Dragons’ Middleton backs Lightning for historic three-peat in Grand Final

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Cardiff Dragons’ Leah Middleton has backed Loughborough Lightning to claim a historic three-peat in the Netball Super League Grand Final.

Lightning, champions in 2023 and 2024, finished second in the Super League table behind London Pulse after winning 10 of their 14 games and the two teams are now gearing up to face each other in the major semi-final, live on Sky Sports Mix on Friday June 20 from 8pm, with the winner progressing straight into the Grand Final on July 6.

The minor semi-final will see third-placed Manchester Thunder take on fourth-placed London Mavericks – also live on Sky Sports Mix from 6pm on Friday and a repeat of their last league game which Thunder won 67-45 – with the winner playing the loser of the major semi-final in the preliminary final.

“My money is on Loughborough Lightning to win all the way,” Middleton said on the Sky Sports 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 lost to sixth-placed Birmingham Panthers 58-67 at the Utilita Arena in Cardiff during round 14 of the Super 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 think they will be raring to go come these finals. They would have taken so much from that loss on the weekend and would have learned a lot. They’re going to put out a good performance 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’s cliche, but you can’t buy experience, and I think that will work wonders for them. Some of those players have got Grand Final experience, and you can’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 is an extremely experienced surgeon with 30-plus years working in his industry and he honestly said to me, he’s never, ever seen a compound dislocation without a 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 think it was extra tough for my parents back home [in Australia], obviously trying to watch on the stream, but not able to have all of the information.

“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 team, Dragons, finished bottom of the Super League table in eighth place, having only won two of their 14 games, with the first win coming in round nine.

“There’s definitely been some growth in the group,” Middleton said.

“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 really competitive matches that have gone right down to the wire, taken a bonus point off Manchester Thunder, which was amazing.

“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 spread of talent. Some of the teams at the bottom a few years ago would have struggled to get anywhere near the top and take a bonus point 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 (live on Sky Sports Mix from 6pm, Centre pass: 6.30pm)

Winner plays loser of major semi-final in new preliminary final

Major semi-final

London Pulse vs Loughborough Lightning (live on Sky Sports Mix, centre pass: 8pm)

Winner progresses straight to Grand Final

Weekend two: June 28-29

Preliminary final

Loser of major semi-final (home venue) vs winner of the minor semi-final

Winner progresses to Grand Final

Grand final: Sunday July 6

Winner of major semi-final vs winner of preliminary final

Winner crowned Netball Super League champion

Why the new format?

The new structure puts more emphasis on the league standings for the top four teams in contention.

The top two teams get a second chance to book their spot in the Grand Final, as they could lose in the major semi-final but still progress to the Grand Final with a win in the preliminary final.

The third and fourth-placed teams from the regular season have to win two play-off matches to secure a place in the Grand Final.

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