Giants gain edge in netball finals scrap

Giants coach Julie Fitzgerald is relieved to have the edge going into a desperate last-round scrap for a Super Netball finals spot.

The Giants moved closer to the playoffs with a 14-goal away victory over the Adelaide Thunderbirds on Sunday.

The visitors won three quarters in a scrappy and physical contest to prevail 54-40, securing three bonus points for a match tally of seven.

They're in fourth place, just one point ahead of the surging Collingwood Magpies, but should enter their final-round clash against the languishing West Coast Fever at home on Saturday as firm favourites to advance.

The Magpies face the finals-bound Melbourne Vixens in the final game of the regular season on Sunday.

"Our fate's in our hands," Fitzgerald said .

"We know exactly what we have to do and we know that we have to take each game as it comes."

Fitzgerald believed her team was finding form at the right time, becoming more consistent.

"That's what let us down all year and, since the World Cup break, I think we've got a lot better at that," she said.

"And we're better at going back to what works for us when we're under pressure."

The game was defined by intercepts and turnovers, as both teams struggled to take the ball cleanly down the court.

Shamera Sterling was a stand out for the beaten Thunderbirds, notching a record 10 intercepts against Diamonds captain and Giants goal shooter Caitlin Bassett (32 goals from 38 attempts).

Adelaide's shooting line-up was depleted after Sasha Glasgow (four goals from six attempts) went down with a knee injury at the end of the first quarter.

She was replaced by 197-centimetre Emma Ryde, who shot 18 goals from 19 attempts before she too came off with a knee injury at the end of the third period.

Coach Tania Obst said her side improved as the game went on, despite its injury woes.

"I thought we were able to gather our thoughts after half time and to draw the third quarter and then to only lose the last quarter by a goal... I actually think that was a really good effort," she said.

Out of finals reckoning, Thunderbirds will travel to the Sunshine Coast next week for a clash with the finals-bound Lightning.