THOUSANDS of women across the North-East will be hoping one of 2008's sporting success stories is guaranteed a gripping finale this weekend.

Team Northumbria's Netball Super League squad has emerged as standard bearers for women's semi-professional sport after finishing runners-up in the regular season championship for the first time.

And if the Gateshead-based franchise can reach its first Grand Final with victory against Mavericks in Sheffield tomorrow, then one of the region's biggest participation sports can look forward to a fresh surge in interest.

"There is no doubt that our success has raised the profile of netball in the North-East and increased interest in the sport," said TN's experienced goal defence, Megan Hutton.

Under the stewardship of former England number two Denise Egan, a Team Northumbria roster fusing the best local talent with a trio of leading imports has been transformed from also-rans to genuine contenders.

Reaching the 2008 Grand Final would be another huge step forward, and TN's Australian centre Elissa MacLeod is confident Mavericks can be beaten at Sheffield's English Institute for Sport.

"We were well beaten by them in front of our own fans a few weeks ago," said the Melbournebased player. "It was a bad day at the office but these things happen."