Netball: Flames fancy their chances against Sting in final

By JULIE ASH

She has achieved it once in her netball career and Flames captain Belinda Colling is sure it can be done again.

It, of course, is beat the Southern Sting in the final of the National Bank Cup.

Colling was part of the Otago Rebels side who beat the Sting in the final of the inaugural competition back in 1998.

But since then, the only other name to appear on the trophy is the Southern Sting who have won it for the past five years in a row.

And on three occasions, the Flames were their victims in the final.

"They just seem to be able to put together good, solid performances," Colling said.

"I don't think they are a team that do anything out of the ordinary or do anything flashy. They are just a really good team, who don't make mistakes and do the basics really well and they just have that habit of winning."

It's a habit the Flames are keen to break and tonight could be their best chance as the Sting have looked a little shaky in recent weeks.

Following their 12-goal loss to the Force in their final round-robin match, the Sting were lucky to scramble away with a 55-52 win over the Flames in the minor semifinals.

The Flames could have taken the match but lost the plot a little under the pressure.

"I think what we have taken from that match is that the opportunities were there," Colling said.

"In the past when we have played the Sting, although we have been within five or six goals of them, we haven't had the chance to win the game.

"Although we didn't nail it last time, it was there for the taking. We know if we get it right the game is there for us."

The teams are evenly matched through the court, and Colling believed that shutting down the Sting's shooting machine, Donna Loffhagen, would be crucial.

Loffhagen, who has been released from the Tall Ferns basketball team amid their test programme against Poland and Korea, is extremely mobile and seems able to land shots from anywhere in the circle.

"The way the Sting play the game, I think it will be up to Vili [Davu] to stop Donna because theoretically, Donna and Natalie [Avellino] switch positions once the centre pass off has gone. Donna runs into the circle and plays that goal shooter game so it will be up to Vili ... and what better person do you want on your side to try and shut Donna down?"

Although much has been made of playing at Stadium Southland in front of 4000 screaming Sting fans, Colling said it was not that big a deal.

"I do think being in that stadium, and being in that atmosphere, does a lot for them as players.

"I could be playing anywhere - you have to be able to get on the court and do what you have got to do and everything outside the court is irrelevant."

Although the Flames will have identified and addressed where they went wrong in their past two encounters against the Invercargill-based side, Sting coach Robyn Broughton said it was slightly more difficult for her team.

"It is hard to say where we are at exactly. But basically we have to take that extra step up and absorb the pressure just that bit more too," she said.

"The longer you are at the top, the more pressure you have to absorb, and you have to be prepared for it."

Broughton expected her defenders, Anna Galvan and Jenny Ferguson, would shoulder a heavy burden in contending with Colling and Jodi Te Huna, who have been one of the standout shooting combinations in the competition.

"Our defence are going to have to work hard against their shooting combination because they play a different sort of game, they don't play high balls, they play the solid, hold-the-player type game.

"I have been working hard on our defence to come off the players and go for the ball. Jodi and Belinda are experts at ball-protection by their bodies."

Broughton admitted her side probably appeared a little vulnerable, but believed they were at most risk early in the season.

"Certainly we have been vulnerable ever since we lost Tania Dalton as far as I am concerned.

"If those teams didn't home in on it quickly then that is their problem. But Natalie [Avellino] has really adapted to us now and she is really moving into the situation with confidence and now she has had a go at all those big ones.

"She was really quite frightened by the size of, say, Vili [Davu] because she had never played against her. But now she has had that experience and is a lot more confident with it."

While the Flames were entrenched in their battle with the Force last weekend, the Sting invited some up-and-comers to Invercargill for a hit-out.

"It was beneficial but it was not a big competition match," Broughton said.

"That match the Flames had last week is certainly an edge."

Neither Broughton nor Colling would be surprised if the match went virtually goal for goal.

"Being in front going into the last quarter is going to be really significant," Colling said.

Composure would then be crucial.

* The match is on TV One tonight from 7.30pm.