BRENDAN LINES
THE West Coast Fever resisted a spirited Adelaide Thunderbirds second-half resurgence to win the Mighty Murray netball clash 57-46 at Berri on Friday night.
The 2020 grand finalist completed its preseason in winning style helped by a 40-goal haul by star shooter Jahniele Fowler.
Coach Stacey Marinkovich said the game was the Fever’s first look at another Super Netball League team after its COVID-affected preseason.
“We’ve been a bit isolated over in the west (Perth),” she said.
“It was good to come out and see where we’re kind of sitting and what we need to polish up before round one.
“The Thunderbirds attacked that two-shot point period well through their execution.
“They’re a team that can really take it to you and you certainly can’t give them any bit of a sniff.”
The Thunderbirds can look back on a satisfactory preseason with a win and a loss against premiers Melbourne Vixens and runner-up the Fever respectively.
Thunderbirds’ winger Hannah Petty said playing in front of a home crowd for the first time since 2020 pushed her team “that little bit extra”.
“I’m a country girl myself,” she said. “Coming up here to Berri and playing in front of a sell-out home crowd after so long is awesome.”
Adelaide’s entries were finished off by efficient shooting from Lenize Potgeiter (12 goals) and Samantha Gooden’s eight.
At the end of the first quarter Adelaide was in the hunt, trailing by six goals.
In the second quarter the Fever maintained the lead as Fowler controlled the aerial contests. Adelaide keeper Shamera Sterling’s defensive prowess was on full display despite being outmuscled by the Fever’s towering Jamaican shooter.
New recruit Latanya Wilson complemented Sterling’s efforts in defence while contributing towards 15 defensive turnovers and seven rebounds for the Thunderbirds.
Adelaide came back late in the second quarter shooting three unanswered goals and a super shot inside the final five minutes to close the margin to two goals at half time.
Adelaide kept coming in the third, levelling the score at 33-all with just over six minutes left.
However the Fever kept their composure and again pulled clear in the final term.
A final super shot in the closing minutes by Fowler stamped her authority on the Fever’s win.
After completing both preseason games Petty said there was plenty to be learned by the Thunderbirds heading into round one.
“Learning from each game before we go into round one is exactly what we need,” she said. “To be able to have practice games against Super Netball teams is absolutely amazing after last year going in blank.”
The Thunderbirds take on Giants in Adelaide for their round one clash on May 2.