Giants ready for Sunshine Coast Lightning in Super Netball Grand Final replay

SYDNEY midcourter Jamie Lee Price says the Giants are excited, not daunted, by the challenge of having to beat defending champions Lightning in Sunday’s preliminary final to keep alive their quest for an inaugural Super Netball crown.

The Giants and Lightning will meet in a replay of last year’s Grand Final after the Geva Mentor lead side outmuscled the Firebirds 57-56 in a physical minor semi-final in Brisbane on Sunday.

The Sydney and Sunshine Coast clubs will meet at Qudos Bank Arena this coming Sunday at 1pm with the winner advancing to the season decider a week later against West Coast Fever.

A year ago Lightning thrashed the Giants 65-48 to claim the 2017 Super Netball crown - a thumping Price said she and her teammates have not forgotten.

“I don’t want to ever feel like that again,’’ Price said after watching the Lightning/Firebirds thriller on TV.

“I think it’s exciting we get a shot at avenging what happened last year. It’s a great opportunity.’’

Price, who recently made her first Diamonds squad on the back of a stellar season with the Giants, said she and her teammates are desperate to prove they are a better team than the one which fell to Fever by six goals in Saturday’s major semi-final.

“We’re very disappointed with that and we don’t want to waste this opportunity to show we can play much better netball,’’ Price said.

“We will learn from the game. I know when we are in form we are unstoppable.’’

West Coast Fever defied all the odds to claim the first spot in the Grand Final on Saturday.

The Perth-based side had to travel back and forth to Sydney twice in just seven days with Fever also having to contend with a knee injury to star shooter Jhaniele Fowler which saw her sidelined for almost a quarter of the hour long major semi-final.

PRELIMINARY FINAL
Giants v Sunshine Coast Lightning

Sunday, 1pm

Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney

TV: Channel 9.