Super Netball grand final: Texts out as friends now rivals

Ingrid Colyer will ­resist the urge to text Caitlin Bassett this week as the former teammates prepare for the grand final.

West Coast Fever’s Ingrid Colyer: ‘It makes such a difference having that home crowd’

West Coast Fever midcourter Ingrid Colyer will ­resist the urge to text Caitlin Bassett this week as the former teammates prepare for Sunday’s Super Netball grand final.

Bassett was the face of the Fever before leaving the club at the end of 2016 to join the Sunshine Coast Lightning.

The decision paid quick dividends for the star goal shooter, who helped lead the Lightning to last year’s title.

The match-up of Bassett against Fever goalkeeper Courtney Bruce is set to play a crucial role in Sunday’s outcome.

Colyer said it would be a strange feeling coming up against Bassett: “It’s something that we probably never imagined would happen: Caitlin versus Fever.

“I get along really well with Caitlin. It will be good to come up against her.

“I will probably keep it pretty low key this week (in terms of text messages) and then get back on chatting after the game.”

The Fever expect a crowd in excess of 12,000 at Perth Arena and hope up to a million people will view the broadcast.

“It makes such a difference having that home crowd,” Col­yer said. “The noise they make, it lifts you. I can’t wait to step out there and feel like a rock star.”

The Fever have beaten Sunshine Coast twice this season but only one goal separated the two sides in both matches.

AAP