Team ‘most disappointed’ to miss finals, what’s ‘missing’ from Diamonds squad: Netball talking points

One team will be kicking themselves they missed out on Super Netball finals, and there’s a key element missing from the Diamonds’ squad.

The Firebirds missed out on finals.

The team that will be most disappointed they let a finals chance slip, Super Netball finals predictions and a slight area of concern in the Diamonds’ Commonwealth Games.

There’s plenty to unpack in this week’s edition of netball talking points.

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Team ‘most disappointed’ to miss finals

The race for finals went down to the wire in the last round of the season last weekend as several teams jostled for the fourth spot on the ladder.

After the Swifts beat the Firebirds, it went down to the very last shot of the last game as Collingwood held onto fourth by the slimmest of margins as they went down 56-54 to the Melbourne Vixens.

The two-point loss was just enough for the Magpies to finish ahead of the Swifts by just 0.19 for and against percentage points.

“I don’t know if there’s ever been a season that’s had such a cutthroat finish in terms of that fourth position,” Fox netball commentator Laura Geitz told news.com.au.

“Just an unbelievable finish really to think you had the Swifts and the Magpies at the end of round 14 separated by 0.2 per cent or something.

“It was just mayhem to be completely honest. I don’t think we’ve seen a season like it.”

The Swifts, Queensland Firebirds and Adelaide Thunderbirds were all in the frame for finals in the last few rounds but the Firebirds will feel particularly disappointed to miss out after they started the season so well.

“You know what, they had their opportunities,” Geitz said.

“I feel like they had about three or four games that they lost by one or two goals, games they should have closed out and won.

The Firebirds were heartbroken after they missed out on finals. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

“Given the post match vision of them, they were all very openly emotional and upset. I think they were truly thinking, ‘Ok had we beaten Swifts we were going into finals’.

“The biggest thing for the Firebirds has been their inconsistency during the season and their inability to close out really close matches.

“Had they been able to flip those matches where the lost to the Vixens by two, the Giants where they lost by one, they’d probably be sitting pretty in that top four in a really safe position.

“I’d have to say the Firebirds would probably be most disappointed in themselves.”

Finals predictions: Vixens ‘can win it’

After 14 rounds of regular season netball, the Super Netball finals are finally here.

The top-of-the-table Vixens take on the West Coast Fever in the major semi-final and are favourites to go straight through to the grand final with a win.

“For me, the Vixens carry great form,” Geitz said.

“They are a team that’s been able to close out close matches and they’ve got the belief that they can win it. I feel like they could cruise just straight through to the grand final.

“I think Fever have shown a few little glitches, particularly in the second half of the season.

“There’s definitely areas of their game that can be broken down a little bit more.”

The Melbourne Vixens are the team to beat in Super Netball finals. (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)

The loser of that clash gets a double chance and will face the winner of the minor semi-final between the Giants and Magpies next week.

The Giants are heavily favoured to beat the Magpies and move one step closer to the grand final, which they made last year.

“I think (Giants captain and goal shooter) Jo Harten is just in great form and I think the Giants are going to be really difficult to beat,” Geitz said.

Key element ‘missing’ in Diamonds squad

The Diamonds squad for the Commonwealth Games was announced earlier this week, featuring a 12-player squad and three travelling reserves for the event in Birmingham next month.

Cara Koenen, Gretel Bueta, Steph Wood and Kiera Austin were the four shooters selected.

Koenen performed well for Australia at the Quad Series in January but is the only one of that quartet that plays goal shooter for her Super Netball team.

Geitz, a former Diamonds captain, believes the absence of a traditional holding shooter — that can be an imposing presence under the post and has been a fixture of past Diamonds teams — is a slight area of weakness in the squad.

The Diamonds are a missing a traditional goal shooter in their Comm Games squad. (Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images)

“I remember in our era the shooting end was so dense, there was so much depth,” she said.

“And now possibly that’s the one area of the court that we’re obviously missing that tall holding shooter. We are so used to having the Caitlin Bassetts and the Caitlin Thwaites and in the squad there’s not that traditional style of player.

“That’s not to say they’re not in good hands with Koenen, Gretel, Wood and Austin but it’s a different look attack end heading into a major Commonwealth Games than what we’ve ever seen before.”

Super Netball Finals Week 1

Major semi-final: Melbourne Vixens vs West Coast Fever — Saturday 7pm AEST

Minor semi-final: Giants vs Collingwood Magpies — Sunday 4pm AEST