Adelaide Thunderbirds downed Queensland Firebirds 50-48 in Sunday's grand final to become the first club to win two trans-Tasman netball championships.
Thunderbirds goal attack Erin Bell played a starring role in the victory before a sell-out 10,000-strong crowd in Adelaide.
The shooting [Erin Bell] did, the clutch shooting from distance was just phenomenal. It's a testament to Erin's development and the way she's gone throughout the year and the brilliant season she's had.
Bell scored 24 goals and became the only player to win three championships, following titles with the Sydney Swifts in 2008 and Adelaide in 2010.
Thunderbirds coach Jane Woodlands-Thompson said she was incredibly proud of her charges, paying particular praise to sharpshooter Bell.
"It was a great contest and full credit to the Firebirds, they just dont go away," she told Grandstand.
"Im just so proud of our girls, I never lost faith. We said we're going to have no regrets and that's what we did.
Loading..."The shooting [Bell] did, the clutch shooting from distance was just phenomenal. It's a testament to Erin's development and the way she's gone throughout the year and the brilliant season she's had."
Thunderbirds captain Natalie von Bertouch said she was elated with winning a second championship.
She said a tremendous team-culture had formed in Adelaide to help get her side over early jitters in the grand final.
"Even to say [we are champions] brings tears to my eyes," von Bertouch told Grandstand.
"What a match. We couldn't even enjoy being up at all in that game, until 10 seconds to go - I finally thought 'we've actually won this, thank God.'"
"What a game, I'm so proud of the girls, we stumbled a bit in that first quarter but we've got the culture in this team that can just grind it out.
"As soon as we got that first goal in after we messed up a couple, if we crafted it and worked at it, we knew that we would win."
Favourites live up to pre-match billing
Adelaide went in as hot favourites, having lost just once in the regular season.
But the Firebirds stunned their hosts early and gained an ascendancy with a five-goal run to lead 13-9 at quarter-time.
Their Jamaican shooter Romelda Aiken scored 11 from 12 attempts while her compatriot Carla Borrego began slowly for Adelaide.
Borrego was initially well-held by Firebirds captain Laura Geitz, forcing the T'birds to rely largely on Bell as a scoring avenue.
Queensland held a four-goal buffer until their wing defence Gabrielle Simpson turned an ankle, which turned the tide of the game.
Simpson called an injury time-out with 13 minutes remaining in the second term.
On resumption, the Thunderbirds scored nine of the next 13 goals to steal momentum and take a 24-23 advantage into half-time.
Adelaide's revival coincided with Borrego breaking Geitz's shackles and, finding top gear to finish the opening half with 15 goals from 17 attempts.
The Thunderbirds then scored 16 goals to 11 for a what appeared a commanding five-goal lead at the last change - however the Firebirds rallied and reduced the deficit to one goal with 10 minutes remaining.
A tense period followed with the Queenslanders still just one down with 50 seconds to play.
But Adelaide controlled the ball before Bell deservedly iced the title with a long range attempt.
AAP