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Replays top help netball repeat: Firebirds

Queensland captain Laura Geitz believes the Firebirds can repeat their last-gasp 2015 trans Tasman netball title win as they vie for a historical repeat.

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Source: AAP


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Replays of the Queensland Firebirds' last-gasp 2015 ANZ trans Tasman netball championship win still thrill captain Laura Geitz.

And she believes it might just spark a repeat.

Geitz admits she is still not sick of watching the remarkable final seconds of the Firebirds' 57-56 triumph over the NSW Swifts.

Queensland grabbed the lead for the first time with 14 seconds left and somehow held on to claim their second title in four seasons.

Geitz said lessons learned from their stunning victory had steeled the Firebirds in their bid to become the first team to claim back-to-back championships.

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She did not rule out further viewings ahead of their season opener against Mainland Tactix on April 1 in Brisbane.

"That was an amazing moment," Geitz said on Friday at their season launch.

"We can go back and look at it, take that confidence that we won a game that went down to the wire.

"You can't train for that.

"It will do a lot for the confidence of the girls.

"I have seen it already on and off the court.

"We need to harness that."

Geitz knows that will be easier said than done now the Firebirds have a target on their backs as defending champions.

They received a taste of what was to come when they were soundly beaten by the Swifts last week in a pre-season hit-out.

Next stop is the championship pre-season tournament from March 18-20 in Sydney and Auckland.

"The opposition will be out to prove a point; we have to be ready for that," Geitz said.

"It will challenge us every week - that's what we want.

"It will push us to become the best team we can be."

Geitz admitted Queensland held an advantage by keeping their starting line-up and having four of their first six regular-season games at home.

However, she said the Firebirds would need to tinker with what won them the 2015 title if they were to be a contender for this year's crown.

"It's a fine line. There were things that worked last year and you don't want to throw that out but you also have to revolutionise and raise the bar," she said.

"Our opposition would have worked out what we are doing and have plans to combat that.

"We need to add a few more tricks."


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