A 24-point swing has put a spring into the steps of the Melbourne Vixens ahead of their Super Netball preliminary final against NSW Swifts in Sydney on Sunday.
The Vixens' season looked headed for a premature end after three successive losses but they found some form in their elimination final win over Collingwood and are now eyeing a grand final berth.
Melbourne also faced the Magpies in the last round and fell to a heavy 58-47 loss.
But midcourt ace Liz Watson said the way they responded in the sudden-death match to win by 13 goals had given them belief they could go all the way.
"We shocked ourselves with the margin of the win," Watson told AAP.
"Overall we were very happy and proud of the game."
The Diamonds star said the team talked about their late season slide and reminded each other that they deserved a finals berth.
"Everyone put their hands up and said that we weren't happy," she said.
'We knew our performances hadn't been great but we had to forget that and remember that we'd made the finals because of all of the work we'd done through the season."
The Vixens haven't beaten the Swifts in their two meetings this season but that was also the case against Collingwood before their finals showdown.
The Swifts themselves have proved vulnerable in the back-end of the season, losing three of their last five including a 10-point defeat to minor premiers Sunshine Coast Lightning in the major semi-final.
"They (Swifts) had a really solid start but there's been a few cracks," Watson said.
"We feel that if we play like we did on the weekend we can beat them."
Watson and goal defence Jo Weston were part of the last Vixens team to win the title, back in 2014, although they've been starved of finals success since.
Veteran wing defence Renae Ingles, who will retire at the end of the season, helped the Vixens to their first premiership back in 2009.