West Coast Fever to face Sunshine Coast Lightning, Courtney Bruce in must-win semifinal

West Coast Fever will have to defy history if they are to claim a second premiership in three seasons as they prepare for a cut-throat final against former captain Courtney Bruce and Sunshine Coast Lightning. Fever will host the Lightning in the minor semifinal at RAC Arena on Sunday after reigning premiers Adelaide Thunderbirds jumped into first with a two-goal win over Sunshine Coast in the final game of the regular season. It forced Fever to finish in third spot, a position where no side has claimed a Super Netball premiership in the past seven seasons. Fever were one of only two teams to make the grand final from third place, having lost to Melbourne Vixens in the 2020 decider. The Vixens are in the box-seat according to history, having finished in second where five of the seven premiers have finished since the start of 2017. West Coast will host the Lightning and their premiership skipper in Bruce, who crossed to the club to join former Fever assistant coach Belinda Reynolds in a powerhouse squad. Perth was not a happy hunting ground for the Lightning this season, having lost by 25 goals in round two before Fever beat them by three goals on their home court six weeks later. Fever head into the series with plenty of big game experience, including four players from their 2022 premiership in captain Jess Anstiss, star Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard, Alice Teague-Neeld and Sunday Aryang. Midcourter Kelsey Browne is a two-time premiership at the Lightning, while Shanice Beckford and Kadie-Ann Dehaney have big tournament experience at international level. “There’s four of us from that premiership team so we have that experience and there are others who have had experience at the international experience,” Anstiss said. “And the win today has given us fantastic momentum going into finals, so we’re confident with where we’re at and just excited.” Fever are arguably the form team of the competition. After starting the season with six consecutive wins, they lost three of their next five but have finished the season with strong victories over Giants, Vixens and Melbourne Mavericks heading into finals. West Coast Fever coach Dan Ryan said they’d attack the finals with “great confidence” as a result. “The biggest thing that we take into it (finals) is that we have great momentum and form going in,” Ryan said. “We’ve seen all 10 players across the course of the past few weeks and the entire season, and momentum is really important thing going into finals because to win a premiership you’ve got to win games in succession. “We’re in a good spot at the moment, we know where our games at, we know where we’ve got to keep growing and that’s the most important part.” Meanwhile, reigning premiers the Thunderbirds will host the Vixens in the major semifinal at Adelaide 36ers Arena on Saturday, with the winner to book the first spot in the grand final on Saturday, August 3 at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.