3 minute read

While Melbourne have locked away top spot, the Super Netball finals make-up is still to be determined with teams jostling for positions in the last round.

Minor premiers the Melbourne Vixens can breathe easy this weekend as the other Super Netball finalists scramble in the last regular round to decide the make-up of the play-offs.

The Vixens are six points clear ahead of the finals but only four points separate the Sunshine Coast Lightning, West Coast Fever and the defending champions NSW Swifts.

In the finals series, first plays second with the winner advancing straight through to the grand final. The loser gets a second chance and plays the victor of the third-fourth clash.

With four points on offer for a win, the Fever can leap-frog the Lightning into second with a win over Adelaide in the night match at Brisbane's Nissan Arena on Saturday.

The Fever have hit some serious form at the right time of the season, winning their last three, although the Thunderbirds will want to send departing captain Chelsa Pitman out on a high.

The Lightning host the Vixens in a heavyweight clash on Sunday at Sippy Downs with Melbourne out to rebound from a shock six-point loss last round to the Firebirds.

They hope to have co-captain Lizzy Watson back on deck for her 100th match after lingering ankle injury.

"We've just got to dot the I's and cross the T's," said their Jamaican goalkeeper Kadie-Ann Dehaney.

"We don't need to think a lot about the Lightning but we just need to focus on us in this game.

"We definitely learnt a lot from the Firebirds match - although it was hard to look at but we need to learn from our mistakes leading into finals."

In the other matches, last-placed Collingwood takes on the Firebirds in the 1pm Nissan Arena match, while the Swifts can give themselves a chance of moving into third with a win over the Giants in the 3pm fixture.