Townsville are intent on extracting semi-final revenge on in-form defending WNBL champions Sydney University Flames and believe the new finals format works in their favour.
Both teams finished with a 14-7 record this season, but the Flames enjoyed a 2-1 head-to-head advantage.
The Flames eliminated the Fire in straight games in last year's semis.
"It's a nasty taste in our mouths from last year and we don't want that to happen again," Fire veteran Micaela Cocks said.
"We know what we need to do and we've got all the talent, the resources, coaching staff, everything in place, we just have to come out and fire."
This season the order of finals matches has been changed, with the higher-placed team playing away in game one of the best-of-three series.
"We've spoken about that,' Fire coach Claudia Brassard said.
"It's not a huge home court advantage (for Sydney) in the semis, because you're actually away first, so it certainly puts the pressure on them."
While a loss on Thursday would leave Townsville needing to win both games in Sydney, Brassard said a win would take the pressure off her side.
"Then we just need to get to Sydney and get one of the two," Brassard said.
"We've beaten them on their home court already this season, so we've got a bit of confidence out of that and we have probably a bit of a deeper team than they do."
Sydney go into the finals buoyed by five straight wins, while Townsville's only loss over the same stretch was to the Flames.
A diplomatic Flames coach Cheryl Chambers said she wasn't sure what to make of the new order of games, but felt it probably offered the higher-placed side less of an advantage than in the past.
She hasn't totally ruled out point guard Tahlia Tupaea making an appearance in the finals, despite her missing all of the season to date with a foot injury.
Brassard is looking for her side to make a faster start and defend better than when the Flames smashed them 107-81 in their final round clash in Sydney last Friday.
"Ideally we're looking to keep them under 80," Brassard said.
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