Thanks for following our live coverage. What a day, what a match, what a season. I'm sad it's over. BUT there's some terrific international action coming up next month. Thanks for joining.
Super Netball Grand Final 2021: Swifts put on defensive masterclass to beat Giants
The NSW Swifts have given an insight into their 2021 title-winning celebrations - with a cheeky Instagram post that shows Boomers superstar Patty Mills living it up with the Super Netball champions.
The NSW Swifts have celebrated their second Super Netball title in fine fashion - by linking up with Boomers skipper Patty Mills and his Olympic bronze medal.
Mills' and his 'rose gold' medal have been inseparable since the Boomers clinched a historic third-placed finish at the Tokyo Games, and he joined in the Swifts celebrations following their heart-stopping victory over cross-town rivals the Giants.
Mills was pictured with Swifts stars Helen Housby and Tayla Fraser - both of whom were showing off the spoils of their last-gasp triumph.
Earlier, Housby proved clutch on the court as she helped the Swifts secure another Super Netball title.
She's an international shooter whose main job is to put the ball through the hoop, but Housby has had few more important plays than the intercept she took two minutes from fulltime as her NSW Swifts attempted to withstand the super shooting of the Giants and a fightback that almost got them across the line.
The Swifts hung on to win their second Super Netball title 63-59 after leading by as much as 10 points early in the final term.
The all-NSW final had promised to be something special with both teams representing a state nearing the end of a second month in lockdown.
Both teams left Sydney on June 23, scrambling out of NSW before it entered lockdown while believing they would be away from home for less than a week.
Sixty-seven days and four states later, the Swifts and Giants were the last two standing and both paid emotional tribute to New South Wales residents after the toughest Super Netball season in history.
"It's been so overwhelming the messages from back home," Swifts co-captain Maddy Proud said. "We feel the guilty ones getting to do this. This is what is getting them through lockdown. To everyone back home in Sydney we love you."
Giants captain Jo Harten was classy in defeat, paying tribute to both the Swifts and NSW fans.
"It is a privilege to keep playing this game during a global pandemic," Harten said. "It is bitterly disappointing not to come away with the win today but it is an honour to play the game we love in front of fans.
"We speak to our fans and our members back in NSW regularly and we hope you're doing well and staying safe."
The game delivered as the season showpiece, with the Swifts clinical through the opening three-and-a-half quarters.
They sped to a 6-0 lead in the opening minutes, led by two at quarter-time after a Giants fightback and built on their lead quarter on quarter with sublime play across the court.
Goal shooter Sam Wallace (54 points on 51/55 shooting) was outstanding under relentless pressure from Giants defenders Sam Poolman and Tilly McDonell, defender Maddy Turner nullified young Giants goaler Sophie Dwyer and co-captains Maddy Proud and Paige Hadley won the crucial midcourt battle.
But as the greatest proponents of the super shot, the Giants could never be counted out of the game and clawed their way to within six points before Housby halted the run with a crucial intercept.
"I think the girls today just stuck to the game plan and really executed, it was very hard work but I just couldn't be happier," Housby said.
Turnover ball was crucial for the Swifts and player of the match Maddy Turner was enormous for her team, finishing with four gains, two intercepts and a deflection.
But stats only tell part of the story.
Turner did what no other player in the league has been able to do this season - shut down teen wonder Sophie Dwyer, who had little influence in the final.
Dwyer had seemed nerveless during the season, taking shots with courage and calm that belied her years. But under enormous and relentless pressure from Turner, she showed the nerves of a 19-year-old playing her first grand final.
PROUD AND SPEECHLESS
"The first time in my life I'm speechless," Swifts captain Proud said afterwards.
"That was such incredible game. The Giants are always going to bring it. Our girls, how bloody good. I was looking at Lozzie Moore who was in the same point in 2019 to have been through this journey together and both be on the court today words can't describe.
"It's been so overwhelming the messages back home. We feel the guilty ones getting to do this. This is what is getting them through lockdown. To everyone back home in Sydney we love you."
Harten's tribute to Giants coach
"Obviously (I'm) bitterly disappointed," she said afterwards.
"The overwhelming sense I'm feeling is pride at the moment. Proud of the girls stepping up on a momentum occasion. Everyone back home in NSW is locked in their homes. We have the privilege to be in front of the crowd playing the game we love.
"To our club, the Giants, the girls, you've done yourselves proud this whole season. There's nothing left to do apart from stand tall. You've given absolutely everything for this game and for this club. You should be immensely proud of yourselves.
"To the Swifts, to Briony, Maddie and Paige. Congratulations. You are unstoppable today. You're an absolute credit to yourself, your club and your state. You are leaders in our game. You thoroughly deserve that championship.
"Not our day today. Watch out for the future. Because it's definitely bright orange."
"It's funny. Me and Jules don't speak kindly of one another. We have this mother daughter relationship. I have the utmost respect for the woman. She's amazing. She has obviously coached the Swifts and been a part of their legacy and history. She's jumped across the road to be a part of ours.
"It's funny. Me and Jules don't speak kindly of one another. We have this mother daughter relationship. I have the utmost respect for the woman. She's amazing. She has obviously coached the Swifts and been a part of their legacy and history. She's jumped across the road to be a part of ours.
"To play for Jules is an honour. I'm sorry we couldn't do it for you today. Hopefully we'll stick around and get the job done in years to come.”
HOW GRAND FINALISTS SURVIVED 10 WEEKS ON THE ROAD
"Let's make this count."
NSW Swifts coach Briony Akle has opened up about the difficulty of the toughest national netball league season in history, saying her team was determined to make their sacrifices count with a premiership on the line.
The Swifts and fellow NSW side the Giants had been away from home for 67 days when they lined up at Brisbane's Nissan Arena for Saturday's grand final, with both teams having ridden a roller coaster of emotions since scrambling out of the state on June 23.
The Swifts got the chocolates in the grand final, withstanding a late flurry of super shots from their rivals to win their second Super Netball premiership 63-59.
The game was an outstanding showcase of netball - and extraordinary under the circumstances.
Akle, who had to spend an extra period in quarantine in Adelaide after her team had travelled to Queensland after being identified as a close contact of someone who had visited a tier one exposure site in Victoria, said it was "incredible" both NSW teams had made the final match of the season.
"I think it's really special," Akle said.
"Both teams have been through hell and back, so for NSW, I think it's huge and it's just such a shame (the game) wasn't there.
"I definitely look at them and think they're winners as well.
"We've got great sympathy, not only losing the grand final but we're away from home."
Giants coach Julie Fitzgerald said she was proud of the fact the season had been able to go on in the circumstances.
"I think it means a lot for the sport and I'm really proud of the fact that Netball Australia and (sponsors) Suncorp were able to keep this competition going," Fitzgerald said.
"We don't have the resources of some of the other sports and it's a real credit to our sport that we were able to battle through everything that we've had to do just to keep this competition going."
Akle said her players had seen her at her most vulnerable - something that ultimately pulled the group closer together."
These guys have seen me at the bottom of my lows and to be vulnerable, I think Covid has taught everyone that," Akle said.
"There's no hiding from the fact that everyone is suffering in different ways."
"Yes, we still got to play our season and it was a difficult season but to be vulnerable (was important).
"It's been tough and the players would say the same thing. We just had to ride the wave together."
Akle was forced to miss a game while quarantining in Adelaide, coaching her side in Brisbane via Zoom.
"Probably the lowest point for me was not being there for a game and missing a game (when stuck in lockdown in Adelaide)," Akle said.
"My husband just said to me over the phone: 'You've got to make this count'.
"I was probably at the lowest of lows I've been. It's a pretty big call to be sitting in a lounge room and trying to coach a team by Zoom.
"It was probably that moment for all of us (that was the most difficult), it's been a tough ride for all of us.
"We just made a decision to make this count.
"The fact that I've been away from my kids for 67 days, we were never walking off that (court) losing."
Adelaide was also the low point for the Giants, who, like Akle, were told they were unable to head to Queensland with the rest of the competition after being attached to an exposure site in Melbourne.
"We'd just beaten the Swifts and that was something we hadn't managed to do over the last few years and we were on a massive high and then we were informed about an exposure site we'd potentially visited in Melbourne," Harten said.
"Our season was pretty much done, we weren't allowed to come into Queensland then.
"I've never seen anything like it from a group of staff, support staff and players. We found a way to get into Queensland and luckily for us, our fortune changed with the exposure site being changed by half an hour and it was back on."
Updates
Always so classy, even in defeat, here's what Jo Harten said: "Obviously bitterly disappointed. The overwhelming sense I'm feeling is pride at the moment.
"Pride of the girls stepping up on a momentum occasion. Everyone back home in NSW is locked in their homes. We have the privilege to be in front of the crowd playing the game we love.
"I do feel like I belong. I feel like I belong in NSW now. It's because of the club. It's because of people like Julie Fitzgerald and because of the fans of this game.
We're netball mad in our country. For these netball players there's nothing better. Proud to play the game we love.
"Not our day today. Watch out for the future. Because it's definitely bright orange."
Asked to pay tribute to her coach, Harten added: "It's funny. Me and Jules don't speak kindly of one another. We have this mother daughter relationship. I have the utmost respect for the woman. She's amazing. She has obviously coached the Swifts and been a part of their legacy and history. She's jumped across the road to be a part of ours.
"To play for Jules is an honour. I'm sorry we couldn't do it for you today. Hopefully we'll stick around and get the job done in years to come ."
FULLTIME SWIFTS 63 GIANTS 59
The NSW Swifts are the 2021 Super Netball champions after putting on a defensive masterclass against their cross-town rivals the Giants.
What an incredible performance from the women in red.
Here's what Swifts captain Maddy Proud had to say: "I had to think the first time in my life I'm speechless. That was such incredible game. The Giants are always going to bring it. Our girls, how bloody good. I was looking at Lozzie Moore who was in the same point in 2019 to have been through this journey together and both be on the court today words can't describe. It's been so overwhelming the messages back home. We feel the guilty ones getting to do this. This is what is getting them through lockdown. To everyone back home in Sydney we love you."
FT: SWI 63 | GIA 59. CANNOT. PROCESS. WE ARE THE 2021 CHAMPIONS #SSNGrandFinal #SSNSwiftsGiants
— NSW Swifts (@NSWSwifts) August 28, 2021
SWIFTS 61 GIANTS 55
Harten claims the first Super Shot and then a turnover! A second attempt and it's circled the net and bounced out! DRAMA!
Dwyer misses her SS and Harten cant land it – she's missed three already this five. It's been that story all day for the Giants sadly, shots not on target when they needed it most.
Swifts are gifting their opponents all the opportunity right now.
Fourth time's a charm for Harten!
2:22 to play, 6 the difference and it's a timeout called.
SWIFTS 60 GIANTS 51
Kristiana Manu'a coming back on at GD for the Giants but not convinced it will make the difference. Wallace is all over everything, honestly blink and you miss the ball even getting to her, the precision is unbelievable.
At the other end, Dwyer just got her hands on the ball for the first time in I don't know how long. She has been so marked out this entire match. Harten flying solo.
POWER FIVE – it's all on this but Harten looks defeated sadly.
SWIFTS 54 GIANTS 44
Obstruction called but I will never not know how that wasn't a held ball. Gifts the Swifts to 10-goal advantage. Honestly I don't like to speak negatively about officials but they have not been on point today.
Sam Wallace just has everything covered today – it's the one thing the Giants have (seemingly) not changed much up on…and it's been the biggest issue. Poolman and McDonnell lost for answers.
Even when Wallace comes out the D she's all over them. She is just next level. That's it. Give them the trophy. The lead is 10, there's 10 to play.
SWIFTS 49 GIANTS 40
Swifts defence running a masterclass in the D and Harten can't break them, Dwyer nowhere to be seen she's marked out entirely, terrific strategy from the NSW women in red.
No sooner do I write that but the Giants defence also upsetting Wallace a number of times, the desperation this quarter is palpable but it brings with it far too many missed opportunities.
Swifts go into the final term with a significant lead.
Do or die for the Giants. I'm not convinced they can recover here.
SWIFTS 45 GIANTS 40
HUNT THE BALL WE NEED TWOS – the message from Harten. "We trust each other".
There's a certain irony in the fact Harten openly dislikes the supershot and now it's what stands to save her Grand Final hopes.
ONE DOWN and it's Harten bringing the Giants back to within five.
Umps miss another shocker, Swifts receiving centre out of the third.
SWIFTS 42 GIANTS 35
The Giants need to think fast and figure out what on earth they're gonna do about Sam Wallace she is causing all sorts of issues and neither Poolman or McDonnell seems to know what to do.
Swifts out by 7 half way through the quarter and you can't help but feel the NSW Swifts are about to run away with this match. Giants unresponsive.
SWIFTS 39 GIANTS 35
An early timeout and it's come from the Swifts which I wouldn't have expected, just six minutes into the second half and with a four goal advantage. Seems the Giants on the centre is the concern.
Here's what Briony said: "Go back to overload. It works why haven't done it again. You've got this. Easy. Nice job. … Guys bring it in. We said winning this thing was going to take yourself to be brave. What does brave look like. It means going for ball. It means having each other's back. Keep your eyes up and expect it bring. Bring the energy."
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