Their form graphs are moving in opposite directions, but both NSW Swifts and West Coast Fever have powerful historical motivation for trans-Tasman netball's first Australian conference elimination final on Friday.
The second-placed Swift host the third-placed Fever in Sydney, just six days after beating them by seven goals in Perth.
Early season pacesetters Fever have lost three of their last four games after going unbeaten in their first nine, while Swifts have won six and drawn one in a seven-game undefeated run.
It will be the first finals match ever for Fever, while Swifts are aiming to end a run of four successive finals losses since winning the inaugural competition in 2008.
"Playing (Fever) six days before is an unusual situation, but we don't want to think to much about the previous game because the finals are different and the intensity increases," Swift's shooter Susan Pettitt told AAP.
"We know the Fever are a quality side that will go for every ball and will be hungry for it and we have to make sure we are not complacent and play with that same intensity."
Pettitt and captain and midcourt stalwart Kim Green are the only Swifts from their 2008 title-winning team still playing.
Swift's coach Rob Wright said he hoped Green would be cleared to play on Friday after missing last Saturday's game with soreness.
Fever have just two members of their foundation-year team still going - prolific national team shooter Caitlin Bassett and defender Josie Janz-Dawson.
"We will be playing it like it's our grand final," Janz-Dawson said.
"It's do-or-die. We have got to perform."
Bassett said Fever's recent form dip would ensure they didn't go into the Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre clash cocky.
Her battle with fellow Australian squad member Sharni Layton will be one of the key head-to-head battles of the game.
Bassett has scored a competition-leading 563 goals at 87 per cent success rate while Layton leads the league in intercepts and deflections.
The winner of Friday's match will play Australian minor premier's Queensland Firebirds in the Australian Conference final on Sunday.
Australian conference elimination final
NSW Swifts (2nd, 8-3-2) v West Coast Fever (3rd, 9-1-3)
Head-to-head this season: 59-59 draw round 4 Sydney, Swifts won 63-56 round 14 Perth
Leading scorer: Swifts - Caitlin Thwaites 394, Fever - Caitlin Bassett 563.
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