When a team makes a Grand Final their path to the sporting decider is documented by winning streaks, big wins and key moments.
For GIANTS Netball, the path to Saturday’s Suncorp Super Netball finale against the Swifts has featured several states, quarantines, beating the clock and more flights than Jo Harten goals.
And the route to Brisbane this Saturday has also included dramatic stops in Perth, where the team was shut out of the state mid-air, Melbourne with a period of isolation, Adelaide and an exposure site scare and delay before landing in QLD four weeks ago.
Operations manager Denny Peacock, the GIANTS' real MVP, has been a pillar of strength and organisation during a campaign like no other.
She is in awe of her resilient team who have packed up and shipped out of several states at a few hours notice.
“We’ve done it without any hesitation. They could say ‘fly to the moon’ and we’d go,’’ she says.
“There’s been tears, there’s been stress but nothing that we haven’t got through.
“I just feel that getting to this point as a team, with minimal fuss even though it’s been an absolute rollercoaster, it proves how strong we are together. We’re a family. To celebrate a success with your family is the ultimate, I reckon.”
The list of adversities the GIANTS have faced in 2021 is long.
Back in round five, the team was flying across the country when the WA government revoked their good-to-go pass. Hotel quarantine then an exemption to train, under the watchful eye of police, followed.
In late June, the team was on a week off when Sydney’s Covid situation worsened and they had just hours to pack for, and get to, QLD.
Harten, on a plane ready to head to Tasmania, received a call from coach Julie Fitzgerald and swiftly got off the flight.
Once the GIANTS arrived in QLD, the state backdated quarantine for those from Sydney’s local government areas before going into lockdown itself.
Melbourne was the next destination but the team had to isolate there first having come originally from Sydney. Life on the road settled but before too long, like clockwork, Melbourne moved into lockdown so next stop was Adelaide, again on a few hours notice, as the league sent all teams into an SA hub.
With accommodation sorted and a game under their belts, life was good in a state which hadn’t registered a Covid case for some time. But, that changed quickly and the city of churches, too, went into lockdown.
As teams prepared to board flights to QLD to complete the regular season, the GIANTS got caught up in a new drama. While in Melbourne, the team, while adhering to league protocols, had visited South Melbourne Market for a game day walk and coffee, with the popular venue later deemed an exposure site.
Now stranded in Adelaide, the exposure site time changed later that night and after much scrambling and a wait for border passes, the GIANTS were permitted to fly north the next night.
“We got to QLD and then QLD went into lockdown. We spent eight days in lockdown, there were four days here we couldn’t train but were then granted an exemption. We’re been in QLD for four weeks with crowds at the last two games,” Peacock explains.
“And now here we are, Grand Final week.”
It’s been a team effort by defender April Brandley, partner Jason and 18-month-old son Clay who has spent most of his life in netball hubs. In fact, Clay’s had so many Covid tests he now tries to poke chop sticks up his nose.
April and her stay-at-hub husband have mastered the frantic packing of bags, for one chartered flight they had to condense all their essentials into just one bag.
“In stressful times, Jason’s been the calm one. I’m so lucky to have my family with me,’’ she explains.
“At one stage Clay and I were locked in a hotel room. He’s such an outside kid and he was at the door crying and I was like ‘I know buddy, I’m so sorry we can’t leave’. It was heartbreaking.
“He’s a hub life kid now. He’s so social because he’s always been around people. He’s so comfortable around the girls and they’re so good with him.”
Brandley is full of praise for her GIANTS family.
“I’m so proud of how far we’ve come and how we’ve just got on with it.
“It’s such a test in those moments - you’re away from your family, you’re getting pulled to different states every minute but we’ve come together as a group, played some good netball and still had that enjoyment.
“Of course, I want to win but I’m also so proud of how we’ve got here.”
The GIANTS’ 2021 journey comes to an end at Nissan Arena this weekend, may it be their greatest stop yet.
Megan Hustwaite is a sports journalist and GIANTS member and supporter, follow her here
