West Coast Fever’s coach speaks about how his side can overcome the loss of Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard

The Fever conducted a global search to find a replacement for Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard, after the shooter’s off-season tragedy. Here’s how they’ve filled the hole left by the irreplaceable star.

Strict contract clauses prevented West Coast Fever from bringing Donnell Wallam back to Super Netball but coach Dan Ryan is more than happy with his pre-season work to fill the hole left by the irreplaceable Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard.

The new look shooting circle was on full display at Team Girls Cup, where the Fever finished runners-up in a narrow one point loss to Thunderbirds.

Young star Olivia Wilkinson, Shanice Beckford and Mwai Kumwenda all worked together well to prove the Fever could still challenge any team without Fowler-Nembhard under the post.

Fowler-Nembhard, a five-time league MVP, announced she was pregnant in December, before heartbreakingly suffering a miscarriage in early 2025.

Ryan said he mounted a global search in a bid to replace the super shooter.

Dan Ryan has turned to youth to fill the hole left by the irreplaceable Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard. Picture: Getty Images

No one was off the cards, including former Firebirds shooter and Fever training partner Wallam – who is contracted to play for Northern Mystics in New Zealand’s ANZ Premiership.

“There were so many shooters across the entire world that were part of the discussions to begin with and to be honest we didn’t rule anyone out,” Ryan said.

“Even though everyone was essentially on contract we still thought we did have to robustly discuss it to see what our options were.

“We took our time doing it but with contracts being legally binding documents and athletes committed to teams we found it in our best interest to back in Mwai Kumwenda.”

It might sound like a simple swap – taking out one experience shooter and replacing them with another. Because Kumwenda, the 2020 SSN Grand Final MVP and premiership winner, is certainly no rookie in the circle. She hasn’t played Super Netball since 2023 – missing the 2024 season to give birth to her first child.

“The first conversation I had with MJ I knew that she would embrace it, she’s a great competitor,” Ryan said.

“She has worked really hard to follow the program, be really patient and just get better and better each week.”

But every player has a different style.

Mwai Kumwenda competes for the ball during the 2025 Suncorp Team Girls Cup. Picture: Getty Images

With a brand new shooting circle Ryan has effectively had to go back to the drawing board and start again.

“Every session, every day is attention to detail,” Ryan said.

“Fever is renowned for having a tall holding shooter, and now we’ve got this killer moving circle with a team of 11 that any player can get out there and change a game, because they’re slightly different, but they play so well for each other.

“The players from day one have embraced the challenge of looking and feeling different to what we have before and while what you are seeing now is new to the public it has been something we have worked on in previous seasons.”

The team won’t be completely without Fowler-Nembhard.

Ryan said she was doing very well and had even been attending training once a week to share knowledge and just connect with the team.

“It’s been a really tough set of circumstances for (Jhaniele) and her family and we’ve just had her back the whole time and we’ll continue to wrap our arms around her as long as needed,” Ryan said.

Olivia Wilkinson is another young option. Picture: Getty Images

The coach said he had his sights firmly set on winning the title this season – like every coach and player in the league.

With the competition only growing closer every season Ryan said his plan was to tackle it game by game.

“We need to be mindful that this new playing style and new group is going to experience things in different ways,” Ryan said.

‘For us it is about dreaming big but the reality of dreaming big is you have to put in the work. So that’s what I focus on, putting in the hard work to make sure they are well and truly prepared for those big moments when they come.”