In a thrilling encounter at John Cain Arena, the West Coast Fever edged out the Melbourne Vixens with a 68-67 victory, setting up a three-way tie atop the Suncorp Super Netball. This dramatic win, spearheaded by Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard, has the Fever, Adelaide Thunderbirds, and Melbourne Vixens all tied in the standings heading into the final week of the regular season.
Fowler-Nembhard, the highest-rated player on the court, was exceptional, scoring 60 of her 61 attempts and keeping her cool in the dying moments to secure the victory. "My team came out here with one goal in mind and that was to fight really hard. Super proud of how we played in defence through to attack,” she said. “We want a top-two finish because we’ve been fighting so hard throughout the season. It would mean a lot for us. That’s what we’re gunning for.”
The Fever were impressive in their efficiency, making 74 shots from 76 feeds. Alice Teague-Neeld was outstanding with 25 goal assists and 29 feeds, combining strongly with centre Jess Anstiss, whose defensive efforts were crucial. Wing defence Sunday Aryang also stood out with a match-high three intercepts, matching the total intercepts of the entire Vixens side.
Despite several late super shot attempts by the Vixens, the Fever's solid defence, particularly from Fran Williams and Kadie-Ann Dehaney, proved too much. The Vixens' shooting pair, Sophie Garbin and Kiera Austin, struggled under the pressure, committing five turnovers each, leading to a second straight defeat for the Vixens against top contenders.
Meanwhile, the Adelaide Thunderbirds secured a decisive 60-48 victory over the NSW Swifts in Sydney, propelling them to the top of the Super Netball ladder. The Swifts, who have now lost seven consecutive matches, put up a strong fight but could not overcome the Thunderbirds' relentless defence.
Shamera Sterling-Humphrey, named MVP, was a defensive powerhouse, blocking multiple attempts and restricting the Swifts to just 62 per cent shooting accuracy early on. Despite some strong individual performances, including Romelda Aiken-George’s 43/46 scoring, the Swifts could not match the Thunderbirds' intensity.
Looking ahead, the final round of the regular season promises high stakes as teams jostle for the top two spots, which guarantees a crucial finals double chance. The Vixens will face the Queensland Firebirds in Brisbane, while the Fever will host the Melbourne Mavericks. All eyes will then turn to the Adelaide Thunderbirds, who will take on the Sunshine Coast Lightning at home, to determine the final ladder positions.