The Annemarie Kupa-coached NGHS have the opportunity to try to prove tonight their 53-40 victory over Otane a fortnight ago wasn't an aberration.
On the flip side, the prudent may argue NGHS perhaps shuffled their cards too early because that gave Otane a kick up the bum to sort themselves out at the business end.
"We were pretty gutted and disappointed so we're really ready to take them on but it's not just that because it's the semifinals so it's do or die," says Otane goal defence Briar Chalmers.
Chalmers says it was a bit of both - NGHS bringing their A game and Otane failing to turn up two rounds ago THAT Wednesday night.
"I guess we were still in a holiday mode and Napier Girls definitely came to play."
The 27-year-old Woodford House sports co-ordinator says NGHS' attack impressed as they failed to contain them the second Big Mo got in their corner.
Chalmers, in her sixth season with the powerhouses, says NGHS also knew how to put up the shutters and "were going for everything".
What makes the schoolgirls dangerous, she feels, is in taking the nothing-to-lose attitude after creating history in making the playoffs already.
"Everyone probably underestimates them a lot so they are there to give it their best."
Otane have no injuries and co-coaches Tammy Kupa and Jewels Falcon have put them through their paces.
NGHS goal keep Valentine Kahukura is adamant they have the potential to win the Super 8 crown because of the spread of talent.
To realise that potential, Kahukura feels experience is required.
"They'll have a few tricks up their sleeves," says the 16-year-old Wairoa-born boarder of Otane.
The Year 12 pupil says NGHS are oozing with confidence "to leave it all out there on the court".
"We do have a few things to work on here and there," says Kahukura, saluting coach Annemarie Kupa who has an eye for details and the diplomacy to bring the best out in the teenagers.
Marking Otane goal shoot and Beko League aspirant Kelsey McPhee, before she hobbled off injured, gave the Bay under-17 representative a good snapshot of what to aspire to.
The All In and Huias game should be harder to predict. They drew 35-35 after the former set the tone before the latter got into the act in the third quarter.
Huias captain Abby Hall says they went into the final round mindful their position was secure and their opposition decent regardless of whether they faced All In or NGHS.
"It's almost worked in our favour to play All In again because we can go back and improve on what we didn't do," says Hall who was a spectator after she stopped playing during the past school holidays due to being 13 weeks pregnant.
"I think All In played better than us and we didn't play to the level we can, is how I'd put it," says the wing attack of her side who regained promotion to the championship after the shield round.
Hall reckons with no one claiming the favourites tag the excitement levels will rocket.
"It'll be a bit hard for me to be watching but they'll do the job," she says with a laugh.
All In captain Candis Timms reveals they preferred to win the previous round because of the uncertainty surrounding where they were likely to finish had they lost. Timms believes Huias and All In gave their all so in that sense a stalemate was a fair result.
"We know that we need to focus on ourselves and not on what others are doing," says the 28-year-old centre, agreeing the playoffs are wide open but not keen to look beyond tonight's game just yet.
All In, she says, will need to be diligent throughout the 60 minutes because anything shy of that will end their campaign.
Defending champions Outkast Optimise Physio play Central Sports Vet Services HB for fifth-sixth playoff at 7.45pm on PGA 1 after HGHS face HHSOG Spicers Keas on the same court for seventh-eighth playoff at 6.15pm.
TONIGHT'S GAMES
From Rd 8 and playoffs of the Super 8 competition at the PG Arena, Taradale:
■ 6.15pm: 1 Otane Thirsty Whale v NGHS 4 Senior A PGA 2 semifinal.
Umpires: K. Jones & K. Ives.
■ 7.45pm: 2 HHSOG Proactive Huias v 3 All In Elusive PGA 2 semifinal.
Umpires: H. Lewis & N. Corbett.
■ 7.45pm: Outkast Optimise Physio v Central Sports Vet Services HB PGA 1 5th & 6th playoff.
Umpires: T. Gardiner & N. Walker.
■ 6.15pm: HGHS Senior A v HHSOG Spicers Keas PGA 1 7th & 8th playoff.
Umpires: J. Varcoe & A. Williams.
Note: 6.15pm court 1, T. Gardiner. S1, S. Benge. S2, S. Walker. T1, M. Newland. T2, D. Davy. BM, J. Stairmand. Court 2, H. Lewis. S1, J. Shaw. S2, K. Turnbull. T1, J. Scott. T2, C. Jamieson. BM, D. Pearse.
Bench officials: 7.45pm court 1, J. Varcoe. S1, S. Walker. S2, D. Pea.
