Jamaica’s netball superstar Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard is poised to make her long-awaited return to the West Coast Fever lineup in 2025, following a period of personal leave after a tragic miscarriage earlier this year. In the wake of her return, Malawian star Mwai Kumwenda, who had been named as Fowler-Nembhard’s temporary replacement, will now serve as a training partner for the Perth-based club.
The decision, confirmed by a Netball Australia spokesperson on Tuesday, resolves weeks of speculation surrounding the Fever’s roster composition. Under the competition’s guidelines and national employment standards, Fowler-Nembhard was entitled to reclaim her position with four weeks’ notice, which the club confirmed she has already submitted.
"In this situation, Jhaniele is entitled to return to her pre-parental leave position with four weeks’ notice. The replacement player (Mwai) and the Fever would then have an opportunity to negotiate a training partner contract,” the Netball Australia spokesperson said.
The development has been met with both relief and sympathy across the netball community, given the sensitive and unprecedented nature of the situation. As Fowler-Nembhard re-enters the training environment, Kumwenda, who had relocated her family to Western Australia and debuted for the Fever just last Sunday in a loss to the NSW Swifts, will be offered a new contract as a training partner once Fowler-Nembhard is medically cleared to compete.
"We are really pleased a fair outcome has been reached for both players,” Kathryn Harby-Williams, CEO of the Australian Netball Players Association, told Fox Netball.
Fowler-Nembhard, a five-time Super Netball MVP and the league’s leading goal scorer in every season she’s played, had been granted personal leave from the Fever in January. Her absence prompted the club to sign Kumwenda, a former Melbourne Vixens premiership winner and a standout in her own right, who missed the 2024 season due to the birth of her first child.
However, Fowler-Nembhard’s announcement last month that she had resumed training sparked roster concerns. With Super Netball teams limited to 10 contracted players and an 11th spot available under strict eligibility guidelines, questions emerged about how both athletes could be accommodated.
Netball Australia’s policy, while supportive of parental leave, had no formal provisions for pregnancy loss, leaving the Fever and the league in uncharted territory.
"How on earth does 12 go into 11?” questioned Australian legend Catherine Cox during a recent episode of Fox Netball’s Pivot.
Mwai Kumwenda
To comply with league rules, Kumwenda will now transition into the role of training partner, a designation typically given to players on $5,000 season-long contracts, with eligibility to replace injured athletes.
Despite the logistical complexities, both the Fever and Netball Australia have reiterated their full support for Fowler-Nembhard’s return, emphasizing that her well-being remains the top priority.
"Jhaniele’s well-being continues to be our number one consideration, and we offer our full support as she returns to training with the West Coast Fever,” Netball Australia said in a prior statement.