Adelaide Thunderbirds coach Tania Obst has issued a chilling warning to the Melbourne Vixens ahead of Saturday's grand final.
"We can get better," said Obst, whose team trounced the Vixens by 25 goals in the semi-final, in one of their most dominating performances this season.
The Thunderbirds also blitzed the Vixens by 15 in a regular-season encounter a few weeks earlier to inflict the Melbourne outfit's then only double-digit loss this season.
Even though the minor premiers are on a seven-match winning streak and are going for back-to-back titles in front of a sold out Adelaide Entertainment Centre crowd, they are not taking anything for granted.
Obst is expecting an improved performance from her team after targeting areas for improvement despite their big win.
"We've looked at areas that we know we can get better and some areas perhaps they might defend or attack us differently," Obst said on Thursday.
"So I feel like we've got the weaponry ready to go with what's going to be thrown at us on Saturday night."
Vixens counterpart Simone McKinnis said Saturday's season decider wasn't about getting revenge for their recent hammering by Adelaide.
"In the semi-final we didn't go on there ready to play in terms of the focus, we allowed them to get on top early and then somewhat took a step back and shrunk a little bit from the challenge," said McKinnis.
"We fought hard to get this (second) chance, we were obviously not happy with the semi-final and the best thing that we can do is just go and play our brand of netball that we are proud of and that we're happy with and that we hope will win the premiership."
Adelaide are bracing themselves for a physical encounter and have addressed the fact they will start as favourites as opposed to going in as underdogs like last year's grand final.
"It's very different to the situation we were in last year, it's something we've definitely spoke about being the hunted and what that looks like," said Thunderbirds midcourter Tayla Williams.
"About being minor premiers and being more expected to do well this year, so it is definitely a different challenge."
With Jamaican superstar defenders Shamera Sterling-Humphrey and Latanya Wilson to the fore, the Thunderbirds conceded over 100 fewer goals than any other team during the regular season.
"We've got the best defence in the world back there that can win lots of ball for us which is really exciting and making sure we can reward every one of these opportunities," Williams said.
"There's definitely things we can make sure we're stepping up all over the court and preparing to combat whatever they are going to throw out against us."
