There was no missing with the money either as West Coast Fever stormed to a 74-64 victory over the NSW Swifts in Saturday’s major semifinal in Perth. This victory secured their position in the 2025 Grand Final. That game, characterized by what local broadcasters said was “full one-way traffic,” fueled the Fever’s focus and confidence. They absolutely controlled the game, jumping out to huge leads. At one stretch, they led a mind-boggling 75-45 before winning 77-47.
For a long stretch of the game, the Fever flashed some extraordinary defensive talent. Just like on defense, they made their execution a priority on offense too, converting nine into the Swifts’ one. West Coast Fever’s conversion rate for defensive efforts went up to an amazing 89 percent. At different junctures during the game, Fever’s largest leads reached 31 points, including scores of 59-28 and 61-32. This amazing show of dexterity and coordination played a crucial role in ruining their chances for victory.
Record-Breaking Performances
Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard made history during the semifinal by scoring her 9,500th goal in the national netball league, marking a remarkable milestone in her career. Head Coach Dan Ryan expressed pride in his team’s achievements, stating, “That second quarter was simply outstanding. The numbers were elite.” He further emphasized the importance of maintaining consistency throughout the match, saying, “To put on 77 in a major semifinal is huge by the team.”
And, of course, the Fever’s current form is overwhelming, as they are riding a league-record 13-match winning streak. Their past few home games have brought in sellout home crowds. Round 13 had a standing room only crowd of 11,899, followed by another sellout of 12,813 for Round 14. It is safe to say this support from fans has certainly fed into their confidence and palpable swagger on the court.
Future Prospects
The Fever is looking forward to an awesome, stimulating challenge! They’ll play against each other in the 2025 Super Netball Grand Final at Rod Laver Arena on 2 August. Olivia Wilkinson, Grace Whyte and Freddie Schneideman are all familiar faces in the Australian U21s squad. With this inclusion it’s clear that the future is looking bright for the artistic team! Alice Teague-Neeld expressed her excitement about her recent Diamonds call-up, sharing her hopes for the upcoming weeks: “Stoked with that [Diamonds call-up], it’s definitely been a dream of mine, but a couple more weeks with Fever and hopefully we can get the job done.”
Despite the Swifts’ disappointing loss and a surprising decline in confidence late in the season, Fever’s head coach noted, “They attacked the game, the players were fearless and they took it on.” That is indicative not just of their artistry at the moment, but their mindset and desire to win that final.
