KEY POINTS:
The NSW Swifts have spent more time in airport departure lounges than on the training court this week, but ask anybody in the team and they'll insist there's no chance they'll be flat for tomorrow's semifinal match-up against the Magic.
After overcoming the West Coast Fever in Perth on Monday night, the Swifts short turnaround between games was made shorter by the fact they have lost the best part of two days travelling.
The Swifts flight home from Perth was delayed, meaning they didn't get back to Sydney until Tuesday night and had limited time on the ground before flying out to Auckland yesterday.
Swifts coach Julie Fitzgerald said it's been a testing week for her side, but she is confident there won't be any rustiness when they hit the court tomorrow.
"We're just adopting the attitude that we're really grateful to be here," she said. "I think at this end of the season you're really just fine tuning things so you don't need hours on the training court. I think we've had enough preparation."
All the travel has put an added importance on the Swifts recovery sessions and Fitzgerald said she has been careful not to overload her players' training this week.
Swifts shooter Susan Pratley said any tiredness she has felt has been tempered with the added excitement that comes with playing finals netball.
"It's been tough, but it's part of the deal now with the competition and it's up to us to make sure it doesn't affect us," the Australian international said.
Pratley said there is a different vibe in the Swifts camp now they have entered play-off territory, but they are trying not to get too wound up.
Their consistent form over the latter half of the season is proof they are doing something right, and Pratley said they have been sticking with the same routine at training.
"We've had a pretty fun vibe throughout the season, we're a really close team so we go to training and have a bit of fun and then we get serious so this week has been pretty much the same. We've just been taking things nice and easy and making sure we don't get too worked up about it."
