THINGS could have hardly gone more smoothly in 2016 for the Joondalup Wolves ahead of Friday night's Women's SBL Grand Final and coach Craig Friday hopes it continues for one more game as he chases his first championship victory.

Friday has done well as a head coach previously in the SBL including leading the Wolves men to a Grand Final in 2013 and now he has another chance at that elusive first championship Friday night against the Willetton Tigers at Bendat Basketball Centre.

The Lady Wolfpack have done a tremendous job all season long to perform consistently to end up claiming the minor premiership with a 19-3 record to be ahead of last year's Grand Finalists the Rockingham Flames and Tigers.

Joondalup then went on to beat the Cockburn Cougars in two games in the quarter finals and in three over the Perry Lakes Hawks in the semi finals leading into this Friday's Grand Final.

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The Wolves came into the season losing Rebecca Mercer, Chelsea Burns, Antonia Edmondson and Casey Lockwood, and while that was plenty of individual talent, it's hard to argue they are working better as a unit in 2016.

Klara Wischer has been a tremendous addition but it's the extra faith that Friday has placed in the likes of Amy Kidner, Shani Amos and Ellyce Ironmonger that is paying off with Nikita-Lee Martin continuing to lead the way, and Abbie Ironmonger, Sherelle Knight, Chelsea Belcher and Shanice Swain proving handy off the bench.

Friday knew there wasn’t great expectations on the Lady Wolfpack from the outside coming into 2016 but he had full faith he could get the best out of his group. Now with the Grand Final to go things could hardly have gone more smoothly.

"At the start of the season with the roster we had and talent we lost and were going to give some kids some opportunities, I definitely would have taken making a Grand Final then. I'm especially pleased for the local kids who have stuck at it and hopefully their time will come," Friday said.

"It's a good reward for the girls and that's the most important thing for me. I'm happy knowing that they've worked hard this year and are now in a Grand Final.

"You look at our pre-season and we didn’t win a game and a lot of people thought we would struggle, but they've worked hard and put faith in me and the group they are surrounded by.

"The reward is getting to where we've got, but we have a clear understanding of what we are about to come up against and it will be a great opportunity for us to tick another box."

While Friday has been delighted with the performance of his whole group throughout 2016, he knows it's a different ball game come the Grand Final especially against an experienced and finals hardened Tigers team who are coming off beating the two-time defending champion Rockingham Flames.

But Friday is confident that with a team at his disposal that doesn’t rely on any one player and who has good depth with any of seven or eight players capable of playing a starring role it will hold them in good stead.

"That drive for a championship is obviously there but we haven’t spoken about it as a group. We just have a process in place and we've always said that will take care of the result," he said.

"I've learnt that from a heap of coaches before me and the end prize has always been there, but how we get there is the most important thing.

"We've just tried to keep it clean and simple for all the girls including the ones off the bench so that when they come on they know what they have to do. They've been patient and disciplined, and they do what they are supposed to do.

"That helps them fit into the system and it helps them play with the girls who do play a lot of minutes. Credit to them and someone Shanice came out and had a season best game and we love seeing that."

The Lady Wolfpack did face an interesting challenge in the second week of the semi-final series against the Hawks with centre Ellyce Ironmonger unavailable due to heading to the United States to attend a wedding.

Friday was pleased with the way they handled her absence despite the Game 2 loss on Friday night at Bendat Basketball Centre.

"I wouldn’t say we were nervous to play without her but we've worked hard all year to be excited for what opportunities for other people can do. At the start of the year we knew we had a young group and other people get opportunities," Friday said.

"Chelsea moved into the starting group and I thought she was solid. There was a little bit of the unknown about what would happen without Ellyce, but credit to the girls we worked on some things on Saturday to improve on from Friday and got across the line."

As for Ironmonger's return, Friday simply doesn’t know for sure until he sees her in the flesh ahead of Friday's Grand Final.

"We're just trying to work that kite out and we'll see what happens, I can't tell you what's going to happen right now," he said.

"We assume she will make it back but we're just not sure until we actually see her. I have no doubt she has some energy inside her and mental stimulation to want to win that first championship now that we are there, but we still have to win it for that to eventuate."

Friday also sees no reason for the Wolves to change anything about their week even for a Grand Final.

"We'll keep our week the same and keep our regular routine," Friday said.

"The only thing is we might go and have a feed together as a group but we've trained as usual and we'll make it as normal a week as we can. Then we will see what happens on Friday night."

Article by Chris Pike
Photo by Serene-Elise Photography