Laura Langman says there's no hiding from the fact that her Sunshine Coast Lightning's performances against West Coast Fever this Super Netball season have been "awful".
The teams square off on Sunday in the preliminary final at Lightning's home court, USC Stadium, where the winner will advance to title decider against minor premiers Melbourne Vixens.
The Fever have won both games this season by a combined margin of 44 goals, with star shooter Jhaniele Fowler racking up an incredible 112 goals in those victories.
"We've been awful, in short, and they've had two really convincing wins against us," Langman told AAP.
"Their ability to capitalise on any possession that they gain has been massive and has paid real dividends for them this season.
"We need to do the same."
Of more concern than past results is the two-time champions' lacklustre showing against the Vixens in last week in the major semi-final when they were beaten 63-47.
Langman said her team did some soul searching early in the week after basic errors plus another slow start proved costly.
"To let ourselves down like that was really disappointing," Langman said.
"It's fair to say we work into a game but we don't want to work ourselves into a situation where we're clawing it back.
"If we're not going to come out fast out of the blocks we definitely need to be in touch and have that scoreboard pressure."
The former Silver Ferns skipper said stopping Jamaican ace Fowler wasn't just a job for the defenders in the goal circle.
"Her accuracy and the new movement she's added to her game has been exciting to watch so it's a big job.
"But it doesn't just come down to what Cara (Koenen), Phumza (Maweni) and Annie (Lee-Jones) do, we need to be exerting pressure up the front and we haven't been doing that well."
Fever wing attack Verity Charles, recently named in the Diamonds squad, is wary of what the Lightning would bring to the sudden-death match.
"Finals are a completely different ball game," Charles said.
"I'm quite wary they're going to come out firing."
But she was looking forward to the challenge of taking on 34-year-old Langman.
"Laura's probably the best midcourter going around, the best in the world.
"I actually really like that, and embrace that, the idea of playing against one of the best and having that challenge."
"That excites me, and that drives me."
Langman retired this year from international netball after 163 caps but said she was yet to decide if this Super Netball season would be her last.
"I like to complete a season in its entirety before moving on to the next one," she said.
"Nothing is set in stone yet."
Australian Associated Press
