Playing in front of another sell-out crowd to complete a record-breaking aggregate attendance for a Firebirds season at Nissan Arena, the Firebirds took the second-placed Swifts all the way before the visitors scored the final four goals of extra time to secure a 79-75 victory.
A flurry of Helen Housby two-pointers late in a tight first quarter meant the Swifts were five-goals ahead at the main break but the Firebirds went on to win the next three quarters to finish level on 68-all at the end of regulation.
Emily Moore and Mary Cholhok combined to score four Suncorp Super Shots late in the fourth term to put the Firebirds ahead by one with less than a minute to play but New Zealand superstar Grace Nweke managed to level the scores just before the buzzer.
The teams were still going neck-and-neck in the extra period before the Swifts just came out on top as time ran out.
The match was also memorable with Queensland pathways products Elsa Sif Sandholt and Dani Taylor both making their Suncorp Super Netball debuts becoming Firebirds No.117 and No.118 respectively.
Moore finished the game with 19 goals including six Suncorp Super Shots while Cholhok scored 48 goals including one two-pointer.
Vice-captain Lara Dunkley and reigning Laura Geitz Medallist Macy Gardner were brilliant in mid-court picking up 106 and 97 Nissan Net Points respectively.
The loss ends the Firebirds campaign with a two-win, 12 defeat record but Head Coach Kiri Wills couldn't have been prouder of her team's efforts in their season finale.
"All we needed was one more goal at the end of that normal time period, and we would have been in there, but that has been the most consistent 60 that we've put out all year," Wills said.
"Really proud of them tonight and just a little bit devastated that we didn't get the win.
"We're at the beginning of something great.
"I had grand ambitions when I took over the team, that we would be up there in that top four, and it was because I had a lot of belief in this team, and things just haven't gone as planned.
"So we'll review and we'll come back with a better plan for next year.
"But I think the biggest thing is that there are some people in this team who have had some massive experience this year that will lead into better things next year."
