‘Rule book’s out the window’: Inside the teary huddle that sparked netball’s most insane finals fightback

The Simone McKinnis farewell tour will roll on for one last match after the Melbourne Vixens booked their spot in the 2025 Super Netball decider with the most insane finals comeback.

Staring down a daunting 10-goal deficit to the NSW Swifts in Sunday’s preliminary final, McKinnis fought back tears as she pulled her players in for what appeared to be the final time in her decade-long career.

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“Just bring it in quickly,” she told her players at three quarter time.

“Look at each other – we can do anything we want to in this quarter all right? We can do whatever.

“The defenders are having a fly, we’re having a crack, we’re having fun.

“Let’s be disciplined with the ball down there – let it go. Take the shots. Put that defensive pressure on, have a crack at the ball.

“We have nothing to lose here. Except for throwing our best selves at this contest.”

And that emotional plea would spark the biggest Super Netball preliminary final comeback in history as the Vixens put out the perfect 15-minute display – complete with 25 goals and zero turnovers – to overrun the Swifts and claim a thrilling 66-65 victory.

It was back in May McKinnis revealed this season would be her last as coach of the Melbourne Vixens.

Fox Netball’s Catherine Cox was left stunned by the turnaround from the Vixens in Sunday’s one-goal thriller.

“That huddle needs no explanation. Simone McKinnis just saying the rule book’s out the window, guys. Do what you want. It is literally now or never,” she said.

“She knows this could be the last time she coaches the Melbourne Vixens.

“You just saw Simone McKinnis there, she is clearly emotional. They’ve been given license to go out there and have a right royal crack.”

Making their comeback even more epic is the fact the Vixens hadn’t won a final quarter in their past seven games heading into that preliminary final against the Swifts.

And they’d only won five of them all season.

Speaking after the match, Vixens skipper Kate Moloney revealed she was inspired to fight for McKinnis as the side booked back-to-back grand final appearances.

“I’m exhausted but I’m so bloody proud,” she said.

“It was three quarter time, we were down by 10 goals and we found something in that last quarter.

“I thought this might be our coach’s last game. I wanted to go out there and give everything because she deserves that. We fought bloody hard ‘til the last whistle.

“It feels like we’ve been playing finals for seven or eight weeks.

“It probably didn’t hit me until three quarter time when I thought maybe this could be the last time she coached us.”

The margin grew to as much as 11 goals with just over 12 minutes to play before the first turnover came in Melbourne’s fightback.

Swift Sharni Lambden was caught off-side and the Vixens cashed in. Sophie Garbin pulled in a massive rebound from Kiera Austin’s missed shot to bring the margin to nine and when Rudi Ellis grabbed the intercept in front of Grace Nweke, suddenly it was the Vixens with the momentum with less than nine minutes to play.

Despite pleas from Swifts coach Briony Akle to keep attacking and “not protect a lead”, her side coughed up more ball through pressure once more from Ellis outside the circle and a second Lambden error.

Then it was all Kiera Austin from that point as she sunk three successive super shots to give her side the lead – and they refused to wilt in the dying seconds despite Helen Housby’s missed shot on the buzzer.

“The fairytale finish for head coach Simone McKinnis is in reach! Who would have thought it at three quarter time,” Cox said.

“We saw Simone in tears – that’s what it means to her,” England great Jo Harten said on Fox Netball.

“And this is the response she gets from her players.

“What a united and connected group. To come out in an away venue … absolutely outstanding.

“25 points in a quarter is outrageous.”

McKinnis said she was feeling “elation” after booking her spot in Saturday’s grand final against the West Coast Fever.

Remarkably the Fever and Vixens have already met in two previous Super Netball deciders (2020 and 2022) with the ledger sitting at 1-all.

“Can’t believe it – just proud! You think, how did that happen?” she said.

“We weren’t going to walk away from here afraid to make a mistake and not take risks.

“I know that they wanted it … I wanted them to have fun and feel good about it.

“They knew it was gettable.”

That 25 goals scored is the most by the Vixens in a quarter this season.

The result means Super Netball’s preliminary final has been decided by a single goal for three straight seasons – West Coast Fever losing by 1 in 2023 and 2024, and now the NSW Swifts in 2025.

Saturday’s decider will be held at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne with the Vixens taking on the Fever. The first centre pass is from 7.30pm AEST.