Super Netball: Melbourne Vixens to face West Coast Fever in grand final after heartstopping preliminary final

The Melbourne Vixens have punched their ticket to a Super Netball grand final with a sensational one-goal win after Swifts attacker Helen Housby missed her shot in the dying second. The Swifts were in pole position to face the unstoppable West Coast Fever in the decider after building a 10-goal lead at the final break of their preliminary final at Qudos Bank Arena on Sunday. But the Vixens, determined to extend retiring coach Simone McKinnis’s reign by one more week, sprung to life and built a 65-64 lead. Swifts star Grace Nweke levelled the scores at 65-65, before Vixens goalshooter Sophie Garbin returned serve to restore the visitors’ one-goal lead. Housby then had the chance to send the game into extra time when she received the ball in the circle in the dying seconds, but sent it over. The Vixens face West Coast in next Saturday’s grand final and will enjoy home-court advantage at Rod Laver Arena under Super Netball’s controversial policy of selling hosting rights for the decider. Vixens shooter Garbin was on song with 46 goals from 47 attempts, while captain Kate Moloney finished with 24 goal assists and 35 feeds. The visitors were cleaner and took their chances better in a frantic opening term to take a 15-12 lead at the first break. But the home side wrestled back momentum when Nweke pulled off seven consecutive goals, launching the Swifts ahead 31-29 in the second quarter. Nweke’s attacking work was complemented by wing defence Sharni Lambden, who worked hard to nullify Vixen opponent Zara Walters. Vixens coach McKinnis was forced to turn to the bench in a bid to free up their attack, handing Tara Watson her Super Netball debut in place of Walters. McKinnis again threw around the magnets when the Swifts burst to a six-goal lead midway through the third term, moving Diamonds star Jo Weston into wing defence and bringing Kate Eddy into goal defence. But NSW rolled with the punches and broke out to a 51-41 lead, before the Vixens came home in a flurry. Swifts centre and co-captain Paige Hadley’s impact was immediately felt on return from a foot injury, as Nweke rediscovered her form in attack with 53 goals from 58 attempts.