Dana Johannsen: A simple formula of hard work gets Firebirds to final

Romelda Aiken of the Firebirds secures posession over Anna Scarlett of the Mystics during the round seven match. Photo / Getty Images

Looking at the Firebirds' record this season in isolation, you have to marvel at their consistency.

But when you consider their results in the context of their previous performances in the competition, the Queensland side's achievements this year are all the more striking.

The Firebirds have finished fifth in the first three seasons of the competition, with inconsistent performances leading to their consistent placings. In the space of 12 months they have gone from also-rans to an unstoppable force.

But how? With the core of the Firebirds team virtually identical to that of last season, they haven't relied on any superstar recruits to turn their fortunes around. Nor have their opponents become any less formidable - pre-season Melbourne Vixens and NSW Swifts were expected to dominate this year's competition after adding big-name stars to their already impressive rosters.

Firebirds coach Roselee Jencke, who is in her second year in charge of the Queensland side, puts the improvement down to old-fashioned hard work.

Star defender Laura Geitz and her Australian teammate Amy Steel have worked hard at improving their discipline and skill set, and star shooter Romelda Aiken has added plenty to her bag of tricks this season.

The 1.96m shooter has developed a strong range of movement to complement her holding game, and has improved the mental aspects of her game.

"I think we've just worked really hard on and off the court in improving skill level, accountability of players and just the growth in individuals which has led to us being able to mature as a team," said Jencke. "And also just having a change in attitude in the way they see themselves and view themselves as a team."

One player who admits she did plenty of soul-searching in the lead-up to the 2011 season is star goal attack Natalie Medhurst.

The Australian international, who made the move from the Adelaide Thunderbirds to the Queensland side last year, did not have a happy first season in Brisbane as she struggled to gel with Aiken in the shooting circle. Her frustration spilled over in the team's final game of the season when her side lost to the lowly West Coast Fever, costing the Firebirds a place in the play-offs for the third straight year.

"I'm really pissed off," Medhurst said after the game, leading to rumours of a rift between the talented goal attack and the rest of her teammates.

Medhurst said she made a conscious effort to be more accountable on court and step up her productivity.

"We had to have a real attitude shift this year - we certainly set some pretty high standards of what we expect from ourselves and each other, and that included myself," she said. "I think I needed to step up and start playing more consistent netball and take a bit more of an authoritative role."

As a result of this more mature approach, Medhurst has not only been a key factor in leading her side to the verge of a perfect season, but was yesterday named the competition's joint MVP, alongside the Steel's Leana de Bruin.

Medhurst, who has almost certainly cemented her role in the starting line-up for Australia at the world championships, said she was surprised to win the accolade.

"It was a massive shock, I couldn't believe it when I got the message. It was certainly the last thing I expected. It's an amazing honour, but for me playing in a grand final and winning is the ultimate."

Hinting at the pressure her side are under after an unbeaten run through the season, Medhurst said the award will be of little consolation if her side don't collect the title on Sunday.

"At the end of the day that's what we play for - to be in finals and to win them. And if we don't win on Sunday then anything that we have achieved throughout the season means absolutely nothing."

While the Firebirds have barely been challenged out on court this season, they have faced a couple of setbacks off the court. The Queensland side lost their captain and key midcourter Lauren Nourse to a season-ending knee injury four weeks out from the play-offs.

Having seen other top sides come unstuck after losing one of their key players over the past couple of seasons, it was reasonable to expect that the Firebirds may also have lost some momentum after the Australian international went down.

But a 22-year-old who made her ANZ championship debut with the Canterbury Tactix last season and a recruitment consultant who was on the verge of giving up the game and going backpacking through South America have emerged as the Firebirds' unlikely heroes.

Chelsea Pitman and Elissa Macleod, virtual unknowns at the beginning of the season, have thrived in their new fulltime roles, slotting seamlessly in to the Firebirds' well-structured attack.

Jencke, who is thrilled with the way the inexperienced duo had stepped up, believes their ability to do so was a result of being blooded earlier in the season.

The Firebirds coach wisely gave Pitman and Macleod enough game time earlier on in the season so they could comfortably slot in if a front-liner like Nourse was injured.

"They're doing a fantastic job and I'm really pleased to see the way they are coming along. They had their opportunities at the beginning of the season obviously with the rotation we were working and it was good to be able to give them that experience. When Lauren injured herself they knew what to expect and it wasn't so daunting for them having to step up to such a tough competition."

Jencke said although losing their captain was extremely disappointing, the devastating end to Nourse's season had helped inspire the rest of the team.

"Lauren's still maintaining her role in the team, and I think that's been the key," she said. "She still comes to training and is in the gym with the girls doing her strength training. She was there [yesterday] morning with the players doing her own programme, which is a real credit to her. But it's also a really important factor for the players to see that she is still working really hard even though she is not on the court."