‘We’re lethal’: Swifts vow to bounce back in do-or-die grudge match as legend tips boilover

After letting a golden chance slip, it’s all on the line for the NSW Swifts in a do-or-die clash against the reigning Super Netball premiers.

When the NSW Swifts and West Coast Fever met earlier this Super Netball season, Swifts coach Briony Akle told her players the reigning premiers “love to bash the s***” out of you”.

So when the Fever take on minor premiers the Swifts in Saturday’s do-or-die preliminary final at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena, netball fans can expect another physical contest between the two powerhouses.

Watch Super Netball Preliminary Finals Free & Live between NSW Swifts v West Coast Fever Saturday 7PM AEST on Kayo Freebies. Join now and start streaming instantly

The Swifts finished the season on top of the ladder but have lost their past two games to the Adelaide Thunderbirds, including last weekend’s major semifinal that ended in a thrilling extra time finish.

The Thunderbirds prevailed, but the Swifts would feel they let a golden chance slip after leading by as many as five goals and gifting Adelaide possession with a dangerous pass that led to the goal that forced extra time.

“I’m sure Maddy Turner will look back and go, ‘Gosh I wish I did this or that’. Certainly that long bomb out of transition was not ideal,” Fox Netball’s Kim Green told news.com.au.

“Normally the Swifts are so good in those clutch moments but for some reason they weren’t and it certainly would have been touched on. I think they’ll be better for it.”

“A lot of last week, it was in our control,” Swifts co-captain Paige Hadley told reporters on Friday.

Paige Hadley celebrates the Swifts’ win over the Fever earlier this season. (Photo by James Worsfold/Getty Images)

“It wasn’t actually what they were putting on us, it was how we were executing our own game plan.

“It’s about going back to that and making sure we’ve got those three, four options — short and sharp, get to goal. And when it’s at that goalpost, we’re lethal in that goal circle.”

Akle said: “We had moments in those games where we were five or six goals up. We were doing a lot right.”

The Swifts were the masters of the close game in the regular season but appeared rattled when Adelaide turned up the physicality and came charging in the fourth quarter.

“What we saw from the Swifts in the last quarter and into extra time was not what we normally see of them,” Green said.

“They were really irritated, frustrated, doing silly errors, offensive contacts through the midcourt.

“I think they’ll look at that game and go, ‘Yeah we probably let ourselves down on reflection’.

“They’ll be disappointed with the way they reacted to some of the physicality.”

Akle says physicality is part of finals netball and her team needs to find the balance between playing hard and “staying in play” by not giving away penalties.

“Under the heat of the battle, the physicality just revs up in finals and that's just a natural progression of this game,” Akle said

“The game is going to get faster and more physical. Just being smart — you don’t want to be out of play or not defending a shot, languishing great pressure by letting play go further up the court. It is about staying in play.

The Swifts are vying for their third grand final in five seasons. (Photo by Jenny Evans/Getty Images)

Swifts coach Briony Akle and captain Paige Hadley are confident. Photo: Julian Andrews.

“It’s going to be physical but we’re ready for it. We’ve just got to be the smarter team.

“It’s about going for ball and going for it cleanly, because otherwise you’re out of play. I’m sure it will be physical. We’re expecting it to be physical. Playing within the rules and getting on with it. We practice those moments in training, with court pressure and loud noise.”

After missing finals last season, the Swifts are aiming to make their third grand final in five years and go one step closer to adding another premiership to their 2019 and 2021 titles.

The Swifts have shown they can win a premiership the hard way and Hadley has “100 per cent” belief they can win the two games needed to do it again.

“It’s giving me 2019 vibes,” she said.

“We couldn’t get the (Sunshine Coast) Lightning throughout that season but when it came to the big dance, that’s when we made it count.

“I fully believe we can still do this. We’ve had an incredible season but it’s not stopping here.

“West Coast are going to be hard and we’re going to be on for 60 minutes, but there’s no doubt we can get the job done tomorrow night.”

“It’s what you dream about. These games are what you dream about. It’s why you train, why you do three months of pre-season to get to this moment. It’s about believing in ourselves, being in the moment.

“The girls are pumped. The disappointment of last week adds that extra motivation. We want to do it on our home court.”

Can the West Coast Fever spoil the party? (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, the Fever have somehow flown under the radar but are a strong chance to reach another grand final.

They’ll be boosted by the return of Sasha Glasgow and Alice Teague-Neeld, who missed the Fever’s one-point loss to the Swifts earlier this season due to Covid protocols.

Green is tipping the Fever to get the job done against the Swifts on Saturday and then defeat the Thunderbirds to claim back-to-back titles.

“I think if Fever get in the grand final they can win. If Swifts get in the grand final, I’m not certain. Adelaide have just been able to beat them,” Green said.

“I’m backing Fever to win this weekend and I’m backing Fever to win the premiership.

“The time the Swifts beat Fever, Fever weren’t with their strongest team.

“I think Fever have the team to beat the Swifts. Just going off that I think the Fever have the upper hand going into this game.

“But you just can’t take the Swifts out of the picture. The Swifts in front of hopefully another 9000 fans at home, I’d love to see them get into the grand final.”

Super Netball prelimiary final - watch on Kayo Freebies

NSW Swifts vs West Coast Fever — Saturday 7pm AEST