Fever superstar Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard says her “love” of the game is what brought her back to play Super Netball in 2025.
The 35-year-old made the brave decision to play her first match of 2025, just three months after her tragic personal loss.
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Not only did Fowler-Nembhard shine, she took home MVP honours in a dazzling display that lifted the Fever to their first win of the season.
Speaking to Fox Netball’s Sue Gaudion, Fowler-Nembhard revealed it was her faith that helped her make her way back into Super Netball ranks.
“I’ve always felt like I have strength – I never think I was weak or what not. But I felt real true weakness and just being able to lean on God and see his strength working through me; for me being able to get up each day and still smile and do what I do, I know I can lean on him and that is where I get my strength from,” she revealed.
“I love netball.
“It’s something that I was blessed to do. I have to give God all the thanks for bringing me this far in my career.
“Being able to go out there still and play, and play with some of the best and against some of the best it’s really a good thing.”
Fowler-Nembhard thanked the Fever and her teammates for their support as the star goaler built towards a return – all while uncertainty over her eligibility swirled given Mwai Kumwenda was originally signed in the Jamaican’s place for 2025.
“My teammates firstly, I have to give them heaps of love,” she shared.
“They’ve been giving me so much love – it’s made me feel at ease, not having anything to worry about. The support I get from them is massive.
“I love them dearly.
“Fever in general, they have done above and beyond what I think they needed to have done to help me get back both physically and mentally.”
With Netball Australia and Kumwenda both backing Fowler-Nembhard’s return, the transition back into that squad of 11 became seamless.
So what does 2025 hold for Fowler-Nembhard now that she is back on court?
“I always talk about I want to go grow each year, to be better, to be more dominant than I was, but I reckon a personal growth spiritually, just to be dominant in that sense and let that shine through,” she said of her goal.
“At the end of the season I’m going to be like, ‘Oh it’s been a good year’.
“It might not be the best chapter, but he (God) is not done with me and it’s going to be a good year finishing.”
The exclusive chat with Fox Netball comes at a special time for Fowler-Nembhard, after the unveiling of her 12-metre mural in central Perth.
The “humbled” star admits she underestimated the “magnitude” of the artwork, but was impressed regardless.
“I felt blessed in that moment looking at myself in that photo and just seeing the essence of me being captured,” she said.
“I looked in my eyes like ‘Oh my gosh, this is me!’.”
Fowler-Nembhard will take the court for the first time in 2025 in front of the Fever’s green army on Saturday.
The West Coast Fever will take on the Sunshine Coast Lightning from 7pm AEST.
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