Super Netball 2024: West Coast Fever star Fran Williams says finals in Australia at a whole different level

West Coast Fever defender Fran Williams has conceded Super Netball finals are on a whole other level than anything she’s ever experienced. Williams, 26, made her finals debut for Fever in their 10-goal win over Sunshine Coast Lightning to set up a thrilling preliminary final against arch-rivals Melbourne Vixens at John Cain Arena on Saturday. The defender is no newcomer to finals, having won two titles in England as week as playing in a Netball World Cup gold medal match against Australia last year. But it’s her first season in Super Netball which is considered the best domestic competition in the world. Williams said it was an eye-opening experience after about 10,000 fans watched Fever defeat the Lightning at RAC Arena on Sunday. “I have experienced finals at home as well as internationally, but at Super Netball it feels a whole different level with the way they treat finals,” Williams said. “I love how and said this to the team, they treat finals here like a completely separate part to the league and competition to the home-and-away season. “It seems to go up a level and it just makes for really exciting netball to be a part of and for the fans to watch.” Fever head into the must-win final on a four-game winning streak, including a one-goal victory over the Vixens in Melbourne during round 13. Williams was one of the stars that game in goal defence, restricting star goal attack Kiera Austin to 27 goals including only two from super shot range from six attempts. They will have to be on watch though after Austin teamed up with West Australian goalshooter Sophie Garbin to end Fever’s unbeaten start to the season in round seven to showcase how potent their offense can be. “They’re a polished attacking end and have quite a lot of established connections,” Williams said. “It’s about breaking their connections and the ball speed that they can play with will be crucial for us as defenders if we’re going to break them down. And we have to try to do that as early in the game as possible. “They’ve got a balance of super shot threats within their squad and it’s making sure we’re putting pressure earlier in the game and higher up the court so we’re not leaving it to the super shot defence and that we’re actually on top of them before it gets to that point.”