GRIFFITH Swans A grade netball coach Karen Conlan said her side is not getting ahead of themselves despite building well towards the finals over the closing stages of the regular season.
Conlan said despite playing Mangoplah-Cookardinia United-Eastlakes at the neutral venue of Narrandera, her side could not take anything for granted with the form guide going out the window.
"We can never be too confident in finals as it always seems to be a whole new ball game, especially in the stadium where I expect it will be a fast and furious game," Conlan said.
"The whole competition this year has been so tight, making the final five a task in itself. We certainly can beat all the finals teams as we have done it before, but it still remains to be done when it counts."
The season has been a disjointed one for the top side, with some of the side's exiting younger players regularly called away on representative duty.
However, Conlan said the senior players in the side had taken many of the young Swans under their wing, adding they were forming a potent side for years to come.
"Ideally we would have usually had more seniors to assist blooding a few juniors, however, we have been in a position of having half the team consisting of players under 17 years old.
"Fortunately our senior players, such as Robyn Overs and Clare Irvin, are dominant players amongst the league standard, which is fantastic support, and our juniors are very capable and eager to learn."
The side is full of confidence heading into the finals after disposing of the dangerous Turvey Park side by 15 goals last weekend.
Griffith's final place on the ladder, and their course through the early finals rounds, were still to be decided by results last weekend, but when Leeton-Whitton lost to Ganmain-Grong Grong-Matong, the Swans were handed a sudden-death game first up.
"This is probably not actually any different to the pressure we've been under just to make the finals, as we have been playing for fifth since June," Conlan said.
"Our girls have certainly risen to this challenge week in and week out, knocking off all the top teams."
Turvey held a one-goal lead at the first break with Belinda Battistel stepping up in goal attack to score seven goals for the Swans, with Conlan helping Griffith to a five-goal lead in the second term thanks to her 13 goals.
Ellen John's precision passing was fed from the dependable Clare Irvin and Peta Larkin who did a great job keeping Turvey to just nine goals as Griffith stretched the lead to eight by three-quarter time.
A massive Swans' final quarter saw Maddy Tyson step up with some great intercepts to see Griffith run out easy winners 58-43