It’s been a tumultuous 24 hours for the Australian Diamonds heading into the series deciding Constellation Cup game four on Sunday.
While the off-field drama is making headlines around the country, the Diamonds found their best form in game three to keep the series alive.
Fox Netball’s Catherine Cox previews what we can expect heading into game four on the Gold Coast.
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MORE WHISTLE COMING IN DECIDER
The Diamonds brought the fire and aggression in game three that had been missing this series, with the ‘argy-bargy’ a big factor in the win over New Zealand.
But I expect we’ll see more whistle in the Constellation Cup decider on Sunday.
The physicality from both teams was huge in game three and I thought it was too much. But the players do what they are allowed to do – and the umpires were letting both sides contest.
There were definitely calls that I felt could have been blown that were missed. But as long as it’s fair and balanced between the two sides, that’s all we can ask for.
I believe the umpires would have had a very good look at the match and there’ll be more whistle in the deciding game four.
It will no doubt be a talking point in the Diamonds camp this week, as there is a fine line between that aggression and not being penalised out of the game.
I expect Stacey Marinkovich to be a lot more settled for game four, given the performance we saw from that line up back on Australian soil.
If she sticks with the seven that worked for her, then the pressure is put back on the team as they’ve showed everyone they can play well.
They won by 15 goals – that’s a huge margin and they’ve already made up the difference in the series to reclaim the Constellation Cup with a victory on Sunday.
It had been more than 1000 days between international matches at home for the Diamonds and they really turned it on in front of their fans.
After the first two matches, someone said to me ‘Are you worried?’ and I said, ‘No way, they’ll win at home’. They haven’t played at home for so long. And now they are finally there, they’ve got sell out stadiums. They always turn it up another level when they are playing in Australia.
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I was not concerned about them winning on home soil.
But I think the New Zealand leg of the series showed exactly how big the loss of Gretel Bueta is.
With the star shooter announcing she’s pregnant with her second child, Bueta won’t be back in time for the World Cup next year.
Without Bueta in attack, Australia looked like a team that was quite disconnected in those opening two games.
But when they got home to Australia, they found so much more in terms of being a bit more settled and confident.
And Sophie Garbin played a massive role in that settled attack end.
I was so disappointed after the first couple of games that no shooter stepped up in Bueta’s absence and said, ‘It’s me, I’m taking this spot, because it’s wide open now’ for the World Cup.
Someone needs to stand up. Someone needs to put their hand up and it didn’t happen in the first couple of games.
Maybe it was the shooters being aware of what was at stake and the nerves of that.
But for Garbin, game three was a big, big moment for her and she did exactly what the Diamonds needed her to do – be solid, shoot well and be the target they need with Gretel out.
I do feel sorry for Sophie, as the move to Collingwood had us all scratching our heads – we knew she wasn’t going to be playing shooter.
She is not a goal attack in my opinion – she dominates back in shooter. And she showed that ability against New Zealand on Wednesday night.
I think Stacey Marinkovich probably went, ‘she’s not really had much of a run at goal shooter, we’ll give a combination we know works’ like Cara Koenen and Steph Wood the first opportunity. But it didn’t do the job for Australia.
It’s so good to see Sophie doing well back there given Stacey Marinkovich had been saying she’d trained the lights out and deserved the start.
Surely Garbin has done enough to start in game four. I think she deserves that spot.
It’s a tough one for the coaches as they are trying to use this time to get the combinations right leading into a World Cup year.
Silver Ferns down Diamonds again | 01:26
Stacey Marinkovich would have been under all sorts of pressure heading into game three. Now she has an opportunity to cement that starting seven.
She’s been in a really different position this series, after winning that Commonwealth Games gold medal – trying to get both combinations in and find the winning balance.
Marinkovich probably went for too many changes in the first two games rather than let them settle and really fight it out.
And they’ll face a fight on Sunday night.
There’s no doubt Ferns coach Noeline Taurua will be nervous, but I think she’ll be pumped to get another chance to face the Diamonds on Australian soil.
Noeline is always looking at the big picture – with the World Cup in July the big focus.
This game four will be a really good test for them – if the Silver Ferns want to win a World Cup, they now know what the level is going to be like, what the game and physicality will be like.
