West Coast Fever's Alice Teague-Neeld is excited by the challenge as Melbourne Vixens look to disrupt her profitable combination with scoring colossus Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard in Saturday’s Super Netball preliminary final.
Eight-time league MVP Fowler-Nembhard is a massive 257 goals ahead of the second-highest goalscorer in this year’s competition, with wing attack Teague-Neeld’s feeds a big factor in her success.
Half the battle for the Vixens will be stopping the ball getting into the hands of the Jamaican superstar, who rarely misses shots and.that means quelling the influence and passing of Teague-Neeld.
She is on track to top the goal assists category this season as she heads into the game in Melbourne only 12 behind Liz Watson whose Sunshine Coast Lightning team were eliminated by the Fever last weekend.
“We obviously have a massive target in Jhaniele, so making sure we’re getting to her directly, but when needed just playing it to circle edge and being patient,” Teague-Neeld told AAP.
“When you have a big target like J there’s a lot of pressure put up the court to try and win ball before it gets to J.”
The Vixens' split wing defence time last week between Kate Eddy, Kate Moloney and Jo Weston, who is seven centimetres taller than Teague-Neeld
”They tend to have a lot of variety and depth in that defence end. Jo has big rangy arms but so does Kate (Eddy) but they do play quite differently,” Teague-Neeld said.
“That tall body wing defence can make it challenging but (I’m) excited for the battle.”
Vixens coach Simone McKinnis acknowledged she had plenty of defensive options but offered no clues which combination she would favour for the clash at John Cain Arena.
“I think we’ve got to utilise what's working best in the moment. They all work really well together and offer some strengths and that flexibility and versatility is important for us,” McKinnis said.
She could start either Emily Mannix or Rudi Ellis on Fowler-Nembhard while Weston could line up in the circle or wing defence.
Mannix said the Vixens had their most versatile defence in her 10 years at the club.
“I think we’ve probably been a little bit predictable in previous years with our lineups and this year I feel like we’ve got a range of players that can play multiple positions,” Mannix said.
“I don’t know what's going to get thrown out there this weekend - your guess is as good as mine.”
Mannix said neither fellow co-captain Moloney or herself needed to spark up the players after last weekend’s crushing 25-goal major semi-final away loss to minor premiers Adelaide Thunderbirds.
