The team is yet to taste defeat this season, but have been held to a draw twice by the team they will take on in the decider, LAC United.

Paul was part of a red hot Royals White outfit who was surprised last season by Royals Blue and is determined to make sure they come up with the goods this time around.

While riding an almost perfect season builds confidence, Paul admitted she’d much rather go in as underdogs.

“Sometimes it does make me nervous when you haven’t really had to fight for the win,” Paul said.

“You never know what will happen in a grand final so for us I just hope we go out and play our best hockey – which is that real team hockey with passing play – but we know Lake Albert have some of the most skillful players in the competition and they will be difficult to beat.”

On the other side of the equation LAC United captain Jesse Thompson is looking to spring another surprise.

She was part of the premiership win last season, when Lake Albert didn’t feel a side in division one, and is looking to do the same against a number of her former teammates.

“They are our main competition and it has been our main goal all year to try and nail them,” Thompson said.

“We will see how we go.”

Thompson has been surprised by how well the team has come together.

After coming back into the top league, they never expected to go so well, but now they are out to spoil the Royals party and be the first team to defeat them this season.

“We pulled people from all different ages and skill levels and thought it was going to be more of a development squad to progress through the years and slowly get better, but we’ve turned out alright and now we are in the granny,” Thompson said.

Royals scored a 3-0 win the team’s last met in the first week of the finals.

But after having two sides in last year’s competition, Paul said it had taken time for the one-time rivals to come together.

“We were rivals last year and then to gel as a team together has been something we’ve had to work on all season,” she said.

“We are hoping that really comes together this week.”

Thompson is looking for the side to play a real foiling role in the midfield as the best way to counteract the Royals attack.

“We’ve got to annoy their midfielders and stuck to them like glue,” she said.

“Mark up in defence and try and score goals where we can.”

The grand final will be played at 4.15pm.

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