Narelle Eather has waited three years to play finals again and is not ready for the season to be over yet.
The Souths captain and centre will play a key role as minor premiers Lions fight for survival in Newcastle championship netball's do-or-die preliminary final at National Park on Saturday.
But standing in their way are a firing West Leagues Balance.
Lions dropped just one game on their way to securing back-to-back minor premierships but lost the major semi-final 46-42 against second-placed University of Newcastle, who advanced to the grand final.
West finished fourth but powered through their minor semi-final, beating third-placed Nova 72-43.
Last weekend was the first time both West and Souths had played with a full complement of players. Both have had squad disruptions due to several players' NSW Premier League commitments.
It is something Eather felt may have put them at a slight disadvantage last weekend.
"Our team are really fortunate to have several premier league players but that also comes with its pitfalls," Eather said.
"Last Saturday was the first time this season that we had the whole team there, which was great but it just meant that was the first time we actually tested those combinations. West were in the same situation.
"Uni tend to have the same team most weeks, and you could tell that. They were a real team. I think we were just finding our feet, having everyone back. But this week we'll have to get those combinations firing."
At 46, Eather will be the most experienced player on the court.
The former national league midcourter proved pivotal to Souths' success in winning three successive grand finals between 2014 and 2016 but they then lost three in a row to West from 2017 to 2019.
No finals have been played since due to COVID.
"I feel like last year we were gypped because we played really well but didn't get to play the final when we were in first," Eather said.
"This year we just want to show that the last two years, when we were in those top positions, that we could've won those finals. It feels like it has been three years coming.
"I was disappointed on Saturday that we lost because we had the team there to win. But sometimes that loss gives you an extra bit of spark."
West and Souths are evenly matched across the court with no clear weakness.
"I'd expect it's going to be a really tight tussle and will just come down to who plays as a team and wants to win the most," Eather said.
University replaced Forsythes in the competition in 2020 and this year will be the club's first grand final appearance.
