That’s the view of champion Australian Diamonds defender and netball commentator Liz Ellis.
Jamaican superstar Fowler has been dominant in her first two Suncorp Super Netball games for the West Coast Fever, with a league-best 66 goals in her first game and 62 in Round 2 against Collingwood.
Her two hauls have allowed West Coast to move to top of the ladder with two wins and seven bonus points in the opening two rounds.
Ellis, Australia’s greatest ever defender in an 18-year career, said that Fowler had turned out to be the ‘scoring machine’ West Coast had envisaged.
But she warned that teams should not focus their game plans on Fowler, rather the players around her that feed her the ball.
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“The game plan can’t be around shutting her down. You have to shut the midcourt down,” Ellis said.
“The fact that the Magpies had just as many shots on goal as the Fever shows that it can be done – but it’s hard.
“The Fever midcourt is playing really well, playing with such confidence. It would take a really big effort to shut them down.
“But you have to starve Jhaniele of supply.”
That is easier said than done, with Fowler standing at 200cm tall with a wing span longer than any other player in the league.
“The fact that the Fever have got such a huge target makes things easier,” Ellis said.
“You don’t have to be be perfect, the passes just have to be in the same postcode.
“Jhaniele has a huge reach and a great split. She doesn’t just stand there like a tree.”
Ellis said she was excited to see how good Fowler could become in the Suncorp Super Netball competition. Her national teammate Romelda Aiken has enjoyed enormous success with the Firebirds and has developed her game beyond the goal circle in recent years.
Ellis said she hoped Fowler did the same and was able to become an even more dominant player.
“I hope to see (Jhaniele) develop her game more … I would love to see some movement,” she said.
“I love to see Romelda at the moment, her game has developed outside of the circle, she is setting up screens and linking with Gretel Tippett.
“I am less excited about seeing the high ball go into Jhaniele and more excited about what her game can become.”
