THE first round of Vitality Netball Superleague finals for 2019 starts this weekend, with all four 2018 finalists backing up their dominant season last year with a fantastic effort again. With both matches played back-to-back on Saturday – albeit at different venues, teams will know early who their grand final opposition will be. Wasps Netball in first will host their 2018 Grand Final rivals, Loughborough Lightning at 5pm at Ricoh Arena for what is sure to be a big match, while Manchester Thunder will host Team Bath at 7pm at Belle Vue as both teams fight for glory.

A stellar start to the season saw Wasps Netball go undefeated for seven matches before three losses in the space of a month put a blip on the radar, forcing the Wasps to re-evaluate as Manchester Thunder overtook them on the ladder. Thunder were another side that had a strong start to the season with four wins in a row, always one step behind the Wasps as their defensive pressure consistently smothered their opposition. Loughborough Lightning had an average start to the season, winning only two from five in the opening rounds before lifting with a big win over Thunder, boosting their work rate and continuing their good form with a seven game winning streak from there. Team Bath have also had a shaky season, ultimately finishing strong but struggling with consistency across the board before settling and winning seven of their past nine matches to make finals for the thirteenth time in 14 years.

Semi-Final 1: Wasps Netball (1) vs. Loughborough Lightning (4)

This matchup is set to be a big one, with both sides overcoming rough patches early in the year to make finals, also maintaining strong winning streaks for periods of the season. The match could go either way, with both sides winning one of their two matches this season, though Lightning’s Round 10 victory by one goal after a 20 goal deficit in the opening match of the season is more likely to be an indicator of how this match could go. That being said, Wasps finished two games clear on top of the ladder, meaning the match could effectively go either way. Both sides will need to be at their best defensively, as both sides have the ability to shoot a large volume in a short amount of time credit to the speed and strength of their respective feeders. The likes of Wasps’ Rachel Dunn and Lightning’s Mary Cholhok are the ones to watch, with both in spectacular form as they head into finals despite their vastly different styles of play – Cholhok a primary shooter, holding at the post, while Dunn shares the load with fellow goaler, Katie Harris. Lightning goal attack, Ella Clark will need to be in on the action from the get-go, with her long bomb accuracy a key part of Lightning’s flow in attack. For Lightning to take home a win this week they will need to shut down the exceptional speed and skill of the Wasps’ midcourt, with the likes of Bongi Msomi and Jade Clarke able to cause havoc if left alone. Lightning pair, Nat Panagarry and Hannah Joseph have solidified well this season, so the midcourt battle is sure to be one to watch. Defensively, both teams have the ability to turn the tide of the match if their defensive players are on fire, with the likes of Tuaine Keenan and Vicki Oyesola big ball winners for the Lightning, while the tactical rotation of Fran Williams, Josie Huckle and Hannah Williams for the Wasps has proved to be a key defensive play for a large part of the season.

Semi-Final 2: Manchester Thunder (2) vs. Team Bath (3)

Though Manchester enter this semi-final with a home advantage, Bath will come into this matchup with the confidence and upper hand, having beat Thunder on both occasions this season, albeit by close margins. Given Bath won their second match against Thunder less than two weeks ago, Thunder are sure to come in hard and fast to win back the points. This match is sure to be a defensive showcase, with both teams playing a predominantly defensive game credit to their full court pressure and ability to gather turnover ball to advantage. Bath has arguably one of the best defensive lineups in the competition, with Summer Artman, Eboni Usoro-Brown and Imogen Allison leading the charge, well backed up by defensive midcourter, Serena Guthrie, whose run and carry through the centre court is unrivalled. For Thunder, the combinations between captain Emma Dovey, Kerry Almond and Rebekah Airey are key in defence, with all three players fantastic at applying pressure on and off the ball and able to create turnovers out of thin air. With both Laura Malcolm and Amy Carter able to enter the match and create a stir, the likes of Mia Ritchie and Rachel Shaw will need to ensure their connections forward to sharpshooters, Kim Commane and Sophie Drakeford-Lewis have pinpoint accuracy. Bath’s defensive unit will need to keep a keen eye on New Zealander, Liana Leota, another player who can have a big impact in a short period of time credit to her drives to circle edge and crafty feeds. With Leota on fire, the likes of Ellie Cardwell and Joyce Mvula should have no issue receiving the pass to put up shots, though Bath’s smooth and skilful circle movement will do anything they can to disrupt the space.