KEY POINTS:
Magic defender Casey Williams and the need to maintain absolute composure and discipline loom as the biggest dangers to the NSW Swifts as they take on the Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic in tomorrow night's grand final.
It is the third time the Swifts and Magic will go head
to head this season but this time the result will determine the overall champion of the inaugural ANZ Championship series. The Swifts defeated the Magic by one point in the semi-final two weeks ago, securing the home grand final at Acer Arena in Sydney.
This forced the Magic to play the Adelaide Thunderbirds in a do-or-die preliminary final last week, running out winners 51-49.
It's been a dream run into the final showdown for the Swifts, who were written off at the start of the season when veteran defender Liz Ellis retired and tenacious goal defence Mo'onia Gerrard defected to the Thunderbirds.
The loss of two Australian international players left a gaping hole in the Swifts defence but Rebecca Bulley and Kimberley Purcell grew in confidence during the transtasman season, playing important roles as the Swifts strung together eight consecutive wins leading into this week's game.
Swifts coach Julie Fitzgerald sat with the rest of her team as they enjoyed a week's break and watched the Magic versus Thunderbirds game as part of their preparation for the grand final. Fitzgerald says she won't be asking anything of the girls that she hasn't already asked, or expected, of them during the season.
"I'll be telling my girls to be consistent and not be overwhelmed when they get out on the stage. They've worked hard for this. It comes back to those two words, composure and discipline. If we can keep both of those we'll be okay."
In round three, the Magic were defeated by three points by the New South Wales girls and again by just one point in the first final. Fitzgerald says now, more than ever, the Swifts have to keep a cool head.
"The games have been incredibly tight, with margins of just one and three points. For us, it's been about keeping calm, disciplined and composed because that is what has won us those tight games. This game will be no different."
Possibly the most composed Swift is star shooter Catherine Cox. In the semifinal, Cox walked off the court after 60 minutes with an 85 per cent shooting average, having scored 41 from 48 attempts. Tomorrow Cox will be up against one of six Silver Ferns in the Magic starting lineup, Casey Williams. Cox says Williams is one of the most "incredible athletes" she's played against, and hopes her opponent comes out firing as usual.
"I love to play her when she's at her best," Cox says. "Her elevation and athleticism are just amazing. "My game used to be a holding game, using my height as an advantage, but when you play someone like Casey you have to completely change that or she'll get the better of you every time. Right down the court everyone has to be aware of Casey because any floating balls across the court she's just going to eat up."
It's not just Williams the Swifts have to be aware of. Six of the seven starting players for the Magic are internationals and all seven are looking for vengeance in the last game of the transtasman challenge.
Fitzgerald knows her players will have to contest every ball right up the court. "I know it's a cliche but, when you have the talents of Casey at one end and Maria [Tutaia] and Irene [van Dyk] at the other linked together in the midcourt, with Laura [Langman] and Joeline [Henry] in the midcourt, you can't focus on one area," Fitzgerald says.
"Winning individual battles becomes very important."
