North Shore United have been crowned 2020 Origin Energy Premier League Opens Champions after a 56-44 win over ERNA Hawks in the Grand Final at Netball Central in Sydney Olympic Park on Wednesday night.
In a game where the final scoreline didn't properly reflect how intense the battle was, United rallied in the third and fourth quarters to deny the Hawks back-to-back Premierships and earn themselves a first Opens title in the process.
Midway through the third quarter it looked like ERNA were on track for successive crowns as they held a willing United side at bay, but when key changes were made in attack and defence the North Shore outfit had an energy the defending champions simply couldn't match.
Both defences were to the fore in the opening stages with only one goal scored in the first two and a half minutes. That score was for ERNA who made a great start with young goal keeper Olivia Coleman taking some impressive intercepts as the defending champions raced out to a 4-1 lead.
However after that they started to lose composure and United came into the game, led well in the midcourt by centre Eliza Burton, and Charlotte Raleigh and Emily Nesbitt in defence. Before long a three-goal deficit had been turned into a two-goal advantage and the Premiers had to play catch-up.
They got themselves back on an equal footing and going to the first break the scores were tied at 11-all with defence the standout element of the game to that point.
North Shore eked out a two-goal lead early in the second quarter before pressing defence from the Hawks allowed them to go on a five-goal scoring streak. Former Swift Emily Keenan and Jacqueline Rikard-Bell looked in good form, and under the post Giants Netball star Sophie Dwyer and Ali Miller were rewarding their midcourters on the scoreboard.
Five minutes from halftime the Hawks led 21-17 and United decided it was time for changes with 2019 NSW Swifts Premiership winner Elle Bennetts introduced at centre to deal with Keenan.
While North Shore did manage to stem the tide initially, they were unable to make inroads into the deficit before the big break and at halftime ERNA led 26-22.
United made more changes for the second half with Ash Fong introduced to help deal with the threat of Dwyer in attack.
The Hawks were holding their opponents at bay until North Shore head coach, former Swifts and Giants star Bec Bulley, tweaked her attack to bring in Sabrina Gomboso at goal shooter.
With a taller target to aim for suddenly Bennetts and wing attack Jordyn Chue were finding it much easier to feed the attack, and the excellent work by Gomboso meant North Shore went to the last break with a one-goal lead: 38-37.
They had all of the momentum in the final quarter and despite trying everything at their disposal, the Hawks couldn't reach the same gear United had been able to find.
They did create turnovers but converting them was proving difficult. Midway through the fourth ERNA were still well in the hunt but massive defensive plays from Fong and Hayley Wilson quickly snuffed out any threat of a comeback.
As they took risks to get back within striking distance they left themselves vulnerable in defence and United punished them at every opportunity.
By the end North Shore were racing to the finish line to collect their winner's medals.
Q1: Hawks 11, United 11
Q2: Hawks 26, United 22
Q3: Hawks 37, United 38
Q4: Hawks 44, United 56
