3 minute read

Melbourne's Jo Weston has overcome a bout of shingles and the pain of losing the World Cup final to help steer the Vixens into the Super Netball finals.

Melbourne Vixens goal defence Jo Weston has endured enough pain this year by losing the World Cup final with Diamonds and then playing through a bout of shingles.

So heading into the Super Netball preliminary final against the NSW Swifts in Sydney on Sunday, with the winner to advance to a grand final against Sunshine Coast Lightning, Weston is due some luck.

The 25-year-old was part of the Australian line-up that surrendered the World Cup to New Zealand in England by just a goal.

But things got worse for Weston when she arrived home from Liverpool in late July, feeling unwell.

"I actually had shingles for a few weeks due to the stress and fatigue when I was away," Weston told AAP.

"I managed to push on through that and I kept playing - it was manageable - I just looked awful."

Weston said she was back to full fitness now - a positive given the task she and fellow Vixen Emily Mannix have containing England star Helen Housby and Sam Wallace, who represents Trinidad and Tobago.

"Their team is chock full of really experienced international players in their shooting end," Weston said.

"It means they've had experience at big tournaments and are all powerful players who know each other well.

"It does pose a big challenge for us in the defensive end, but I do think we match up on them quite well."

The Vixens have lost both meetings with the Swifts this season, but proved in the elimination final last weekend that those records count for little.

They'd also lost both regular games against Collingwood but crushed the Magpies by 13 points to keep their season alive.

Weston said they drew confidence from that performance, which ended a run of three losses at the back end of the competition.

"We were really happy with the first two quarters of our game on the weekend so that's a really big learning curve for us - how to hold on to that for an entire game," she said.

Weston was part of the Vixens' 2014 title triumph, although given it was her first year and she was behind internationals Bianca Chatfield and Geva Mentor she didn't get a lot of court time.

"The final on the weekend was actually the first final I've played in and won with the Vixens in six years.

"Hopefully we can make some more history."