Super Netball 2024: West Coast Fever face crucial list questions after preliminary final heartbreak

West Coast Fever face crucial list decisions on two young stars in the wake of their heart-breaking preliminary final loss to arch-rivals Melbourne Vixens on Saturday. For the second consecutive year the Fever fell one-goal short of a grand final berth, with the Vixens holding off the fast-finishing West Coast to claim a 73-72 win. Melbourne will now face reigning premiers Adelaide Thunderbirds in this year’s decider, while for Fever they will be left with some decisions around their playing list. Jamaican goal attack Shanice Beckford and former Diamonds midcourter Kelsey Browne are the only two players out-of-contract ahead of the 2025 season. Browne’s position is the most precarious after she received a late call-up by Fever following premiership star Verity Simmons’ shock decision to switch codes to AFLW and play for the West Coast Eagles. Putting the midcourter’s position under pressure is a pair of talented young training partners in Ruth Aryang and Zoe Cransberg who are likely to attract interstate interest if they don’t get a spot in Fever’s contracted 10. Aryang, the younger sister of Diamonds defender Sunday, made her debut earlier this year after two years on the sidelines with a ruptured ACL and impressed in defence after coming in for an injured Browne. Cransberg is the twin sister of contracted midcourter Jordan and has starred in the West Australian Netball League in recent seasons, leading Western Roar to a premiership last month. One of them is likely to get a contract if they decide to part ways with Browne, while the other could be Fever’s nominated 11th player. Beckford’s future also isn’t clear, having started the season well in her first year of Super Netball but fell away and finished the year on the bench. Fever has young gun Olivia Wilkinson waiting in the wings, but the goal attack didn’t get on the court in either final with coach Dan Ryan choosing to switch premiership wing attack Alice Teague-Neeld back into the goal circle when he benched Beckford. Wilkinson has proved her capability from the super shot in her 12 games, while Beckford struggled for regular scoreboard impact. West Australian shooter Donnell Wallam is on the market after parting ways with Queensland Firebirds during the week, but is unlikely to head to Fever with Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard still contracted for 2025. Ryan said they would celebrate their strong 2024 season before making any major decision on next year. “Once we get over the disappointment of this which will take a little bit of time, I think it’s really important that we celebrate the incredible season that we have had,” Ryan said post-game. “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it when we nee to turn our attention to next year, but I want to make sure my playing group and staff really do celebrate what we achieved this year. “While it’s agonisingly gutting to miss out on a grand final spot by one goal again, if this stuff doesn’t harden you or inspire you or drive you to find those incremental improvements in how you operate, how you perform, how you stand up, nothing ever will.”