The genuine acrimony between the West Coast Fever and Melbourne Vixens will ensure Super Netball’s sudden-death minor semi-final in Perth on Sunday is spicy.
The bad blood between the two is thick and includes 2021’s “Byron Bay-gate”, which saw a public slanging match erupt after the Melburnians didn’t travel to Perth because several players were refused travel for having visited the tourist hot spot.
Then last year, the Vixens reacted angrily to Super Netball’s last-minute decision to sell the grand final to Perth. Ultimately, the Fever won the right to host anyway and then convincingly beat the Vixens in the final.
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The off-court rancour is often evident when the teams are on it, setting up a do-or-die final to die for.
Fox Netball’s Erin Delahunty asked some leading pundits for their thoughts about the clash.
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The match-up that matters
Which Vixen goes to Fever wing attack Alice Teague-Neeld and can nullify her will have a big influence on the result, according to former Super Netball sideline reporter Fiona Crowe.
“Sasha Glasgow has been receiving plenty of attention this season as the key to Fever’s attacking success, but Collingwood showed last week that the real secret is shutting down Teague-Neeld,” Crowe said.
“Her court craft is next level. Her pace is so hard to match up on and her feeding work has just gotten better and better under the tutelage of coach Dan Ryan.”
So, who does Melbourne coach Simone McKinnis go with?
“At 182cm, Kate Eddy is a much better height match,” Crowe said. But if she takes the wing defence bib, that usually means McKinnis goes with Kate Moloney at centre and Liz Watson at wing attack.
“By extension, that means Hannah Mundy, who has been an absolute revelation for the Vixens in the last month, is stuck on the bench.
“And in a game where foot pace and ball speed will be crucial – especially with Courtney Bruce looking for an opportunity to spoil a ball outside of the circle, as she always does – a Mundy-less line-up could hurt the Vixens. A real dilemma for McKinnis, the master wing defence herself.”
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X-factor to watch for
Former Australian coach Lisa Alexander described the Vixens’ ability to “get their team one-on-one game really humming” as a potential X-factor in the minor semi.
“They need to be tight in the passing lane, having a go at the first ball, to pressure the pass and force Fever high and wide, so they can intercept,” Alexander said.
“This must be done cleanly, with ‘in-front defence’ and without giving away too many penalties. The trend for them on the penalty front hasn’t been great of late, so that needs to be a focus.
“If the Vixens can expose Fever to this hard one-on-one pressure early, they can win and advance to the preliminary final,” Alexander said.
What the experts say
Former Australian Diamond turned Fox Netball pundit Madi Browne tipped the Fever by two.
“They have the home-court advantage and will be hungry after an embarrassing loss to the Magpies last week,” she said.
“Their bookends were starved of ball by their own team and opposition, but keeper Bruce and shooter Jhaniele Fowler don’t have two bad weeks in a row, so look out,” she said.
Caitlin Thwaites, also an ex-Diamond and current Super Netball caller, backed the Melburnians.
“Neither team played at their best in the last home and away round, so are somewhat vulnerable without form heading into this final,” she said.
“But I think the Vixens play best when they have their backs against the wall – and that describes this final; the travel, the crowd, the time difference … it’s all against them but I think they can get up by just a goal,” she said.
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The details
What: West Coast Fever v Melbourne Vixens
When: Sunday, June 25, 4pm AEST
Where: RAC Arena, Perth
Umpires: Jemma Cook and Josh Bowring
Watch: Foxtel and Kayo Freebies
