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West Coast Fever blitz Firebirds in Super Netball rout

By Adrian Warren
Updated May 10 2024 - 11:40pm, first published 11:36pm
Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard was in great form for the Fever scoring 62 goals from 64 attempts. (Steven Markham/AAP PHOTOS)
Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard was in great form for the Fever scoring 62 goals from 64 attempts. (Steven Markham/AAP PHOTOS)

Unbeaten high-scoring West Coast Fever have piled up their biggest Super Netball total of the season as they blitzed Queensland Firebirds 94-58 in Perth.

Fever made it five wins from as many games and are the only team to have scored 80 or more in a game this season, having achieved the feat three times.

They shot at 93 per cent and scored 15 more goals from gains than the Firebirds at RAC Arena on Friday, totting up the biggest winning margin of the season.

West Coast made all 24 of their first quarter attempts and led by margins of 10, 21 and 26 at the three breaks.

The Fever attack was ruthless with Jamaican goalshooting great Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard (62/64) leading the way.

Her compatriot Shanice Beckford (8/10) and youngster Olivia Wilkinson (15/17) also profited from the feeding of outstanding wing attack Alice Teague-Neeld, who racked up 30 goal assists.

The defence also enjoyed a strong evening with England's Fran Williams collecting five rebounds and seven gains,

Kadie-Ann Dehaney logged two gains, two deflections and two intercepts and debutant Ruth Aryang racked up three rebounds, four gains, two deflections and an intercept.

Fever coach Dan Ryan made a number of changes through the game, his side demonstrating outstanding versatility and never missing a beat.

With Kelsey Browne rested, Browne switched captain Jess Anstiss from wing defence to centre, with in-form goalkeeper Sunday Aryang lining up at WD.

Aryang and her sibling lined up alongside each other in the circle in the last quarter

"To see Ruth get out there and hunt the ball, take some great intercepts and then to have her moment to play with her sister in the last seven minutes of that last quarter, it's a special moment that the group will cherish for the entire season," Ryan told Fox.

"We really wanted to go in tonight with a different line-up and test the strength and versatility of the team

"I just love watching them love playing their netball, there's a great team spirit about this group, it's exciting to watch and really happy with the performance."

Firebirds dropped to 1-4, suffering a third straight loss.

"Extremely disappointed in the result, that's definitely not the way that we play," Firebirds captain and midcourter Kim Ravaillion said.

Firebirds had remained outside Queensland since last Sunday's loss to the other unbeaten team, Melbourne Vixens, but coach Bec Bulley said that time away from home wasn't an excuse.

Australian Associated Press