Giants claim netball minor premiership

The Giants have seen off a last-minute scare from the West Coast Fever to win 69-66 and secure the Super Netball minor premiership and a home major semi-final.

The Sydney side claimed three of four quarters over the formerly first-placed Fever, who outscored the Giants 22 points to 11 in the final period on Saturday night but couldn't do enough to steal a win.

The Fever's hopes of a second-placed finish, and the second chance that comes with a major semi-final appearance, is now in doubt.

The visitors must wait for the result of Sunday's clash between the Melbourne Vixens and Sunshine Coast Lightning, with the Lightning able to leapfrog the Fever with an eight-point win and a better for-and-against goals percentage.

Giants coach Julie Fitzgerald wasn't too concerned by the fourth-quarter performance, instead focusing on three quarters of positive netball.

"I think if they really had to, (the Giants) could have found another gear but there were some pretty tired bodies out there," Fitzgerald said.

"I thought when we did, in the first three quarters, when we did drop a goal we were very good at winning it back fairly early on and that helped us to maintain that pressure."

Jo Harten was often the focal point of a fast and frequently passing Giants attack at Sydney's International Convention Centre.

She was most effective from further out with long-range scoring and directing play in and around the circle, going on to record 34 goals from 40 attempts with six assists.

Harten had Susan Pettitt (35/40) firing in support at goal shooter, while Fever goal attack Nat Medhurst could muster only two goals from four attempts in support of the league's foremost shooting threat.

The Fever's Jhaniele Fowler, who's about 150 goals ahead of the league's next best, managed 63 goals from 72 shots, hampered only by an effective contest from Giants goalkeeper Sam Poolman.

The Perth side turned the ball over 18 times to 17 but it was the nature of those turnovers that would influence the result.

When the Giants turned the ball over, they were intent on winning it back, and often did so quickly.