The Southern Force are the new Australian netball champions, taking a thrilling two-goal win over eight-time champions Victorian Fury on Sunday.
Up by as much as 13 goals early in the third term, the Force then withstood a fierce Fury fightback – which saw the Victorians almost draw level with less than 30 seconds remaining to send the match into overtime.
But a tough replay call on Fury wing attack Jordan Cransberg allowed the Force to hang on to the heart-stopping 59-57 win.
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Led by co-captain Lucy Austin, who finished with 38 goals from 40 attempts, the South Australians claimed just their second gold medal since the tournament began.
It was an ominous start for the reigning champions Fury with Emma Ryde missing her first goal of the match.
Force goal attack Lauren Frew was able to dust herself off after a heavy early fall in the opening term to help steer her side to a four-goal lead at the first change.
Defensive duo Jessie Grenvold and Chelsea Blackman snapped up a combined four intercepts for the quarter and maintained their strong partnership in the second term, forcing Ryde to the bench as the Vics pushed Ruby Barkmeyer back to goal shooter and introduced Claudia Mawson.
With the Force up by nine at the main break, the Fury were forced to change their line up in the third.
Ryde returned to the court but made little difference as the Force, backed by a vocal ‘Red Army’ crowd and their bench, pushed the lead out to 13 goals.
Barkmeyer returned to Fury’s attack end while Vixens squad member Olivia Lewis headed to the bench, replaced by Gabrielle Coffey in goal keeper.
A big holding penalty on the three quarter time buzzer gifted Barkmeyer a goal to narrow the Force’s lead to eight at the final change.
Sharni Lambden moved to goal defence while 18-year-old Poppy Gilfillan-Silk stayed out on court in goal attack for the Force for the last quarter.
The match went goal for goal in the opening minutes before Blackman was penalised for a step and the Fury converted through Ryde under the post.
A miscommunication between Fury’s Jordan Cransberg and Barkmeyer coughed up possession, pushing the Force lead back out to nine.
But with just seven and a bit minutes to go, the Fury threw everything at their South Australian rivals.
Coffey pulled off the intercept with front position on Austin as the lead narrowed to just six before Frew was brought back onto court.
Down by seven goals with just over four minutes remaining, the Fury found another level to turn the match.
A contact call on Frew in the goal circle gifted the Fury possession before a big Lambden intercept saw the Vics stream down court.
Cransberg thought she’d cost her side a chance when she was hit with a contact call, but Grenvold had a horror moment and replayed the ball as she took the penalty, turning possession immediately back over.
The Force held a two-goal lead with less than one minute remaining on the clock as Coffey forced a ball to sail across the baseline off Austin.
In possession and with their centre pass to come to tie up the game, a harsh replay call on Cransberg coughed up the ball and the Force held on in the dying seconds.
It was a brutal way for the match to end, but the Force had been the better team for the match – winning despite having one less shot on goal than the Fury.
Victorian midcourter Hannah Mundy was named tournament MVP.
In the bronze medal match, the Queensland Sapphires upset the Collingwood Magpies 72-64.
