Cardiff Dragons’ Leah Middleton has backed Loughborough Lightning to assert a historic three-peat within the Netball Tremendous League Grand Closing.
Lightning, champions in 2023 and 2024, completed second within the Tremendous League desk behind London Pulse after profitable 10 of their 14 video games and the 2 groups at the moment are gearing as much as face one another within the main semi-final, stay on Sky Sports activities Combine on Friday June 20 from 8pm, with the winner progressing straight into the Grand Closing on July 6.
The minor semi-final will see third-placed Manchester Thunder tackle fourth-placed London Mavericks – additionally stay on Sky Sports activities Combine from 6pm on Friday and a repeat of their final league sport which Thunder received 67-45 – with the winner taking part in the loser of the key semi-final within the preliminary closing.
“My money is on Loughborough Lightning to win all the way,” Middleton mentioned on the Sky Sports activities Netball podcast.
“I think it’ll be a Loughborough Lightning three-peat, but I do think Mavericks are going to give Thunder a good run for their money, but I don’t think that Thunder are going to beat the Mavericks twice in a row.”
Loughborough Lightning misplaced to sixth-placed Birmingham Panthers 58-67 on the Utilita Area in Cardiff throughout spherical 14 of the Tremendous League.
“I think Loughborough are just not a team that loses like that twice,” Middleton added.
“I can vouch for that. We played them the week after they had lost like that previously, and they were not holding back. They are 100 per cent not a nice team to come up against after they’ve lost.
“I do assume they are going to be raring to go come these finals. They’d have taken a lot from that loss on the weekend and would have discovered rather a lot. They will put out efficiency come finals time.
“Loughborough’s experience is almost untouchable, and when you get into these pressure moments, that’s when it comes in handy.
“It is cliche, however you possibly can’t purchase expertise, and I feel that may work wonders for them. A few of these gamers have gotten Grand Closing expertise, and you may’t beat that.”
Middleton expected to return in September after ‘freak accident’
Earlier this year, Middleton suffered an injury which saw Cardiff Dragons’ game against Birmingham Panthers abandoned.
Former Surrey Storm player Middleton, who can play as a goalkeeper or goal defence, is one of the Dragons’ co-vice captains and has been out since March, undergoing rehabilitation.
“My surgeon described it to me as an absolute freak accident,” Middleton explained.
“He’s a particularly skilled surgeon with 30-plus years working in his business and he truthfully mentioned to me, he is by no means, ever seen a compound dislocation with no break.
“That’s what I have. It’s really scary times. I have had the first surgery to correct all of the skin side of things and now I’m dealing with a really awful ankle sprain.
“I feel it was additional powerful for my mother and father again dwelling [in Australia], clearly attempting to look at on the stream, however not in a position to have all the info.
“I’m just so thankful that everything’s turned out the way it has, and recovery is going well. And rehab is a hard slog, but we’re getting there.”
Middleton’s workforce, Dragons, completed backside of the Tremendous League desk in eighth place, having solely received two of their 14 video games, with the primary win coming in spherical 9.
“There’s definitely been some growth in the group,” Middleton mentioned.
“That first win, I feel like it was a long time coming, but our head coach Reinga Bloxham, she says we have to focus on being better each week and the girls have really taken that in their stride.
“They’ve had some actually aggressive matches which have gone proper right down to the wire, taken a bonus level off Manchester Thunder, which was wonderful.
“And although we haven’t always had that consistency for 60 minutes, they’ve put a great effort out there, and it is going in the right direction.
“It takes time. There’s been a diffusion of expertise. A number of the groups on the backside just a few years in the past would have struggled to get anyplace close to the highest and take a bonus level off Thunder or to push Mavericks to extra-time.
“All of those things are a step in the right direction.”
Friday June 20
Minor semi-final
Manchester Thunder vs London Mavericks (stay on Sky Sports activities Combine from 6pm, Centre cross: 6.30pm)
Winner performs loser of main semi-final in new preliminary closing
Main semi-final
London Pulse vs Loughborough Lightning (stay on Sky Sports activities Combine, centre cross: 8pm)
Winner progresses straight to Grand Closing
Weekend two: June 28-29
Preliminary closing
Loser of main semi-final (dwelling venue) vs winner of the minor semi-final
Winner progresses to Grand Closing
Grand closing: Sunday July 6
Winner of main semi-final vs winner of preliminary closing
Winner topped Netball Tremendous League champion
Why the brand new format?
The brand new construction places extra emphasis on the league standings for the highest 4 groups in rivalry.
The highest two groups get a second likelihood to ebook their spot within the Grand Closing, as they may lose within the main semi-final however nonetheless progress to the Grand Closing with a win within the preliminary closing.
The third and fourth-placed groups from the common season must win two play-off matches to safe a spot within the Grand Closing.
