Super Netball: NSW Swifts aim to stop league leaders West Coast Fever

NSW Swifts captain Maddy Proud has warned competition leaders West Coast Fever of a tough reception on their Super Netball road trip to Sydney.

Swifts skipper Maddy Proud has a warning for West Coast Fever ahead of their clash. Picture: Albert Perez/Getty Images

West Coast Fever head to Sydney unbeaten so far in 2024 but they may be walking into an ambush at Ken Rosewall Arena, with NSW Swifts captain Maddy Proud claiming her side is out to “punish” the competition leaders.

Despite turning over more than half their roster from last season, the Fever have notched three wins from the opening three rounds, including trouncing the fancied Sunshine Coast Lightning.

Proud knows the 2022 premiers are particularly difficult to beat in Perth, so wants to make the most of home court advantage.

“It’s always hard to play the Fever in Perth … so when we get them on our soil, we want to make sure that we punish them,” Proud said.

“Early on in the season they’re already on a really good run but it’s only going into round 4, so if we can stunt their momentum this early in the competition it can really change the way that things go and for us, we really want to make sure that we keep getting wins on the board.

“Even if it means that you win ugly at times, as long as you’re getting those points, it’s all that matters.”

The Swifts are coming off an extra-time victory against the Firebirds in Brisbane, a game in which they were outplayed in the opening three terms before clawing back an eight-goal margin at three-quarter-time.

They can’t afford to do the same against the Fever.

“We know that coming up against a team like the Fever you can’t afford to go missing for one, two, even three minutes because they’re such a quality side that they’ll punish you,” Proud said.

“They’ve got a target like they do in Jhaniele (Fowler-Nembhard) in goal shooter and they’ve got the lowest error rate by far in the competition, so when they do have ball in hand they don’t seem to throw it away, so I think when we do gain possession we’ve got to really treasure it.

“We know that against the Fever it’s going to be a game that you have to grind and grind all the way to that last whistle and I think that that’s why what happened (against the Firebirds) has really set us up in a good position that we’ve really been able to dig out of a bad situation and we now know how to finish it off when it counts.”

As always, Fowler-Nembhard will be a key Fever target, with her battle against Swifts goalkeeper Sarah Klau one of the best battles of the game.

Curbing Fever star Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard’s influence will be a decisive factor for the Swifts. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

But Proud pointed to the Western Australians’ depth, believing new recruits Kelsey Browne and Fran Williams have handed them a new dimension, while others have stepped up and will have to be nullified by the Swifts if they are to take their record to 1-3 midway through the opening round.

“Kelsey Browne has been one of the best midcourters in the competition for a while and for her to get that second lease on life at the Fever, I think she’s come out with absolute freedom and is playing her role,” said Proud, who will come up against the livewire former Collingwood mid on Sunday.

“I think that the style the Fever plays really suits her game.

“I think someone like Fran Williams has really come into it but I think particularly Sunday Aryang has really stepped up in that defensive end with the absence of Courtney Bruce, I think she’s taken her game to the next level while she’s had to step up in that role.

“Quality all over the court and I think their new captain Jess Anstiss has really stepped up and she’s leading from the front as well.”

The Swifts are celebrating Pride in Super Netball’s Inclusion Round, with both Swifts and Fever players wearing pride bibs and ribbons, with rainbow seating and signing throughout the venue on game day.

The Swifts have partnered with Proud2Play, an Australian organisation dedicated to promoting LGBTQIA+ inclusion in sports and recreation, as they did for Inclusion Round last year.

The organisation worked with the Swifts players, including Sam Wallace-Joseph, on education ahead of the round following the star shooter’s controversial social media post about the Transgender Day of Visibility.

“We want netball to be a place for everyone and a place where everyone feels included,” Proud said.

“The work we did last year engaging with Proud2Play - and we’re working with them again this year - and the turnout we had in terms of getting the rainbow bowl in at KRA (Ken Rosewall Arena), it’s just such a great atmosphere and we just want to make sure that people in the Pride community … feel included and it really is celebrated and that netball continues to be a safe place for everyone.”

Originally published as Super Netball: NSW Swifts aim to stop league leaders West Coast Fever