Emotion-fuelled Collingwood have concluded their seven-year Super Netball association in fairytale fashion, upsetting West Coast Fever 65-62 at Launceston's Silverdome.
Playing their last ever game following last month's announcement that they would be withdrawing from the competition at the season's end, the Magpies dominated the third quarter following a tight first half before holding off the Fever's best efforts in the fourth.
The shock boilover, following the Adelaide Thunderbirds' surprise win over the NSW Swifts in Sydney earlier in the evening, means West Coast, the reigning champions, will finish third on the ladder.
They will take on the fourth-ranked Melbourne Vixens in next Sunday's sudden-death, minor semi-final.
The Swifts and Thunderbirds will lock horns again in next Saturday's major semi, the winner advancing to the grand final on July 8 at John Cain Arena.
Sophie Garbin and Shimona Nelson were damaging in Collingwood's shooting circle, Kelsey Browne magnificent with her classy corridor feeds and retiring co-captain Ash Brazill, playing her final game, as tough as ever in the centre.
"So good to finish like that," Garbin said.
"Just super proud of the girls, it was such a team effort.
"The last couple of weeks have been crazy for all of us.
"And to send 'Brazzy' (Brazill) out like that, she's been amazing for this group and I love her so much."
Brazill was superb early, forcing opposition pivot Verity Simmons into three first-quarter turnovers as the Pies led narrowly at quarter time, 16-15.
The Fever levelled things up at halftime, 32-32, and the scores were still locked away deep into the third term before Collingwood's 5-0 burst inspired an 11-4 run down the stretch to lead 51-44 at three-quarter time.
Nelson scored 17 without a miss for the stanza while West Coast racked up 27 penalties for the term, captain Courtney Bruce and fellow defender Kim Jenner the chief offenders with nine each.
Jhaniele Fowler caught fire in the fourth and Alice Teague-Neeld stepped up with some big plays at wing attack as the Fever squared it up with four minutes to play, before Collingwood, riding a wave of emotion, iced victory with another withering 5-0 burst.
The Magpies finish their Super Netball history with 36 wins, 62 defeats and three draws from their 101 matches.
