Giants beat flu — now for Lightning
CAPTAIN Kim Green hopes to have the entire Giants roster fit and healthy for the first time this month in Sunday’s crucial Super Netball preliminary final against Sunshine Coast Lightning in Sydney.
Green said a nasty flu had swept through the team in recent weeks, affecting numerous players including shooter Jo Harten, new Diamonds squad member Jamie-Lee Price, fellow midcourter Serena Guthrie and defender Kristiana Manu’a.
“Everyone has been sick. I think this is the first week in a while we have all be well,’’ Green said.
“When I’ve been going to sit next to someone I’ve been asking them if they are sick or not and moving away if they are.’’
Green refused to blame illness for the Giants squan- dering their chance to advance directly into the Grand Final by notching a win over West Coast Fever at home last Saturday. “We put ourselves in that position,’’ Green said. “We don’t play like that normally. We know we wouldn’t normally do things like that so we just have to get over it, learn from it and move on.’’
The 63- 57 loss to Fever set up the Giants’ preliminary final with Lightning at Qudos Bank Area on Sunday.
Lightning last year thrashed the Giants 65- 48 to claim the 2017 Super Netball crown.
But this season the Giants avenged the loss with a 54- 51 win in their opening round meeting and then drew 54- 54 in their second regular season outing in round 8.
The game will also feature the presence of Townsville junior and Lighting player Cara Koenen, who is playing her second season of Super Netball.