The NSW Swifts will face the Melbourne Vixens in Sydney next week for a shot at reaching the 2025 Suncorp Super Netball Grand Final after being well beaten by the West Coast Fever in Sunday’s Major Semi Final in Perth.
The Swifts had no answers for a clinical Fever outfit who wrecked the NSW’s hopes of automatic Grand Final qualification in a ruthless first-half display.
It’s true that the Swifts arrived in Perth with some huge absences through injury, notably co-captain Paige Hadley and defender Teigan O’Shannassy, but few would have expected this margin of victory for the hosts.
The 77-45 scoreline was the Swifts’ heaviest loss of the year and when they lost Verity Simmons early on after a heavy knock they looked unsettled and it didn’t get any better from there.
Simmons did return later in the game but the Fever, who played brilliantly, had bolted and the Swifts were left chasing the game early.
The West Australians were ascendant in each area of the court as they lived up to their title favourites billing after beating the Swifts to the Minor Premiership in recent weeks.
Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard was the perfect target for the hosts all afternoon as the Fever punished the visitors at every opportunity. NSW had double the number of turnovers compared to their opponents and Dan Ryan’s team made hay to wrestle control of the contest early and put themselves in a winning position by halftime.
The tireless work of Sarah Klau and Maddy Turner in defence did secure bonus possession for the Swifts but they couldn’t convert. The Fever’s first centre pass was a possession gain for the Swifts but back-to-back offensive contacts in the attack end killed their chance to build momentum.
Up front neither Grace Nweke or Helen Housby could dominate to their usual standards while in the midcourt the Swifts were forced to reshuffle throughout the contest with wing defence Sharni Lambden playing in the middle for most of the second half.
Swifts head coach Briony Akle, looking to take her team to a fourth Grand Final and a third Premiership in her tenure, said her side was simply not good enough on the day, but backed her troops to rally in Sydney next week.
“We weren’t good enough today, it’s a simple as that and the Fever were brilliant,” she said.
"They are in the Grand Final and they have set the standard everyone else must get to. I don't want to take anything away from them, they are full deserving of their place in the decider and we've got a lot of work to do if we are to meet them there.
“We had challenges this week but that’s not an excuse because we are better than that and we didn’t show it.
“Sometimes you will have games like that but I’m very disappointed with what we put in out there.”
Asked if her team can rebound ahead of the Preliminary Final against the Vixens, Akle was candid.
“We have to, we have no choice because next week is do or die,” she said.
“A lot of our players have been in this position before. I remember back in 2019 we got heavily beaten in the Major Semi Final and then came back and won the whole competition so the goal hasn’t changed.
“I’ve always said at this time of the year we just need to win two games back-to-back and we’re still in the running for that.
“Today wasn’t good and we’ll look hard at it because if you don’t you’re doing yourself a disservice.
“My players are hurting the just now and they should because because losses like that should hurt.
"But I know my group. There are a lot of champions in it and they will be angry and ready to respond at home.”
