Fever to face reigning premiers

By Stephanie Smarrelli 

The West Coast Fever have been unstoppable in 2024. 

One by one they've managed to take down every team in their path...so far. 

But that's not even the scariest part.  

They've barely broken a sweat doing it. The Fever have defeated everyone except the Mavericks by more than 10 goals. 

That could change this weekend though, when the Fever go head-to-head with the reigning premiers.  

The Adelaide Thunderbirds have also found some form in recent weeks, so this match-up could be Fever's biggest test yet.  

This weekend we will get to see what the undefeated Fever are really made of.

While for the rest of the competition pressure is mounting to get more wins on the board.  
 

CAN THE PREMIERS STOP THE FEVER? 

The Fever have so far been in a league of their own. 

But if there’s one side that could topple the Fever this season it’s the reigning premiers. 

While Fever bookend Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard leads the league for goals it’s her Jamaican teammate and Thunderbird Shamera Sterling-Humphrey who leads the competition’s defenders. 

The duo know each other’s game inside and out, resulting in a tantalising match up whenever they go head-to-head.  

Two intercepts short of Sterling-Humphrey’s growing season haul is her partner in crime Latanya Wilson. 

Wilson’s innate ability to switch from hunting down the ball to shutting down her opponent will be crucial to the Thunderbirds on Saturday.  

The Fever’s midcourt has been firing on all cylinders from Alice Teague-Neeld and Jess Anstiss to  Kelsey Browne who looks like she has a new lease on life since arriving in Western Australia. 

With both sides having strong defence ends, the game is likely to come down to who can make the most of every opportunity that presents itself. 

There’s a reason they’re two of the best teams in the competition with the Thunderbirds converting an average of 74 per cent of their gains and the Fever converting 79 per cent. 

As the season’s halfway point looms a loss here won’t be catastrophic for either side but a win will continue to build the gap between themselves and the rest of the competition. 

THE REST OF ROUND 6  

While all eyes will be on the Fever and Thunderbirds, Round 6 will kick off with another unmissable clash. 

It’s the one fans across the nation have been waiting for, the Vixens vs Lightning. 

Vixen Kate Moloney is set to go head-to-head with former partner in crime Liz Watson for the first time on the SSN court.  

The undefeated Vixens will feel confident at home in their fortress, but the Lightning will have an extra ounce of determination no doubt ruing their loss to the GIANTS last week. 

On Sunday the Firebirds will host the Mavericks at Nissan Arena. On one win each this clash presents an opportunity for the winner to climb the ladder. 

Expect the battle to be fierce with both sides desperately seeking the win that will separate them from the rest of the bottom four pack. 

Then to round out Sunday afternoon the Swifts take on the GIANTS in a crosstown derby. 

There’s never any love lost between the two neighbours when they meet and expect Sunday to be no different. 

The GIANTS ignited last weekend against the Lightning, their win in extra time perhaps giving them the spark they needed to get their season on track. 

While the Swifts’ spot in the top four remains under threat following a narrow loss last week as the bottom half of the ladder continues to chase. 

With the weeks starting to fly by, the wins this week will play an important role in shaping the second half of the season.