Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
AAP
AAP
Roger Vaughan

No 'back-to-back' as Diamonds hunt more Games glory

Stacey Marinkovich, Jamie-Lee Price and Kate Moloney at the Diamonds' Glasgow team announcement. (Con Chronis/AAP PHOTOS)

Talk of "back-to-back" is out for the Australian netball team as they aim to build on the Diamond's imposing Commonwealth Games legacy.

The final squad of 12 for Glasgow that was named on Wednesday morning features five Games debutants. Coach Stacey Marinkovich said it is a new-look group with a mission to create its own success.

Since netball became a Games sport in 1998, Australia is the only country to compete in all seven gold medal games - winning four of them.

"We're not actually talking about back-to-back. We have five debutants, we have a really new group that has some different skill sets to it," Marinkovich said.

"So we've evolved the way in which we want to play the game, as has international netball.

"So for us, it's always about our contribution to the Diamonds legacy, that sustained success."

After England beat host nation Australia at the 2018 Games, the Diamonds had eight debutants for their successful '22 Birmingham campaign.

Midcourter Jamie-Lee Price is among the newcomers, four years after she narrowly missed out on selection and was a travelling reserve in Birmingham.

Stacey Marinkovich
Jo Weston, Kiera Austin, Stacey Marinkovich, Borobi, Jamie-Lee Price, Kate Moloney and Sophie Garbin (Con Chronis/AAP PHOTOS)

Marinkovich said the phone call to Price four years ago, and the one they had to confirm her Glasgow selection, were "vastly different conversations".

"We acknowledged that on the call. It was really special to be able to make this call and give her that reward ... it's not even 'giving', she's earned every part of that performance," the Australian coach said.

"She took it (the 2022 disappointment) with both hands and said 'that's not going to happen to me again' - and here she is."

Stacey Marinkovich
Coach Stacey Marinkovich will take a well-balanced squad to the Glasgow Games. (Con Chronis/AAP PHOTOS)

Sophie Dwyer, Sophie Garbin, Matilda Garrett and Georgie Horgus are the other first-time Games selections.

Balancing the squad are some all-time Australian netball greats, with Liz Watson captaining the Diamonds.

Watson, Jo Weston and Courtney Bruce will compete at their third Games, having endured the narrow loss to England in 2018 and winning gold at Birmingham.

Kiera Austin, Sarah Klau, Cara Koenen and Kate Moloney also competed at the last Games.

Jessie Grenvold, Amy Parmenter and Donnell Wallam will be the reserves. They will be with the team in Melbourne for a pre-Games training camp, but not head to Scotland because of budget restrictions.

"It's not so much a disruption. It would be a definite 'nice to have'," Marinkovich said.

"But we've understood the landcape for a long time."

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.