AO Manchester Thunder secured a dramatic 54-51 victory over London Pulse in the Soft & Gentle Grand Final at the Co-op Live Arena, claiming their fifth Netball Super League title and equalling Team Bath's record. Head coach Karen Greig, who has been part of all five championship wins as either a player or coach, described the achievement as a fairytale.
Record-Equalling Triumph in Manchester
The Grand Final was held in Manchester for the first time, allowing Thunder to clinch the crown in front of a home crowd. Greig, in her tenth year as head coach, said: "It means everything. We’ve been talking about the stars aligning all season. To do this in my tenth year, in the club’s 25th anniversary, and win our fifth title - drawing level with Team Bath - is really special."
Comeback from Early Season Struggles
The victory marked a remarkable turnaround from Thunder's rocky start to the season. They left the Soft & Gentle Super Cup winless and lost their season opener to Pulse. However, Greig's side lost just once more, finishing top of the regular season table before beating Pulse in both the Major Semi-Final and the Grand Final. "What a ride it’s been this season," Greig added. "From not winning a game at the Super Cup, to winning the league, and then going on to win the Netball Super League Grand Final. It’s epic."
Gritty Performance Against Resurgent Pulse
London Pulse, much improved from their semi-final defeat two weeks earlier, pushed Thunder all the way. Pulse had earned their place in the final by beating Loughborough Lightning. They trailed by six goals entering the final quarter but fought back, with Sophie Kelly sinking two Amex Super Shots to level the score at 49-49 with two minutes remaining. Thunder held their nerve to edge ahead and secure the win.
Greig acknowledged Pulse's resilience: "We knew Pulse would win the ball quickly, they’re hungry, they get hands to everything. At times we gave them opportunities by making sloppy choices and stopping our ball movement, and they capitalised on that." She added: "We regrouped at half time and again in that final quarter. It came down to belief, we knew we had everything we needed. We just had to use it at the right time."
Game-Changing Substitution
A key tactical move was the introduction of Australian goal attack Sophie Fawns midway through the second quarter. Fawns injected pace into Thunder's attack and earned the Experience Kissimmee Player of the Match award. Greig said: "Sophie was our 'joker card'. We knew she could come on at any time. In the second quarter, we got a bit tight and stopped moving the ball. She came on, added speed, and really opened things up. Her baseline work was outstanding. It added a completely new dimension to our attack."
