Ingrid Colyer has urged West Coast Fever fans to turn out in force for Monday night’s clash with the Collingwood Magpies at RAC Arena.
Fever and the Magpies have built a strong rivalry since Suncorp Super Netball was launched, with former West Coast stars Ash Brazill, April Brandley and Shae Brown all crossing to the Victorian franchise.
Former captain Nat Medhurst is also wearing black and white this season, while Alice Teague-Neeld joined Fever from the Magpies for 2019.
Fever are searching for their third win of the season and Colyer believes the crowd can have an impact.
“We’ll have a nine-day break before the game so it will be good to get in an extra training session and freshen up for the match,” Colyer said.
“It’s definitely different playing on a Monday but we’ll be making the most of the opportunity.
“We are hoping that the fans get behind us because I feel there is quite a big rivalry between us and Collingwood and the more support we can get from the WA community, the more it helps us get over the line.
Fever triumphed by two goals over Collingwood in Bendigo in round five but are wary of how much has changed for both teams since.
“Our mentality doesn’t change going into the last three games,” Colyer said. “It’s about building momentum into next year and making sure we finish off the season the way we want to finish off the season.
“Having beaten them in Bendigo, it was a tough match and a really good win for the club so it certainly gives us confidence going into the match but we know that both teams have progressed throughout the season and it will be a different game.”
Colyer has had regular battles with Brazill, both as teammates at training for Fever and since Brazill went to the Magpies.
But the fleet-footed Wing Attack is also prepared to line up on Kim Ravaillion, who has been spending some time in Wing Defence.
“They have certainly been changing their combinations but within that midcourt, you’d kind of expect Braz or Rav to be in the frontrunners in that position,” Colyer said.
“I’ve played on Rav in Centre, but not in Wing Defence. I think going forward the focus is really about our attacking focus and what we’re trying to execute and making sure that we have the defenders second guessing what we’re doing each time.”
