, centre pass receives, 32 feeds and 18 goal assists) finding each shooter with ease under the post with her bullet like passes.

It was goal for goal in the first half with the score drawing 32 all at half-time.

A clinical Magpies outfit extended their lead to seven-goals at three quarter time off the hand of clinical work in attack and tight marking in defence thanks to the words of Fever coach Dan Ryan, punishing on their turnovers. The hard one-on-one defence was what was letting the Fever keep in the contest with them pegging back the lead to tie the game back up late in the fourth term.

Courtney Bruce’s pressure over the shot let some shooting yips out early with the majority of the Magpies misses occurring right under the ring. Bruce (four intercepts and seven reflections) was able to block out her opponent to win her the throw in or spike the ball down to one of her teammates.

Alice Teague-Neeld (74 NNPs, 37 feeds, 24 goal assists and 24 centre pass receives) tried to keep the Fever in the contest by providing the ball to Jhaniele Fowler (55) but the Magpies defence was too good with their sheer presence, elevation, and footwork too good on the night causing the Fever players to hesitate on the feed and create doubt into what they wanted to do out on court..

It was a nail-biting final minute with the Magpies milking the clock and passing the ball all the way down to the defensive circle, but the Fever would not stop and kept on challenging for every ball and winning possession, but they were not able to capitalise off it.

The Fever will now host the minor semi-final in Perth against the Melbourne Vixens where the loser goes home. For the Magpies, it will be time to remember the long-lasting memories and for fans to reminisce on their Super Netball short but memorable history.

Player of the Match = Sophie Garbin (Magpies)

COLLINGWOOD MAGPIES          16 | 16 | 19 | 14 (65)
WEST COAST FEVER         15 | 17 | 12 | 18 (62)

STARTING SEVENS

Collingwood Magpies

GS: Shimona Nelson
GA: Sophie Garbin
WA: Kelsey Browne
C: Ash Brazill
WD: Maddie Hinchliffe
GD: Jodi-Ann Ward
GK: Geva Mentor

West Coast Fever

GS: Jhaniele Fowler
GA: Sasha Glasgow
WA: Alice Teague-Neeld
C: Verity Simmons
WD: Jess Anstiss
GD: Sunday Aryang
GK: Courtney Bruce