IN front of a home crowd it was the West Coast Fever that got the last laugh defeating New South Wales Swifts by eight goals (63-55) to make it two from two to start the season. The Swifts had their chances, but in the end it was the strength of Jhaniele Fowler that stood head and shoulders above the rest as the goal shooter dominated at the post.

It was a shaky start to the game for the Swifts as goal  shooter, Sam Wallace took a few attempts to find the net missing the opening two goals of the quarter. But while her radar was off it was a different story for Fowler up the other end who picked up where she left off, controlling proceedings under the post. Fowler did not have it all her own way as both Maddy Turner and Sarah Klau worked in overdrive to confuse the space and pick-up some early turnover ball.

The game was played at a much more patient and cautious approach in the opening stanza as the two sides wrestled for momentum. Capitalising seemed to be an issue for both teams as errant passes somewhat dictated the term but the Fever started to get on top with their slick feeds into the circle proving critical. With a timeout called, it provided a chance for the Swifts to re-assess and re-group and that they did as Lauren Moore got busy to pickpocket an intercept and send it flying down into attack for New South Wales. Wallace started to find her groove as did Helen Housby with the duo forging ahead to create a four goal lead at quarter time.

It was a very different turn of events in the second term as the Fever looked to eat into the margin and get the game back on their terms. The increase in defensive pressure from the Fever gifted them plenty of opportunities to attack as both Courtney Bruce and Sunday Aryang got to work. The home side nailed two quick goals and within a blink of an eye were back to within a goal. By the three minute mark scores were all tied up as Emma Cosh led the charge in attack with some classy passes into the circle.

Looking for a spark and a way to disrupt Bruce who was generating a wealth of ball out of defence, the Swifts made the change with Sophie Garbin entering the court in goal shooter. She was a steady and calming presence in the goal circle for the Swifts as the visitors snuck back out to a two-goal lead. Bibs started to shuffle around as Maddy Proud switched into centre and Paige Hadley pushed into wing attack while the Fever also shook things up as Verity Charles went to the bench allowing Jess Anstiss to swing into centre and Stacey Francis into wing defence. Both sides took a minute or two to settle into the changes, but it was the Fever that settled first going on a mini three-goal run. Things lifted a notch throughout the super shot period as the Swifts skipped out to a five goal lead before Fever pegged thinks back.  Fowler was once again a formidable target under the post, while Alice Teague-Neeld could not buy a goal missing both her super shot attempts.

Entering the second half and the intensity only rose as the changes came thick and fast as Hadley went back into wing defence and Natalie Haythornthwaite made her way onto the court in wing attack. A stray elbow to the head for Klau forced her to the sidelines but that was not before her side capitalised off her turnover. It was pretty much goal for goal for majority of the term before the Fever started to take control. The introduction of Sasha Glasgow paid dividends as things opened up inside attack and created a new-look shooting combination for the Swifts defenders to combat. The momentum continued to shift throughout the game as the ferocity and hunt of the contest ensued but it was the Fever that boasted the narrowest of leads at three quarter time.

With it all to play for in the final quarter the game went right down to the wire. The Swifts once again tinkered with their line-up as youngster Tayla Fraser got the nod in centre and Garbin re-entered the match in goal attack. For the Fever, their consistent line-up seemed to do the job as they worked as a unit to release the ball with great speed and precision into Fowler. A goal from Anstiss -albeit from outside the circle – gave the fans and players alike something to laugh about in the heavily contested game. It got scrappy for both teams as Bruce and Fraser reeled in the intercepts for their respective sides as they willed them to win. But as the clock ticked down Fever could not be stopped with the final nail in the coffin a super shot off the hands of Fowler right on the whistle.

Shooting at 100 per cent for the first half, Fowler’s first miss came at the two minute mark of the third as she finished with 54 goals from 59 attempts at 92 per cent. Teague-Neeld was unable to find the post with a mere two goals and eight goal assists to her name, as Glasgow slotted four from five. Cosh was crafty with ball in hand, shouldering the load in attack, amassing 22 goal assists and 24 centre pass receives highlighting the mountain of work she did throughout the match. the combination between Aryang and Bruce was once again on fire as the pair produced nine gains with the latter picking up four intercepts.

Wallace was the main port of call for the Swifts thanks to her 32 goals at 89 per cent with Housby registering 11 and Garbin boasting an unblemished record with nine goals straight. Proud led the charge in the midcourt with 17 goal assists as Turner got busy in defence thanks to her two intercepts.

FEVER 13 | 13 | 18 | 19 (63)
SWIFTS 17 | 11 | 15 | 12 (55)

STARTING SEVENS

Fever:

GS: Jhaniele Fowler
GA: Alice Teague-Neeld
WA: Emma Cosh
C: Verity Charles
WD: Jess Anstiss
GD: Sunday Aryang
GK: Courtney Bruce

Swifts:

GS: Sam Wallace
GA: Helen Housby
WA: Maddy Proud
C: Tayla Fraser
WD: Paige Hadley
GD: Maddy Turner
GK: Sarah Klau