A perennial force in the Synergy Hair Netball League, Central Manawa will finally get to play a home Grand Final when they meet the Comets in Sunday’s decider in Wellington.
With the exception of 2021, the defending champions have appeared in every final since the inception of the league in 2016, pocketing four titles in the process but never at home (the 2020 season was cancelled due to Covid-19).
Venues for previous Grand Finals have been shared around and Manawa now get the opportunity to line up for a sixth shot at the silverware in front of their faithful against the beaten 2021 finalists.
"With it being at home for the first time, we didn't want to be excluded from the Grand Final, so that was our goal at the start of the season, and we can say that we've achieved that. Now, the next goal is to tick the W (win) box," Manawa coach Ngarama Milner-Olsen said.
"It's an exciting time for the team but no doubt there will be some nerves as well, and it's important how we deal with that side of it. So, we've got to be able to absorb the pressure on the day, capitalise on our own centre pass and ensure that we turn over some ball."
Flying high in top spot for most of the season, two losses for Manawa to end the regular season handed the top qualifying position for Sunday's finale to the Comets but for Milner-Olsen, it's all about what's ahead than what's gone before.
"The talk in camp has now been all about re-setting and reinforcing that this is the game that counts," she said. "What we do this week in the lead-up is now really what counts, and that's what our focus has been.
"Both teams have been able to see each other, we understand how each other plays now and it's important that we just come out and everyone does their job on the day.
"We will have all our players back for this one. We rested a couple last week, just to ensure that we're ready for this weekend and firing on all cylinders."
On the back of the team's strong record in the league, the weight of expectation is always close by.
"Manawa has a huge legacy, a huge history but it's also understanding that we're in a transition phase to ensure we're breeding the next generation of netballers as well, so we've got to keep things in perspective," Milner-Olsen said.
"For many of these players, it's their first time in the NNL and we have three schoolgirls included in our wider squad and two secondary school players in our actual playing 12.
"It's a very young group of players which we haven't had so much in the past, so we've got to keep things in perspective. To come this far and make a Grand Final they've done exceptionally well, and do we have the player make-up to do the job, absolutely. It's up to them to ensure they come out and play their A game."
The match will be the curtain-raiser to the Te Wānanga o Raukawa Pulse vs Northern Mystics ANZ Premiership clash.
NB: The Grand Final match will screen live on SKY Sport at 2pm on Sunday, May 14