THE NSW Swifts took the unorthodox step of using rugby league tackle bags in their training for an expected physical preliminary final clash, but nothing could have prepared them for the emotional impact of their shock exit from the trans-Tasman netball championship yesterday.
The Swifts were beaten 54-49 by Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic at Newcastle Entertainment Centre, leaving many NSW players in tears.
What made the loss so hard to take was that the Swifts had won every game of the regular season before back-to-back finals losses ended their dream of a championship.
Magic booked their passage to the grand final in two weeks against Adelaide Thunderbirds thanks largely to world-class shooting star Irene van Dyk.
The New Zealand international landed a phenomenal 44 out of 45 goal attempts. Goal attack Jodi Brown chipped in with eight from 10.
Swifts skipper and shooter Catherine Cox made 32 of her 38 shots and goal attack Susan Pratley contributed 17 goals.
The Swifts trailed by 10 at the three-quarter mark but, spurred on by a capacity crowd of 5000 that was boosted by many junior netballers in town for the state age championships, they launched an impressive comeback.
With four minutes to go Van Dyk came up with her only miss on goal and the Swifts got back within five goals.
But the Magic steadied and held firm for a deserved win.
Swifts coach Julie Fitzgerald said the Magic were "red-hot".
"It was a substandard performance last week [against Adelaide], but today the girls tried their hardest," Fitzgerald said. "We were beaten by the better team on the day."
Cox, who played with a fractured nose sustained in last week's loss, was shattered by the loss but proud of the way her team fought back and gave the crowd something to cheer about.
"It was gut-wrenching," Cox said.
"But at the end of the game it was all Swifts. We turned it on for them. I'm glad we could show them some of what they came to see.
"Ten goals is a lot to come back from."
She paid tribute to Magic's game plan, built around Van Dyk's prowess.
"We would have played like that forever if we had Irene at the end," Cox said.
"They'll win the final."
Despite her recent battering, Cox, 34, said she had no plans to retire.
"If my body holds together I'll play forever," she said.
"I love the sport and I love this team."
Van Dyk is four years Cox's senior.
"Irene gives me a lot of hope," Cox said. "She's so great in the air and all they need to do is give her the ball."
Magic coach Noeline Taurua said Van Dyk's main challenge was hunger.
"Her body's really good, her mind is really good, it's just about keeping her motivated," Taurua said.
"If she can hold really strong and we can put the ball to her, no one can stop her."
Despite the good form of stars Van Dyk, Laura Langman and goal defender Casey Williams , Magic's winning secret was their teamwork, Taurua said.
"We want to be known as a team, not just the stars, and we've concentrated and focused on being one," she said.
Newcastle's Lara Welham was an unused substitute for the Swifts.
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