Thunder Bolt to Grand Final; Pulse and Lightning Set for Stratford Showdown

With the top four confirmed as Manchester Thunder, London Pulse, Loughborough Lightning, and Nottingham Forest, the semi-finals were shaping up to be an exciting afternoon of netball.

The first game of the afternoon was the Minor Semi-Final between Lightning and Forest, where either team needed a win to guarantee their spot in this weekend’s Preliminary Final. Straight out of the gate, Forest made some early mistakes, giving Lightning the opportunity to put their stamp on the game.

As the match progressed, the Nottingham side showed they didn't quite have the answers for Lightning’s big-game experience in the final stages of the season. Forest had great passages of play, but the Loughborough side always looked a few steps ahead. Jo Noel earned Player of the Match for her outstanding defensive work; the assistant coach stepped up to the plate when her team needed injury cover, and boy, did it pay off. She kept her side calm, cool, and collected, helping them book their Preliminary Final spot.

Later in the afternoon, London Pulse went head-to-head with Manchester Thunder in the Major Semi-Final. The stakes were high: the winner would head straight to the Grand Final, while the loser would face the winner of the Minor Semi-Final.

This clash was always going to be fascinating, given both sides had beaten each other during the regular season. However, with Manchester playing at home, the question was whether home-court advantage would carry them through, or if the London side could pull off a second major semi-final win to make it back to the big stage.

In the first quarter, things seemed level between the two heavyweights until the first Super Shot period, where Thunder shifted into an extra gear and ran with it. Throughout the rest of the game, London repeatedly fought to close the gap. Even with Alicia Scholes stepping back onto the court, the extra dynamic proved to be just short of what was needed. Pulse came within four points of Thunder, but the defeat means they will now face Loughborough in the Preliminary Final.

The Preliminary Final will take place at the Lee Valley VeloPark in Stratford, giving Pulse a crucial home advantage. Will the "eighth player" in the crowd give them the lift they need to fight and defend their title, or will Lightning break London hearts to set up a Grand Final in Manchester? Time will tell, but it is certainly shaping up to be a tantalising end to the 2026 NSL season.