Despite a trio of midcourt stars on the sidelines due to injury, and trailing the Swifts by five goals at halftime, the Firebirds were unstoppable in the third and fourth quarters as they claimed their second win of the Suncorp Super Netball season 77-66.
In a game that was already a special occasion with Firebirds alumni watching on from the sidelines including members of the 2011 and 2016 premiership wins, the next generation was on show with training partners Jessie Laga'aia and Sasha Flegler both making their SSN debuts.
Laga'aia become Firebird No.123, starting the game and the Samoa international went on to play a full 60 minutes in tremendous display against Swifts veteran Maddy Proud at centre.
North Queensland product Flegler meanwhile came off the bench for the last five minutes of the second quarter to become Firebird No.124 and be the team's sixth debutante so far in 2026.
With Macy Gardner (calf), Maddy Gordon (hamstring) and Imogen Allison (ankle) all ruled out, vice-captain Lara Dunkley was the only regular part of the Firebirds midcourt available to Head Coach Kiri Wills.
It didn't stop Dunkley however as she put in an MVP performance with 29 goal assists, 43 feeds and one deflection.
Firebirds shooter Mary Cholhok was imperious under the post, with the Ugandan international hitting 63 goals from 66 attempts to outscore Swifts superstar Grace Nweke.
The Firebirds centre pass to goal rate of 87 per cent is the highest the team has achieved in the Suncorp Super Netball era.
Taking on her Silver Ferns' teammate Nweke, goalkeeper Kelly Jackson was also a hero, picking up a whopping seven gains, three intercepts and four deflections in an all-action display.
In a first-half shootout, the Firebirds actually scored well with 37 goals by halftime including a trio of Suncorp Super Shots by Te Paea Selby-Rickit but the Swifts were near perfect - shooting at 98 per cent to be five ahead going into the dressing rooms.
The Firebirds however wiped out that margin within minutes of the third quarter starting as they turned up the pressure on the visitors.
Grace Whyte tried to put the Swifts back out in front with a pair of Suncorp Super Shots but back-to-back turnovers by the Firebirds enabled them to win the third term 20-14 and actually hold a one-goal lead at the final break.
The fourth quarter was one-way traffic as the Firebirds simply blew away the Swifts in rousing display that had the raucous 4151 fans at Nissan Arena on their feet, the hosts taking out the quarter 20-10 to secure the impressive come-from-behind win.
The Firebirds return to Nissan Arena next weekend to take on the Melbourne Mavericks on Sunday, April 26 from 2pm. Tickets are still available from Ticketek.
