We can only live in hope for a miracle

IT is clearly a matter of where there’s life there’s hope for the Firebirds as we head into the Suncorp Super Netball finals.

We simply need a miracle to grab fourth spot away from Collingwood, three points ahead of us with two rounds left before the finals matches.

The draw is against us because we have two matches in Sydney to go – against GWS tonight then against NSW Swifts the following weekend.

The Magpies, on the other hand, are also on the road back-to-back against West Coast Fever tomorrow night before a final round engagement with Adelaide Lightning.

Unfortunately, form sug- gests they will be huge upsets if the Fever and the Lightning can both do the Firebirds a favour and beat the Magpies.

It is a long shot for the Firebirds and real wing and a prayer stuff but we live in hope.

No matter what eventuates we must finish our season off well and lay a solid platform for the 2018 competition.

At this stage it looks like we will have a similar roster next year so we must aid the development of some exciting prospects coming through.

Talents such as Kimberley Jenner, Jemma Mi Mi and Abigail Latu-Meafou are a season better off in terms of experience and can only get better.

And we should also get back centre Mahalia Cassidy back from her knee reconstruction.

No doubt the Firebirds will now work hard to deflect any interstate poaching raids. ON young players coming through the ranks, I must congratulate Sarapheinna Woulf and Jada Gafa for making Australian under-age squads.

Both are products of my old Golden South Jaguars club, although Jada has switched to Brisbane North where she is playing second-tier in the Queensland state competition.

I have heard good reports about Pheinna, who travels from Richlands to play with the Jags. She is only 17 so to be playing top-level in the QNBL at that age is a great achievement.