THE announcement of Stacey Marinkovich as head coach of the Australian Diamonds earlier in the year provided an extra edge and something to play for in the 2020 Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) season for the West Coast Fever. Talented midcourter, Verity Charles highlighted how the Fever playing group are determined to recognise and reward Marinkovich for all of her time and effort spent dedicating herself to netball with their on-court performances.

“There was so much excitement, everyone was just so proud of her because the work that she puts in behind the scenes is actually crazy, she just does not stop, you know all hours of the night, and just endless, she’s one of a kind,” Charles said. “But I think that also kick started off our season for us as well, you know, we had something really big to play for, just with backing Stace in and I guess wanting to give her that recognition of what a good coach she is.”

Marinkovich is not the only reason for the Fever’s resurgence and rapid rise up the ladder, with Charles noting that a change in their location to Queensland due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent border restrictions has enabled the team to really come together as a team.

“As much as I love my teammates I think it’s just nice to kind of have your own time, gives you kind of that flexibility to kind of wake up when you want to call your family when you want to and just do your own thing and almost measure home life,” she said.

“I’ve really enjoyed it, as hard as it is being away I think, I just keep saying in my mind, ‘you know what just embrace this experience’ because hopefully it’s just a one off and we are back to a normal season next year.”

Away from their families for over two months now, Charles explained that the Fever’s overall mentality had changed from last year to this year and that had been another factor in their success throughout the season so far.

“Mentally I think like our mindset has probably changed being over here, I think it’s probably been really good for us to actually spend this long period of time together,” Charles said. “I think a happy team off the court is a happy team on the court, and I think that’s had a lot on how we’re performing.”

It has been a difficult year for many, with Charles recognising her opportunity to step out on court each week as a momentous occasion and a way for her to give back to the community to provide people with some form of normality even if it is only for a couple of hours.

“I think that we also realised that it’s just more than a game,” she said. “It’s been a hard year for everyone and we’re here representing Perth and also just having an opportunity to play netball at the moment. And maybe giving people around Australia, around the world, whoever watches, just an hour when they’re watching the game to kind of switch off and actually maybe forget the hardships that people are going through.

“It’s more than that but I think at the moment and I think every player has got that in the back of their mind, and just grateful that we’re in this position to be able to give that opportunity to people to watch and yeah, have a bit more normality,” she said.

Charles herself has been a key contributor throughout the season, with the centre dialling her game up a notch credit to her attacking attributes and quick feet around the court. Her scintillating form has not only translated into Fever success but so too personal success, with the 29-year-old earning a Diamonds call-up – an unexpected moment for the centre.

“I was really shocked, like I did not see that coming at all,” Charles said. “I think this season I’ve just gone out and just purely went out to play the game that I love and I’m just enjoying netty. I’m absolutely loving every opportunity I have, I can’t wait to get to training, I’m itching to get out there.”

“I’m literally just loving the game again and I probably have lost that over the years a little bit and probably put too much pressure on myself, and I feel like I have just taken that off now,” she explained. “That just came along as the biggest shock, was not expecting that at all but I’m extremely excited for it.”

However it has not been all roses for the Fever with devastation striking the Western Australian camp in Round 9 with wing attack Ingrid Colyer going down with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. While it was  huge loss to the side, given Colyer had been in ripping form, youngster Emma Cosh has proven that she is up to the task while Charles has elevated her workload to keep things running smoothly in the Fever frontend.

Yeah, it was tough, that affected all of our team. Not only an amazing player on the court but off the court as well, which was difficult, and to see someone you love like that go down it was a horrible time. But I think Coshy has really stepped up, Cosh brings a different game to Fever. You know, different to Inga and we probably took a little bit of time to kind of figure that out and work together.

“Leadership wise I just try and step up a little bit more and Coshy’s quite nervous. This is new for her, it’s the first kind of big season for her she’s been in and now first final she’s ever been in. So, just try and I guess have lots of voices out there and be a senior player.”

Cosh is not the only young player making waves for the Fever with Sunday Aryang setting the court alight in the semi-final after an impressive display in her 30 minutes of netball, something Charles admired.

“Sunday just came out fearless and that’s the beauty of this you know, I think your first year is always the most magic year because you’ve just got nothing to lose and absolutely everything to gain. You just come out firing, and we saw that in Sunday on the weekend.

“But you know that Liv Lewis, for example, as well has come out and just had some brilliant games, and the girls they’re hungry, they’re young, they’re energised, they’re ready to go and it’s actually really beautiful to watch them develop and grow. It’s an absolute pleasure to be a part of. I get very excited when those girls get on the court.”

With the preliminary final showdown against Sunshine Coast Lightning only days away, Charles is excited to face “the best centre court (player) in the world” in Laura Langman.

“It’s always exciting playing against her because to be honest I want to be challenged by the best and that excites me. I can’t wait to get out there, not only that but she’s an amazing person as well so it is always good playing against someone who’s so lovely,” she said.

The Fever boast an impressive record over the Lightning heading into the clash, collecting two sounding wins equating to 44 goals and proving they definitely have the firepower to overcome the two-time premiers. But Charles is not getting ahead of herself, given the Lightning have played in all three SSN grand finals and know what it takes to get there again.

“We had two really great round games against the Lightning, we were up in the 20s with wins which is awesome but we also know that a team like that isn’t going to settle for that again. They’re going to come out so hard and they’re going to come out firing. We have to have our wits about us and bring our A-game. We literally have to put it all out there, it is do or die as we know. I can’t wait, I’m really, really excited for it,” she stated.

“I love this stuff, this is what you play for, you know, and it, especially when it comes to finals time like this is, it’s a do or die. It’s crunch time, this is the fun stuff.”

With the preliminary final to be played at the Lightning’s home court USC Stadium on Sunday, the boisterous crowd is a factor the Fever will have to contend with, often acting as “their eighth player”. But Charles is determined to block them out and focus on the game at hand while also having one eye on a potential grand final berth.

“We didn’t come this far now to be knocked out,” she said. “I’d love to get this club over the line, to never have a premiership and to get our names in the history books would be amazing. I think the biggest thing for me is we talk about when you’re at a club or whatever you’re in, you want to leave it better than when you found it.

“We want to get Fever on the map and put that premiership book in there so you know obviously not counting chickens before they hatch, you’ve still got one more game to go so I guess just focus on that for now and if we can do that, move on to the next and start dreaming big.”

Picture: Bradley Kanaris