Super Netball 2024:West Coast Fever are set to sign young gun Ruth Aryang for next season

West Coast Fever are set to sign young gun Ruth Aryang to their main list as the futures of uncontracted stars Kelsey Browne and Shanice Beckford remain unclear. The West Australian understands the Fever will waste no time in locking away the young star as rival clubs circle ahead of the August 23 contract deadline. Aryang, 20, made her Super Netball debut in round five against Queensland Firebirds and played two games this season while Browne was sidelined with a knee injury. The younger sister of Australian star defender Sunday Aryang, Ruth was signed as Fever’s 11th on the eve of the season — a new rule which allowed each club to elevate a training partner to be part of the extended squad. Aryang’s signing is set to allow her sister Sunday to spend more time in wing defence next season, while captain Jess Anstiss will likely be utilised more at centre. The young defender had been long touted as a future Fever and potential Australian star before she ruptured her ACL in 2022 while playing for the WA under-19 side and had several complications since which sidelined her for 18 months. A year earlier, Aryang had won the Jill McIntosh Medal as the best player in the WA Netball League while playing for the Southwest Jets. After making her debut, Aryang told The West Australian her goal was to earn a full-time contract at Fever. “My future goals are locking a position in the (Fever) 10, hopefully in the coming years but my ultimate goal would be playing for the Diamonds,” she said. “And hopefully debuting alongside Sunday again.” It leaves both Browne and Beckford without a deal for next year and one spot in the contracted 10 remaining for the 2025 season. Browne, 32, isn’t eligible to be the 11th player because she is not under 26, while Beckford doesn’t qualify because she is too old and isn’t eligible to play for Australia. Under the rules an 11th player must meet two of three criteria that includes being eligible to represent Australia and must be aged 26 or younger or has not taken to the court in more than five SSN and/or ANZ Championship matches.