Super Netball 2025: West Coast Fever coach Dan Ryan says his side must extract maximum points on home court

West Coast Fever coach Dan Ryan says it’s important his side banks a home win over Melbourne Mavericks ahead of a brutal travel schedule which awaits them. Fever have won their past two games on the back of shooter Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard’s comeback, defeating Melbourne Vixens and Sunshine Coast Lightning to go 2-2 for the season. A win over the Mavericks at RAC Arena on Saturday night could launch Fever into the top four for the first time this season as they look to once again make a play at the premiership. It will be followed by a tough mid-season set of fixtures which has them them interstate in four of their next five games with two trips to Sydney as well as flights to Adelaide and Melbourne sandwiching a single home game against Queensland Firebirds. They will finish the season with three of their final four games at home. Ryan said the schedule ahead made getting a win against the Mavericks “important” for Fever. “What’s very exciting about our group at the moment is there’s a strong momentum, there’s a strong level of confidence,” he said. “We feel like we’re doing some really good things in the training environment that are transferring onto the competition floor and we’re playing some good netball which is great but we’re also critical of the areas that we want to grow at. “While the next stretch of getting on the road is going to be challenge, we’re going to lean into it and we’re going to do everything we can to keep this momentum going forward.” Ryan said his team had to be prepared for the Mavericks to stifle their flow through their aggressive defence. “They play the game a little bit differently to other teams and they challenge different parts of your game plan and playing style,” he said. “The biggest thing with the Mavs is they’re similar to us in they play really direct and score really quickly, but they also play off the line defensive structures. “They play a really dynamic style in those structures so (for us) it’s being smart with the ball and being prepared to have a little bit of your flow stifled because of their hunting and aggressive nature.” Fever will have Diamonds defender Sunday Aryang at full fitness after she was on limited minutes last weekend following an ankle injury that sidelined her for the win over the Vixens. It gives Fever a dynamic defensive structure after they had to heavily rely on match-winner Kadie-Ann Dehaney and Fran Williams in their victory over the Lightning.