Netball: No lead is big enough in a cutthroat final with the super shot the go-to when the biggest prize is on the line
When a 10-goal lead was eaten away by a swag of super shots last week, the Swifts realised it could bring about their finals undoing.
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D-Day has arrived for the NSW Swifts, but their premiership defence will depend on their ability to neutralise Super Netball’s newest rule just as much as their in-form rivals in Sunday’s knockout semi-final.
The Swifts lost their chance to push into the top two and gain a double chance in the finals after drawing with the Giants last week after their NSW rivals’ stunning comeback during the final super shot period.
Controversially introduced just before the start of the season in a bid to attract new fans to the game, the super shot allows goals from a designated zone in the final five minutes of each quarter to count for two points rather than the usual one.
Giants captain Jo Harten made a stunning six super shots in the final quarter to erase the Swifts’ 10-goal lead and pose a new dilemma for the defending champions.
Swifts coach Briony Akle said the two-point shot posed new challenges in closing games out, even when teams held a substantial lead.
“We were even talking about it on the bench saying that 10 wasn’t enough,” she said.
“It’s really tough. Ten last year would have been a really amazing lead and … then you turn around and have a draw.
“I just think it’s crucial that you play really bloody good netball leading up to the super shot.”
The Swifts face the West Coast Fever at the University of Sunshine Coast on Sunday, a team that has lost just once since Round 6 of the competition.
That loss came last week, with Adelaide teen Georgie Horjus ending the Fever’s own chance of a top-two finish when she shot the lights out in the final minutes from long range to erase West Coast’s eight-goal lead in an amazingly similar scenario to the Swifts’ challenge.
With the Fever boasting the league’s – and the world’s – best holding shooter in Jhaniele Fowler, they are unlikely to bomb away.
The Swifts have been as proficient as anyone from long range, though, with both regular goal shooter Sam Wallace and goal attack Helen Housby – who missed last week’s clash with the Giants with illness – slotting plenty of super shots this season.
Without a pre-season to practise the super shot or its defence, teams have strategised somewhat on the run.
But with the frantic condensed schedule that marked the early stages of the Super Netball season now gone heading into the finals, Akle has gone back to the drawing board this week as she prepares to face new Diamonds mentor Stacey Marinkovich on Sunday with their teams’ seasons on the line.
“We’ve got that little bit of extra time to do some more work on the defenders,” she said.
And she has no qualms about having to fight through two knockout finals to reach the season decider.
“At the end of the day, you need to beat every team, and every team is damn good,” she said.
“Our path might be different but it is what it is. It’s the same as last year, and we played some really good netball in that period last year.
“We’ve got that vibe back, and it’s a really positive energy in our camp.”
Super Netball knockout semi-final:
West Coast Fever v NSW Swifts
University of Sunshine Coast
Sunday, 1pm (AEDT)
Originally published as Netball: No lead is big enough in a cutthroat final with the super shot the go-to when the biggest prize is on the line