DAN Ryan has been named head coach of the West Coast Fever, taking the helm of the club as Stacey Marinkovich officially finished off her post to focus on Australian Diamonds head coaching duties. Seeing mixed success over the past four seasons, fans will be hoping Ryan can bring the last piece of the puzzle to snatch the club’s elusive maiden premiership under his tutelage.

The former Australian men’s netball captain has a resume befitting the role, with Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) coaching experience as recent as 2018 with the Adelaide Thunderbirds, before a stint at the Vitality Netball Superleague (VNSL) assisting in building the Leeds Rhinos from the ground up throughout 2020/21. Factor in Ryan’s playing experience, captaining both Victoria and Australia in men’s netball, and international stints on the coaching team with the England Roses and head coach of Northern Ireland, and there is no doubt the Fever are in safe hands.

“I cannot wait to be part of the West Coast Fever family,” Ryan said. “A key focus will be honouring the legacy of what’s been before and embracing the Fever way. That will be balanced with the aim of identifying some key areas where I can add value and enhance what’s currently in place, to ensure we are constantly moving the program and team forward.”

“I’ve grown a lot over the past three and a half years and have gained so much valuable experience overseas, so I feel really well prepared and confident it’s the right time and right place for me to thrive and reach my potential.”

“I have the utmost respect for Stacey and her team and what they’ve built and achieved in recent years, it’s been so impressive. The team is in a really healthy position right now and it’s a great privilege to be given this opportunity to join such an established and successful high-performance environment.”

“The playing list is exceptionally talented and the growth potential within the squad is even more exciting. I truly believe there’s a lot of scope for me to add value so I can’t wait to start this new journey with the team.”

Ryan announced his return to Australia in mid-August, leaving his post as Leeds Rhinos head coach in the U.K. for the past two years and stating that COVID travel complications were the reason for his departure after three years abroad.

“Living overseas does come with some big sacrifices though and being so far away from home for so long has been challenging, especially over the past 12 months,” Ryan said. “It’s really sad to be ending my time in the UK, but I know this is the right decision and I’m excited to be closer to my family again and see what’s next for me.

“I’m so grateful to the club for all the opportunities and I want to thank everyone involved for supporting me and believing in me. It’s been an absolute pleasure going on this journey and if this role was based in Australia, I’d never want to leave, as I’ve absolutely thrived here.”

West Coast Fever CEO Simone Hansen made the confirmation via email communication with Fever members on Monday morning, announcing Marinkovich’s departure in the process.

“On Friday, there was a significant change for our Club with the departure of long-serving Coach Stacey Marinkovich, who I’m sure you will agree, has made an incredible contribution to netball in Western Australia over the past two decades.

“While we are very sad to see Stacey leave, this is a terrific opportunity for her and we wish her every success with the Diamonds and a bright, happy future with her family back in Queensland.”

Hansen touched on Ryan’s plethora of experience, with his return sparking plenty of interest from VNSL watchers and netball fans across the globe, given his success with the Rhinos this season.

“Dan’s strengths and coaching experience make him the perfect fit for our environment. He has shared some great insights about our club and has a clear vision as to where he can see future growth, which is very exciting.”

Picture credit: Leeds Rhinos Netball