Super Netball 2025: Former West Coast Fever star Caitilin Bassett says they're the team to beat for flag

A West Coast Fever club great says her former side should win this year’s Super Netball premiership. The call comes with the red-hot side just one win away from claiming the longest winning streak in competition history. Fever are not only gunning for a league first 11th consecutive victory when they host the Giants at RAC Arena on Sunday, but they could also secure the minor premiership and rights to host the major semifinal, should other results go their way. It would put Fever in prime position to claim a second premiership and first since 2022. They have lost the past two preliminary finals by just one goal in heartbreaking circumstances. Former Fever shooter and Australian captain Caitlin Bassett said West Coast were “100 per cent” the team to beat heading into finals on the back of their incredible run of form. “The way they played when they came up against (fellow premiership contenders) the NSW Swifts earlier in the season – that was a game we had touted as a preview for the grand final – and they dispatched them easily,” she told The West Australian. “They will be going into this finals series as heavy favourites. They’re now top of the ladder as well, and it’s going to be hard to topple them if you’re another team.” Bassett said Fever would not be fussed by setting the record, but the performances in the wins help them down the line as they gun for a second premiership. “The goal of any team is to win a grand final and to be as consistent as possible so I don’t think Fever would be gunning for this record, their eyes are definitely on the prize,” she said. “It’s nice when you can string consistent performances along the way and that gives you a lot of confidence leading into a grand final game. “We talk about in elite sport and high performance it’s not just about putting out one good performance it’s consistent high performance and Fever have definitely done that over the last 10 rounds.” Fever have not lost since star shooter Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard returned to the side in round three, with the superstar averaging an incredible 60 goals per game this season. Incredibly, Fowler-Nembhard is only one goal behind NSW Swifts star recruit Grace Nweke for the most this season despite having played two games less. Bassett said she thought Fever wouldn’t be able to contend without Fowler-Nembhard, but highlighted the growth of their entire squad as part of the reason for their historic run. “When I reflect to the start of the season and when the news broke Jhaniele wasn’t going to be playing for Fever this year I immediately thought ‘well that’s their season done’,” she said. “She’s such a huge part in their attacking end and in the first two games that they lost it was clear to see that there was obvious disconnect in that attacking line. When Jhaniele came back things clicked straight away. “They have grown as a team over the season. We’ve seen huge growth in Kadie-Ann Dehaney’s game, and I also love what the midcourt has been doing. Not just Alice Teague-Neeld who is as consistent as ever but the Cransberg twins and what they’ve added to the mix this year has added a lot more flexibility and versatility within that midcourt group.” Dehaney said Fowler-Nembhard had taken her game to another level this year despite not having a pre-season with teammates. “She’s evolved. People always say she’s a one-trick pony but at training you can see how she’s running the base line, swinging the ball to open up the goal attack on the entry,” she said. “Even taking the two. Last year she was taking the two but this year she is definitely evolving and taking a step in developing her skills. “She wants to get the best out of herself, she truly believes she’s just as good as the people around her and that’s what makes her the best.” Incredibly, among their run is six wins interstate as part of the most brutal schedule in Super Netball, including a 20-hour round trip to take on Sunshine Coast Lightning last weekend as well as four-away games in five weeks mid-season. “Winning on the road is never easy. We know how amazing the crowd is at RAC Arena, they get the biggest crowds in Australia,” Bassett said. “To be able to do that somewhere else, shows how connected they are as a team. When the crowd is cheering against you it can be hard not to fall apart but they’ve found ways to connect. “Even just how tiring it is travelling. WA players sit on a plane more than double what other athletes do. They’ve found a way to bond and it’s showing in their performance out on court.” FEVER’S HOT STREAK ROUND 3MELBOURNE VIXENS67-57 ROUND 4 SUNSHINE COAST LIGHTNING 68-66 ROUND 5 MELBOURNE MAVERICKS 78-61 ROUND 6 ADELAIDE THUNDERBIRDS 67-61 ROUND 7GIANTS75-66 ROUND 8QUEENSLAND FIREBIRDS 82-65 ROUND 9 NSW SWIFTS 79-68 ROUND 10MELBOURNE MAVERICKS 69-63 ROUND 11ADELAIDE THUNDERBIRDS 68-63 ROUND 12SUNSHINE COAST LIGHTNING 69-54