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Netball - 22. May 2017.

Final Contendes locked in after round 13

THE TIME FOR TINKERING IS OVER, WITH SUNCORP SUPER NETBALL’S HEAVYWEIGHTS SETTLING ON THEIR BEST AVAILABLE COMBINATIONS OVER THE COMPETITION’S PENULTIMATE ROUND.

With just a couple of exceptions, the coaches stuck with the partnerships that will either make or break their seasons when the semi-finals arrive on the weekend of June 3.

No leniency was afforded the Adelaide Thunderbirds or the NSW Swifts who were punished by the top two teams.

The Melbourne Vixens would have lost little momentum by injecting the experienced Khao Watts or handing some valuable game time to Kadie-Ann Dehaney in their romp against the Thunderbirds.

They led by 12 at the final change and the result that propelled them back into top spot was already a given.

Instead, the Vixens remained unchanged for the last quarter and threw down their second-highest total of the season.

It underlined a ruthless mindset preached by captain Kate Moloney and ensured the starting seven would use every available minute to further tighten their connections and condition themselves for the finals.

A loss to West Coast Fever would not have been season-ending for Magpies Netball but would have severely dented their confidence ahead of the sudden-death stage.

That was the reality they faced when the Perth outfit drew level in the third quarter of a tight contest.

And so, already weakened by a season-ending knee injury to Cody Lange, the Magpies were forced into a change in one of the most critical positions at goal attack.

Shae Brown’s energy dragged the Magpies out of jail, but Alice Teague-Neeld’s one attempt in three quarters was a worrying sign.

The Sunshine Coast Lightning were in control and on track to keep their line-up unchanged until Stephanie Wood’s illness forced her off the court against the NSW Swifts.

It has been several weeks since coach Noeline Taurua decided the Kelsey Browne, Laura Scherian and Laura Langman trinity was the Lightning’s strongest midcourt mix.

And Karla Mostert has locked in her spot as Geva Mentor’s defensive partner.

But once Wood was rested, the Lightning saw some value in giving cameos to Madeline McAuliffe and Erena Mikaere.

Make no mistake, the Lightning are well aware of their strengths and weaknesses and have no intention to experiment in the last fortnight of the regular season.

GIANTS Netball simply had to make the changes they did against the focused Queensland Firebirds.

The top two contender has a settled line but it failed to deliver, with all but Jo Harten outplayed by their direct opponents.

Coach Julie Fitzgerald’s challenge this week will be to rediscover the precursors that sparked the Giants’ near-perfect performance against the Vixens in Round 12.

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