London Pulse have finally done it. They are the new Netball Super League champions after a thrilling 53-45 victory over defending champions Loughborough Lightning at the O2 Arena.
It’s a moment they’ve long chased. Years of building. Years of heartbreak. And now, glory.
The Grand Final unfolded in front of a record-breaking NSL crowd, setting the perfect stage for a contest that had all the makings of a classic. Lightning came out firing, gaining an early edge, but Pulse didn’t panic. They pushed back. Then they never let go.
Lightning kept close, always just a few steps behind. But Pulse? They had answers at every turn. They’ve been through too much to let this one slip.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” Sam Bird, London Pulse’s head coach, beamed after the final whistle. “The girls have worked so hard for this moment.”
The opening quarter was pure chaos. Neither side could grab control. Halimat Adio immediately set the tone, rattling Lightning’s attack and celebrating fiercely as the ball was forced out just seconds into the match.
Both teams were guilty of wastefulness early on. Pulse applied the defensive squeeze, but struggled to convert that pressure into goals.
The first Soft & Gentle Super Shot siren rang out with Nichole Breedt in position. She missed. Olivia Tchine stepped up soon after, nailing a vital shot that saw Pulse close the first quarter with a four-goal burst.
Lightning eventually disrupted Pulse’s rhythm, clawing their way back to keep the contest alive. But Pulse’s defence was relentless. Adio and Funmi Fadoju’s partnership suffocated Lightning’s attacking lanes, repeatedly forcing turnovers.
The introduction of Ella Clark for Berri Neil gave Lightning a lifeline. Clark’s Super Shots landed one after another, dragging the champions back from eight goals down to just two at the break.
Bird made a bold call to start the second half, bringing on Gracie Smith — the youngest ever Grand Final player in NSL history. And what a stage to step onto.
Smith slotted in seamlessly. Tchine continued to dominate under the post, stretching Pulse’s lead to five once again.
A twist arrived when Adio was forced off with an injury. The O2 held its breath. But in stepped Darcie Everitt, younger sister of Pulse captain Zara. Calm, composed, she held her ground on her Grand Final debut.
Lightning, led by Vic Burgess, had their chances. They saw two Super Shots agonisingly bounce out. Small margins, big consequences.
They cut the lead to five early in the final quarter, threatening to spark a late comeback. But Pulse never let them get closer.
Adio’s return fired up her team. Pulse tightened their grip. Every pass. Every interception. Every shot — it all mattered now.
When the final whistle blew, it was Pulse’s moment. Six years after joining the league, they stood on top. Champions at last.
The O2 erupted. Cheers, tears, and pure elation.
Sam Bird summed it up best: “We’ve built something really special here. This is just the beginning.”
