COULD the Lightning do the unthinkable and claim a three-peat? With a premiership on the line expect both sides to leave nothing to chance. The Lightning are no strangers to the big dance winning the past two premierships but for the Swifts it will be the first time in Suncorp Super Netball history. Although the Swifts have lost their past four encounters against the Lightning they will be riding high after a dominant display last week that saw them return to their best.

In their first home grand final, Sunshine Coast will be hoping to make it three in a row and with game changers across the court anything is possible. In what could be her last Suncorp Super Netball game, Silver Ferns great Laura Langman will be wanting to pull out all the tricks of the trade to get her side over the line. Langman has an uncanny ability to do the unthinkable with flashy intercepts while her endurance is second to none running her opponents off their feet with her offensive and defensive work. Her precision passing and sheer athleticism cannot be rivalled often allowing speedster Laura Scherian to fly under the radar with her silky skills. Down the court the Lightning have no shortage of options in attack with Steph Wood combining effortlessly with both Cara Koenen and Peace Proscovia. Wood has skills aplenty with her playmaking skills, vision and deceptive speed along the baseline while her delivery into Koenen has developed at a rate of knots this season. If Wood can get off the leash early and carve up the attacking third it will go a long way in pushing the Sunshine Coast side ahead. Koenen will want to make an immediate impact under the post with her strength and clever footwork. After a week off the defensive duo of Karla Pretorius and Phumza Maweni will be looking to cause mayhem once again with their bold game play and cleanliness. Both defenders have proven time and time again that they know when and how to stand up under pressure taking timely intercepts and forcing wayward passes with their defensive marking. With both also just recently signing expect Pretorius and Maweni to have a real spring in their step.

The Swifts have had their fair share of injuries throughout the season with captain Maddy Proud struck down with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and Kate Eddy ruled out for the remainder of the season with an ankle injury. But despite their woes, they have managed to fight their way through and are staring down the barrel of grand final history. Coming off a strong win, NSW will be wanting to replicate that same pressure and intensity to run the Lightning off their feet in the opening term. Unsung hero Maddy Turner will be hoping to repeat her performance from last week with the goal defence running rampant in the defensive third with her smothering pressure, speed and deflections to deny access into the circle. Her partnership with Sarah Klau has steadily developed with Klau in career best form. The Swifts’ goal keeper lifted her intensity last round, competing for the high balls and using her feet to cleanly manoeuvre around the body and must bring that form into her match up against Sunshine Coast. Katrina Rore has also proven to be a valuable inclusion to the side credit to her experience, hands over pressure and smothering pressure while youngster Sophie Halpin is also a handy impact player for the Swifts. After being comprehensively beaten last time they met, expect Paige Hadley to learn from her mistakes and use her speed, strength and netball nous to try and outplay Langman. Hadley’s connection with Nat Haythornthwaite and Helen Housby will be key with all three able to win games with their quick ball movement and ability to exploit space across the attacking third. Housby has proven to be a game changer with her composure under the post while her understanding with Sam Wallace allows the two to create space in the circle and score freely.

In their past meetings, the Swifts have been unable to combat both the offensive and defensive pressure applied by the Sunshine Coast side and will be wanting to change that outcome. But in Noeline Taurua’s last game as head coach and history on their side the Lightning will have plenty of belief.