Code rivalry nets final

THE AFL and NRL rivalry will switch to the netball court when expansion teams Giants Netball and Sunshine Coast Lightning battle it out for the honour of becoming inaugural Super Netball champions.

Both sides defeated minor premiers and traditional power Melbourne Vixens on their way to the grand final at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on Saturday.

Aligned to AFL club Greater Western Sydney, the Giants took the longer road to the decider, first knocking out expansion side Collingwood Magpies in a come-from-behind thriller before downing the Vixens by eight goals in Saturday’s preliminary final.

With NRL club Melbourne Storm as its backer, the Lightning had the week off after beating the Vixens by a goal in the major semi-final to earn grand final hosting rights, though the decider has been moved 90km south of its University of Sunshine Coast base for the larger venue.

The clash won’t thrill some traditionalists after the new teams aligned to AFL and NRL clubs poached leading players from the teams from the old trans-Tasman league.

But it promises to be an intriguing and star-studded battle.

The Giants and Lightning met twice this season, winning one each with both encounters decided by a single goal.

In Round 4, the Giants took the honours away 55-54 while the Lightning squared the ledger in Sydney 56-55 to round out the regular season in Round 14 two weeks ago.

Headline match-ups feature across the court.

The Lightning has two of the competition’s best in Diamonds shooter Caitlin Basset (589) — who is set to overtake leader Caitlin Thwaites (Magpies) for most goals (594) — at one end and defender Geva Mentor who leads the competition for deflections teaming up with Karla Mostert at the other.

For the Giants, tall shooters Kristina Brice and Jo Harten have been in blistering form and the side’s ability to vary its attacking combinations has kept opponents guessing.

New Zealand star Laura Langman will marshal the midcourt for the hosts against newly-minted wing attack Susan Pettitt, whose delivery of the ball was the difference in the Giants’ win over Vixens on Saturday, according to coach Julie Fitzgerald.

Pettitt expects that the decider will be a high-paced, quality encounter.

“It all comes down to this last game, there’s no next week so there’ll probably be a lot more body on the line and people will be hungry for the ball,” she said.