Super Netball 2025: West Coast Fever welcome back star shooter after personal tragedy
Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard is set to make her Super Netball comeback after completing an intense return to play program.
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Super shooter Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard has been named to play her first game of the season for the West Coast Fever after her personal heartbreak earlier this year.
The Jamaican star has been included in the Fever team for Sunday’s clash against the Melbourne Vixens at John Cain Arena after completing what the club described as an intense return to play program.
The return of the five-time Super Netball MVP is a huge boost to the winless Fever, who have been hit hard by injury to their defensive end.
Rising defensive star Ruth Aryang has been ruled out for the rest of the 2025 season after rupturing her achilles tendon at training last weekend, while her sister, Sunday, will miss this round with an ankle injury.
Training partners Zoe Cransberg and Caitlyn Brown have also been added to the Fever line-up, while Fowler-Nembhard’s replacement player Mwai Kumwenda comes out of the team as she steps back to a training partner role.
Fowler-Nembhard was on personal leave after suffering a tragic miscarriage earlier this year, returning to the club training environment in late March.
Fever general manager Sue Gaudion said Fowler-Nembhard’s return to the court would be an emotional one.
“The journey for Jhaniele and her family has been challenging, and I have no doubt that taking the court on Sunday will be one full of emotion and pride,” Gaudion said.
“I have nothing but admiration for the way in which Jae has attacked the training environment over the past five weeks to ensure she is both physically and mentally ready to compete again.
“She is one of netball’s most iconic figures and as a club we knew we must be unwavering in our support to ensure that her time in the game was not yet over.”
Fowler-Nembhard, 35, is one of the marquee players in Super Netball – a five-time player of the year and has led the scoring every season she has played in.
Former Vixen Kumwenda had been drafted in as a replacement for Fowler-Nembhard, but her position in the squad now changes with the Jamaican’s return.
The club confirmed the Malawi goaler’s contract as a temporary replacement player had been terminated and she would remain as part of the club on a training partner contract, playing for the West Coast Fever’s reserves team.
The Fever said Kumwenda, who had moved from Victoria to Perth for the role, would be “financially no worse off” with her new contract.
“I cannot speak highly enough of MJ Kumwenda. She has been amazing throughout what has been a really difficult and challenging period for everyone,” Guadion said
“When we first talked to her about what Jhaniele’s potential return meant, she understood that she was the athlete who was going to be impacted and she took that in her stride.
“Her performances in the first two games have been vital and we are really looking forward to her remaining in the Fever environment as a training partner and in our Reserves Team.
“MJ is a team-first player, she will continue to play a huge role in our environment and we know if required to take to the SSN court again this season, she will be up for the task.”
The Fever remain one of two winless teams in the Super Netball competition alongside the Giants.
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Originally published as Super Netball 2025: West Coast Fever welcome back star shooter after personal tragedy
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