FIREBIRDS GET ON ROAD TO REDEMPTION
THE Queensland Firebirds intend to cement the first step on their road to redemption by beating Collingwood today to return to the finals arena.
Having won back- to- back ANZ Championships in 2015 and 2016, the Firebirds expected to contend for the inaugural Suncorp Super Netball crown last year.
But in somewhat of a shock, they failed to make the top four, finishing fifth. Making it tougher was having to watch their state rivals and new club Sunshine Coast Lightning claim a championship in their first season.
In fourth place heading into the final round of the regular season, the Firebirds are determined to make amends for their inconsistent 2017 campaign.
“It still stings thinking about it and has put a lot of fire in our bellies for this season, but we’re not there yet but we’ll be taking that motivation and using it for this weekend,” Firebirds goal- attack Gretel Tippett said.
“The whole season we’ve been trying to get consistency and leading into the back- half of this season we’ve managed to do that, but it will count for nothing if we don’t win this weekend.”
While Collingwood can’t make the playoffs, they have plenty of motivation to finish the season on a high.
The Magpies are hoping to farewell retiring trio Sharni Layton, Erin Bell and Shae Brown on a positive note, and ensure Caitlin Thwaites can properly celebrate her 200th national- league game.
“We’re really focusing on finishing off things the way we want to as a group and that for us is getting ... enjoying ourselves and celebrating three people who have contributed so much to the game,” Thwaites said.