In a Super Netball season full of unprecedented challenges, it's fitting the two clubs that have overcome the greatest adversity will battle it out in today's grand final.
Giants Netball and the NSW Swifts both entered the 2021 season with plenty of reason for hope.
A new shared 10,500-seat stadium - Ken Rosewall Arena at Homebush - and a chance to play back in front of home fans for the first time in 18 months after the COVID-19 pandemic forced the entirety of their 2020 campaigns to be relocated to Queensland, chief among them.
It didn't quite pan out like that.
The Giants played five games at their new home. The Swifts managed just four before the ever-changing Covid situation across Australia forced the clubs to rack up some frequent flyer points.
At one stage, the Swifts and Giants were forced to move base four times - from Sydney, to Melbourne, to Adelaide and to Brisbane - within a month.
Giants defender April Brandley flew to Perth under one set of Covid restrictions which changed mid-air and would have forced her to quarantine for five days in a hotel room with her young son Clay by the time she landed. She flew straight home from the airport. The Giants lost that match on the buzzer to the Fever.
MORE NETBALL NEWS:
The forced relocation away from Sydney will cost Netball NSW an estimated $1 million.
It's impossible to escape the backdrop of why this historic all-NSW showdown is being played 1000km from where it should be.
NSW is doing it bloody tough as daily COVID-19 cases edge towards 1000. Sydney has been in lockdown for two months.
Netballers of all ages across the state will almost certainly be unable to complete their seasons.
It's a fact not lost on Swifts co-captain Paige Hadley.
"In terms of being able to do what we love ... I feel for my family, my friends and all of Sydney back home that are in lockdown. Every day I feel super grateful that I have the ability to work and this is my job and this is what I get to do every day with people that I adore and love being around all the time," Hadley told The Netty Life podcast this week in the build-up to the grand final.
"The special thing is being able to do this at a time that's so hard on a lot of people and being able to have people say to us that we're bringing so much joy to their lounge rooms and they don't want the season to end because it's the one thing they look forward to on the weekend.
"For us that's super special to know that as hard as it has been, the rollercoaster's included absolute highs and some days where you think, 'I don't know if I can do this', to know that we're bringing joy to people in such a hard time and to know that we can still do what we love all the time, yeah it is very special."
Whoever wins today will have earned it.
Coach battle adds layer of intrigue
Rarely, if ever, do grand final match-ups present a scenario where the off-court battle could prove as intriguing as the on-court action.
But today's Super Netball decider looms as one such occasion.
Giants Netball coach Julie Fitzgerald, one of the game's most decorated and beloved figures, coached today's opposition, the NSW Swifts, to their first four premierships.
The first of those, nearly 20 years ago to the day, featured an unheralded Swifts wing attack who produced one of the performances of her career to help stun the highly-fancied Adelaide Thunderbirds in the decider: Briony Akle.
It's Akle, now the Swifts coach, who will try and ensure Fitzgerald's five-year journey to bring the Giants their first premiership and truly emerge from under the shadow of their cross-town rivals ends empty-handed.
The bond and mutual respect forged two decades ago between the two women is still obvious.
"I think Julie's probably the ultimate in the coach what you want to be, in terms of she cares about people on and off the court," Akle said.
"I think I see that in her team and how they respond to her and the fact that she's still coaching at this level, I think is the testament that she's that type of coach. She's always putting people first, not just you know, as netballers, but people first as well off the court."
Fitzgerald added: "I think even back in those days, you always knew that Briony was going to be a good coach. And I've sort of watched her come through all of the grassroots levels at Netball NSW with clubs and state and under-age teams. To reach the way she is today, I think it's something she really, really deserves, and I've never doubted the fact that she was capable of it."
Little has split the two sides this season, with the Swifts' thrilling one-goal win in the major semi-final a fortnight ago giving them a 2-1 head-to-head advantage over the season.
The Giants, who finished the regular season as minor premiers, head into the decider as slight favourites after their emphatic win against West Coast Fever in last weekend's preliminary final.
Fitzgerald felt losing their first final against the Swifts had proved a beneficial experience despite the disappointment of missing out on their first chance to book a grand final berth.
"I think particularly for our younger players, it's been a good thing that we're able to keep going. Some of the older ones might have liked the rest, but I think for the young ones, to be able to keep going and have that game last week is probably a good thing for them," she said.
For Swifts co-captain Maddy Proud, who missed the club's stunning 2019 grand final win against Sunshine Coast Lightning with an ACL injury, the chance to play an on-court role in delivering a second premiership in the space of three seasons was special.
"No matter where I was, it was on the sidelines [in 2019], I think every player knows that it was just a special for every person involved and then those on the court as well," Proud said.
"And yeah, just to get an opportunity to be able to potentially relive that again. We're just coming in with a fresh perspective and just knowing that this opportunity might not come around again."
While the Giants' starting line-up picks itself (Jo Harten, Sophie Dwyer, Maddie Hay, Jamie-Lee Price, Amy Parmenter, April Brandley and Sam Poolman), with Fitzgerald not even using a substitution last weekend against the Fever, Akle's midcourt mix-and-match options could prove crucial in determining a fast start for the Swifts.
Proud started from the bench in the major semi against the Giants due to injury but it would be a huge call to bench her again today. Co-captain Paige Hadley is a lock for another midcourt role, leaving a three-way battle between Nat Haythornthwaite, Tayla Fraser and Lauren Moore for the final bib.
GAME-BREAKERS
KEY MATCH-UPS
Jo Harten (Giants GS) v Sarah Klau (Swifts GK)
Klau bounds into the match high on confidence after winning this battle in the prelim final. Has big game confidence after her 2019 GF heroics. But few players in the league are as canny or competitive as Harten.
Sam Wallace (Swifts GS) v Sam Poolman (Giants GK)
Poolman's effort to thwart Fever's Jhaniele Fowler last week are why the Giants are playing today. If she can repeat that performance against the 2019 grand final MVP, the Giants will win.
SUPER POWERS
Barring an unlikely blowout, the Giants will never be out of this game. Jo Harten (51) and Sophie Dwyer (49) lead the league in two-point super shots, which could set up a dramatic late finish. Swifts shooters Helen Housby and Sam Wallace both have 23 for the season. They are capable, but it's not a strategy the Swifts like to rely on.
TIP
Giants by 3.
GIANTS NETBALL BY THE NUMBERS
ROAD TO THE GRAND FINAL
Rd 1: Giants 66 bt Thunderbirds 52
Rd 2: Giants 66 bt Magpies 54
Rd 3: Giants 67 bt Firebirds 60
Rd 4: Giants 68 bt Vixens 54
Rd 5: Fever 66 bt Giants 65
Rd 6: Swifts 63 bt Giants 51
Rd 7: Giants 57 bt Thunderbirds 41
Rd 8: Firebirds 63 bt Giants 52
Rd 10: Giants 58 bt Magpies 49
Rd 11: Giants 59 bt Swifts 55
Rd 12: Giants 54 bt Vixens 45
Rd 13: Lightning 64 bt Giants 63
Rd 14: Giants 75 bt Fever 73
Major semi: Swifts 62 bt Giants 61
Prelim final: Giants 64 bt Fever 61
BEST WIN
Rd 14: Rarely has a final-round match been as important. The winner of the Giants-Fever showdown would be minor premiers, the loser would finish third and risk a first-round finals exit. Trailing 25-19 at quarter-time, Jo Harten and Sophie Dwyer caught fire, nailing eight super shots between them to seal top spot in a 75-73 win.
WORST LOSS
Rd 5: A narrow defeat in terms of margin (66-65) but this one hurt. Forced to quarantine for five days and unable to train in Perth in the build-up, the Giants led for the whole match before a tough late held ball call with seconds left sent the Fever down the other end to grab the only lead that mattered.
THE MOMENT
Rd 1: When Diamonds shooter Kiera Austin ruptured her ACL in the first game of the season in Adelaide, no one thought the Giants could seriously challenge for the title. Enter teen sensation Sophie Dwyer, who has produced a debut season for the ages to help set up a shot at history.
HISTORY
Founded: 2017.
Premierships: Nil.
Best finish: 2017 (grand final runners-up).
NSW SWIFTS BY THE NUMBERS
ROAD TO THE GRAND FINAL
Rd 1: Swifts 69 bt Firebirds 66
Rd 2: Fever 63 bt Swifts 55
Rd 3: Swifts 55 bt Vixens 43
Rd 4: Lightning 58 bt Swifts 54
Rd 5: Swifts 62 bt Magpies 53
Rd 6: Swifts 63 bt Giants 51
Rd 7: Thunderbirds 58 bt Swifts 53
Rd 8: Swifts 64 bt Firebirds 52
Rd 9: Swifts 66 bt Fever 65
Rd 10: Swifts 62 bt Vixens 48
Rd 11: Giants 59 bt Swifts 55
Rd 12: Magpies 75 bt Swifts 68
Rd 13: Swifts 58 bt Thunderbirds
Rd 14: Swifts 69 bt Lightning 64
Major semi: Swifts 62 bt Giants 61
BEST WIN
Rd 9: The Swifts' heart-stopping win against the then-unbeaten Fever gave them - and the rest of the league - confidence West Coast could be stopped.
WORST LOSS
Rd 7: A lacklustre Swifts team was outscored and out-enthused in every quarter by a young Adelaide side that finished second last on the ladder.
THE MOMENT
Major semi: After building a match-winning lead the Swifts, leading by one, threw the ball away with 15 seconds left to give the Giants one last chance. But a brilliant intercept from Sarah Klau cemented the win and a GF berth.
HISTORY
Founded: 1997 (as Sydney Swifts. Merged with Hunter Jaegers to become NSW Swifts in 2008).
Premierships: 6 (2001, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2019).
NSW SWIFTS PLAYER PROFILES
TAYLA FRASER
Positions: WA, C
Height: 1.72m
Age: 22
Insight: Fraser's versatility in a still unsettled midcourt gives Briony Akle key options to switch things up. In contention for a shock GF start.
SOPHIE GARBIN
Positions: GS, GA
Height: 1.84m
Age: 24
Insight: In a perfect world, Garbin won't have to take the court if Helen Housby and Sam Wallace fire. Arguably the best sub shooter in the league.
PAIGE HADLEY
Positions: C, WA, WD
Height: 1.73m
Age: 29
Insight: The heartbeat of the Swifts midcourt. Chasing her second premiership in her 10th season at the club. No one wants this more.
NAT HAYTHORNTHWAITE
Positions: WA
Height: 1.74m
Age: 28
Insight: It's been a mixed season for the England international. The Swifts are at their best when she fires but must cut out errant passes.
HELEN HOUSBY
Positions: GA, GS
Height: 1.83m
Age: 26
Insight: A deadly combination with Sam Wallace makes it tough for defenders to focus on either player. Had 19 goal assists in the major semi-final win.
SARAH KLAU
Positions: GK, GD
Height: 1.90m
Age: 26
Insight: Produced one of the all-time great defensive efforts (11 gains, five intercepts) in the 2019 GF win. Dominated the Giants in the major semi two weeks ago.
LAUREN MOORE
Positions: WD, GD, GK
Height: 1.84m
Age: 23
Insight: Moore's versatility in defence in either the midcourt or the circle is a massive asset for Briony Akle to have on the bench to alter the momentum.
MADDY PROUD
Positions: C, WA
Height: 1.74m
Age: 27
Insight: The Swifts' captain missed the 2019 GF win with an ACL injury. Started from the bench in the major semi due to injury but will be there from the outset today.
MADDY TURNER
Positions: GD, GK
Height: 1.83m
Age: 25
Insight: The unsung hero in the Swifts' starting seven. Has averaged an intercept, a rebound, a turnover and 3.5 deflections per game this season.
SAM WALLACE
Positions: GS
Height: 1.93m
Age: 27
Insight: The focal point of the Swifts' attack. Won the MVP award in the 2019 GF. If the Trinidad and Tobago star fires today, the Swifts will win.
COACH - BRIONY AKLE
Insight: A second premiership in just her fourth season as head coach would elevate Akle to elite status within the game's current mentors. Won two premierships as a Swifts player (2001, 2004) under the mentorship of Julie Fitzgerald, her opposing coach today. A calm, measured sideline approach is reflected in the unflappable nature of the Swifts.
GIANTS NETBALL PLAYER PROFILES
APRIL BRANDLEY
Positions: GK, GD, WD
Height: 1.85m
Age: 31
Insight: Has gone from fourth-choice defender to a guaranteed starter alongside Sam Poolman. All while managing Covid lockdowns, bubbles and travel as a new mum.
SOPHIE DWYER
Positions: GS, GA
Height: 1.83m
Age: 19
Insight: It's not a stretch to say the teen sensation saved the Giants' season. Ice cool under pressure, Dwyer has nailed 49 super shots at 58 per cent.
JO HARTEN
Positions: GS, GA
Height: 1.88m
Age: 32
Insight: The Giants' inspirational English skipper leads the league in super shots (51 at 47 per cent). Has led the team through adversity magnificently.
MADDIE HAY
Positions: WA
Height: 1.74m
Age: 26
Insight: An unsung star. Fever had no answers to Hay, who racked up 24 goal assists in the prelim final. Second in the league (292) in this department, too.
MATISSE LETHERBARROW
Positions: GS, GA
Height: 1.88m
Age: 19
Insight: Unlikely to get any court time but as the only shooting sub option, an untimely injury to either Jo Harten or Sophie Dwyer will thrust her into the spotlight.
KRISTIANA MANU'A
Positions: GK, GD
Height: 1.82m
Age: 25
Insight: Has only played 8 games in 2021 due to injury but the Giants' vice-captain can change things up in defence from the bench.
MATILDA McDONELL
Positions: GD, GK
Height: 1.84m
Age: 21
Insight: The youngster has performed well in her limited opportunities this season. Can provide some extra speed in the defensive third.
AMY PARMENTER
Positions: WD
Height: 1.76m
Age: 24
Insight: The Diamonds have been desperate for an elite WD since Renae Ingles' retirement. Should be a royal commission if it's not Parmenter this year.
SAM POOLMAN
Positions: GK, GD
Height: 1.89m
Age: 30
Insight: If netball dresses had pockets, check Poolman's for Jhaniele Fowler. Had the game of her career in the prelim in shutting down the world's best shooter.
JAMIE-LEE PRICE
Positions: C, WD
Height: 1.79m
Age: 25
Insight: One of the best defensive midcourters in netball. Can play the game on the edge physically, but it's a style that makes the Giants tick.
COACH - JULIE FITZGERALD
Insight: The 350-game coach will go down as a legend for both clubs competing today. Coached the Swifts to four premierships (2001, 2004, 2006, 2007) but a fifth today with the Giants, a club she built from the ground as foundation coach in 2017, would be her most treasured given the challenges of two Covid-marred years and losing Kiera Austin in round 1.
