The West Coast Fever have moved to solidify their squad depth ahead of the 2025 Super Netball season, announcing the signing of three new training partners. The club has brought in Sloan Burton, Scarlet Jauncey, and Jasmah Haywood to join their training roster, a strategic move designed to push the entire playing group.
Fresh Faces Join Fever's High-Performance Environment
This triple signing is a significant step in the Fever's pre-season planning. The club confirmed the arrivals on Friday, highlighting the specific roles and backgrounds of each athlete. Sloan Burton, a talented 21-year-old goaler, joins from the Queensland-based club Brothers. Her signing follows a standout season in the HART Sapphire Series, where she was a consistent and formidable scoring presence.
Scarlet Jauncey, an 18-year-old defender, makes the move from the Sunshine Coast Lightning. Jauncey has already gained valuable experience as a training partner with the Lightning and is a former Australian Netball Championships medalist, bringing a competitive edge to the defensive end.
Completing the trio is Jasmah Haywood, a 20-year-old midcourter who was part of the NSW Swifts Academy. Haywood's versatility and development within a strong academy system are seen as major assets for the Fever's midfield options.
Strategic Depth for a Demanding Season
The role of a training partner in Super Netball is crucial. These athletes train full-time with the contracted squad, providing high-quality opposition in practice sessions and being ready to step into the match-day team if required due to injury or illness. Fever high-performance manager Debbie Guscoth emphasised the importance of these signings for the club's overall competitiveness.
"The addition of Sloan, Scarlet and Jasmah to our training partner group is really exciting," Guscoth stated. She pointed out that each player brings a unique skill set that will challenge and develop the existing squad members. Their primary function will be to emulate the styles of upcoming opponents during training, ensuring the main team is thoroughly prepared for every match.
This approach is vital in a league as physically and tactically demanding as Super Netball, where the margin for error is minimal.
Building on a Strong Foundation
The Fever are entering a new era under head coach Belinda Reynolds, and these signings represent the first building blocks of her tenure. Integrating young, hungry talent like Burton, Jauncey, and Haywood creates a dynamic training environment. It not only safeguards the team against the rigours of a long season but also invests in the future pipeline of players for the club.
For the players themselves, this is a golden opportunity to learn from some of the best in the game within a professional full-time environment. Training alongside established Fever stars will accelerate their development and put them in the shop window for future full-time contracts.
The West Coast Fever's 2025 Super Netball campaign is now taking shape, with these three new training partners set to play an integral, if often unseen, role in the team's pursuit of success.
