Super Netball: Melbourne Vixens plot downfall of undefeated West Coast Fever in top-of-table clash

Melbourne Vixens’ Jo Weston says her side holds ‘tricks up our sleeve’ that will help shut down the undefeated West Coast Fever and their dominant scorer, to bounce back in Perth.

It is the toughest road trip in Super Netball, but Melbourne Vixens are plotting the downfall of the undefeated West Coast Fever in their top-of-the-table showdown in Perth with “tricks up our sleeve” to combat the league’s most prolific shooter, Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard.

The ladder-leading Fever remain the only undefeated team in the competition this season after the Vixens’ first loss of the year last week against the Sunshine Coast Lightning.

Melbourne defender Jo Weston said the mission west had been one the Vixens had been eyeing since the start of the season, but the stakes have only increased given both teams’ 2024 form and ladder standing.

The 198cm obstacle standing in the Vixens’ way is the competition’s most dominant goaler, Fowler Nembhard, who before this round, had scored 102 goals more than the next highest shooter in the league (Donnell Wallam).

“It’s a big challenge, both in distance and height on the court, but I’m super excited about it,” Weston said of the Vixens’ assignment.

“I feel like it’s a game that we have been looking forward to since the season really started and Fever began to pick up steam.

Jo Weston is one of the league’s best defenders. Picture: Getty Images

“I do think some people probably underestimated them (Fever) at the start of the year, but any defender that has ever played against Jhaniele knows that is a silly position to take.

“With Jhaniele there they are always going to be prolific scorers just due to her physical capacity. But I feel like their variety all over the court has enabled them to overcome different types of opposition and their defensive combinations have also been building across the games to date.

“This is a good opportunity for us to test ourselves against the top of the ladder and also over in enemy territory …. will be putting it all out on the court and doing our best to try and quiet the deafening Perth crowd.”

Fowler-Nembhard scored all but two of West Coast’s goals in the Fever’s one-goal win over the Adelaide Thunderbirds last round - the team’s tightest battle this season.

Vixen’s defender duo Mannix and Weston. Picture: Getty Images

It looms as a monster job for goal defence Weston and her defensive partner Emily Mannix, who is enjoying one of her best seasons at goal keeper.

But the Vixens have made sure to tap into the “intel” of their defensive teammate and former Fever player, Rudi Ellis, in their preparation for the clash.

“We have got Rudi, who spent the last couple of years playing against Fowler-Nembhard in their training environment so we have got some really great intel,” Weston said.

“We have been trying to keep a couple of tricks up our sleeve and make sure we are not putting pressure on just the goal keeper to turn over ball.

“It’s a full court defensive effort that stops the Fever.

Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard of the Fever lines up her shot during the round six Super Netball match between West Coast Fever and Adelaide Thunderbirds at RAC Arena, on May 18, 2024, in Perth, Australia. (Photo by James Worsfold/Getty Images)

“(Fever goal attack Shanice Beckford) is very fast, too. They’ve had that patriotic connection for a couple of years. I have played on them when they have represented the Sunshine Girls before.

“It’s going to be a tough assignment for us, but we are playing competitive sport so that’s what you ask for.”

The Vixens moved on quickly from their first loss last week - when they faced off against their former captain Liz Watson - and Weston remained confident the team could be a

“That was a disappointing performance from us last Saturday night and Lightning really played incredibly well,” Weston said.

“We’ve moved on quite quickly because we think we are a much better team than the performance we showed recently.

“We have got amazingly talented athletes, we have got huge depth across our squad, I feel like we have recruited really well, Sophie Garbin has just fit in like a glove and Emily Mannix is probably having one of the best years of her career to date.

“So I do think we have got all of those elements that will probably put us in a really good position when it comes towards the end of the season.”

Originally published as Super Netball: Melbourne Vixens plot downfall of undefeated West Coast Fever in top-of-table clash