The first Test between Australia and England in Newcastle was ugly at times, but the ending was some kind of beautiful, with First Nations woman Donnell Wallam clinching a 55-54 victory at the death with a fearless lay-up after a week of intense scrutiny.
In her international debut and on the back of weeks of mounting pressure about her opposition to Hancock Prospecting potentially sponsoring the national team, the 28-year-old Kaniyan Noongar woman set the Newcastle Entertainment Centre “alight” with seconds to go.
Wallam, who became just the third Indigenous Australian to wear the green and gold dress when she entered at the 4.30-minute mark of the last, scored the winning goal with her trademark move after Diamond Kate Moloney got a tip on a ball from Rose Imogen Allison meant for Jade Clarke.
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The embrace of an elated Wallam by her “sisters in arms” – what the Diamonds refer to themselves as – a second later when the final whistle blew, spoke volumes about the number one netball team in the world; that they’re a group of women united.
Here are the big talking points out of the first Test against the Roses.
“The toughest few weeks” | 01:45
Donnell’s impact, on & off the court
Minutes after her now-iconic lay-up shot that secured the Diamonds‘ victory in the first Test against England in Newcastle on Wednesday night, Donnell Wallam talked about wanting to be a role model for young First Nations people. And it didn’t take long for that to become a reality.
Having only just returned home after evacuating due to the flood threat to her home town of Echuca, Yorta Yorta artist and netball fan Alkina Edwards watched Wallam in awe on TV.
The 25-year-old was inspired to create a work featuring a jubilant Wallam, now Diamond #189, in her traditional style, using the Diamonds’ colour palette as a base.
“Had the honour to watch Donnell Wallam tonight and was so glad she got put on by the end because she absolutely carved it up on that court and scored the winning goal! Proud moment right ‘ere! Had so much fun creating this work!” she posted to Instagram.
Speaking to Fox Netball, Edwards said Wallam’s powerful performance “meant the world”.
“Seeing someone so proud of who they are, where they come from and being outspoken and talented is an inspiration to so many,” she said.
“Mob like Donnell, who have such a big platform and audience, always inspire me, every day. With all the noise that is around her, she is still brave. She is still fearless and when I look at her and other people within our communities like that, I feel empowered,” Edwards said.
After the game, an emotional Wallam – the first Indigenous Diamond in more than two decades, following Sharon Finnan-White and Marcia Ella-Duncan – talked about the relief of getting on the court after the “toughest few weeks” of her life as she became the focus of Netball Australia’s sponsorship saga.
“To get out there in this dress … it kind of makes the last couple of weeks a blur,” Wallam, who shared Edwards’ work on her Instagram account this morning, said.
“It’s really special and I just hope I’m now a role model to the young boys and girls coming through for their turn. I had Marcia Ella-Duncan present me with the dress. It’s just really special and it’s been a long time coming. I hope I make everyone proud out there.”
Diamonds’ coach Stacey Marinkovich was full of praise for the 28-year-old. “For someone to be able to come on and debut and grab a moment … she certainly set the stadium alight.”
Rising star ‘made herself known’
Lining up against Australia for the first time, 20-year-old English defender Funmi Fadoju made sure the Diamonds would remember her name, starring after replacing veteran Geva Mentor in the third.
Despite giving away a staggering 8cm to Sophie Garbin, the 176cm defender took an intercept just minutes after entering the game and continued to cause headaches for the Diamonds’ feeders who didn’t pay Fadoju’s impressive vertical leap and sharp positioning nearly enough respect.
Fadoju – who won her second-straight UK Superleague Young Player of the Season for her year with the London Pulse – finished the match with a game-high six gains, which included three intercepts, two deflections with a gain, six deflections without a gain and a rebound.
One of her only errors in her 21 minutes on the court was overrunning a lead from debutant Donnell Wallam in the dying moments, leaving the path to goal open for her dramatic match-winning lay-up which will go down in netball folklore.
Post-game, Fadoju was humble.
“I’m just trying to get out there as much as I can, see what I can take away from each game and build partnerships and solid connections,” she said.
Roses coach Jess Thirlby praised Fadoju’s performance.
“Funmi is an exciting talent. She’s definitely made herself known,” she said.
“She’s very young in every sense of the word, but in that way, so fearless and I think you (the fans) were treated tonight to some of what Funmi is capable of. What a great start for her over here on Aussie soil.”
It will be hard for Thirlby to not hand Fadoju the start in the next Test, in Sydney on Sunday.
Slick Swift combination sparkled
Former and current NSW Swifts – shooter Sophie Garbin, now a Pie, and current co-captains, midcourters Maddy Proud and Paige Hadley – were reunited in the Diamonds’ starting line-up in Newcastle and their connection shone.
The comfort of familiarity was on full show, in the first three quarters especially, as Proud and Hadley found Garbin with ease. Feeds that seemingly floated to their destination left Roses keeper Geva Mentor flat-footed and ineffective.
Hadley, named captain for the series in the absence of Liz Watson, who is being rested, spent the first two stanzas at wing attack while Proud, in just her second Test, took the centre bib. The pair swapped at half-time, while Garbin started at shooter until she was replaced by Donnell Wallam at the start of the last, finishing with 36/43 at 84 per cent accuracy.
Regardless of combination, the trio got the job done.
Coach Stacey Marinkovich praised player of the match Proud, who led all-comers with 26 goal assists, 36 feeds, 30 with an attempt, four gains, including three intercepts, and three deflections in her first full match in green and gold.
“She was very comfortable out there feeding Sophie and (you had) Paige there (too), so they’re familiar with that combination. Once she (Proud) found some open court space, then she found the circle’s edge really well,” Marinkovich said.
Hadley, who missed the Birmingham Commonwealth Games because of an injury, described the game and being named captain as special.
“I never thought in my Diamond journey that this (captaincy) would be an opportunity. So to have a first game like that … my first game back in a very long time with my injury … (was) really special and I’m really proud that we could keep our heads together,” she said.
“To have Mads (Proud), who I’ve played alongside for a few years at Swifts land … to be able to make that transition together in the green and gold, is special,” Hadley, who recorded 13 goal assists, 21 feeds, 14 with an attempt, three gains, including an intercept, and three deflections.”
Cardwell stood strong in 50th
In her 50th Test, shooter Eleanor Cardwell did everything but win the game for the Roses in a stunning performance of strength and accuracy.
The 27-year-old – signed to Super Netball side the Adelaide Thunderbirds for next season after dominating the UK Superleague with Manchester Thunder in recent years – was the best goaler on the Newcastle Entertainment Centre court by a stretch, finishing with 44 from 48, at 92 per cent accuracy.
In a game that had countless momentum swings and moments, Cardwell was one of few constants, remaining solid in the face of tireless defence from Sarah Klau and Courtney Bruce, who shared the Diamonds’ keeper bib.
After slotting 10/13 in the first, 186cm Cardwell scored the Roses’ first 10 goals of the second, including six straight just after the three-minute mark, which saw England sit ahead 22-17 – the largest lead of the match. She didn’t miss after half-time.
Cardwell was buffeted by Diamonds’ defenders, but stood strong, drawing countless contacts.
Diamonds coach Stacey Marinkovich alluded to how her side’s defence will need to change ahead of the second Test.
“We need to really have a look at our defensive impact across the entire court. I thought we were a bit flat-footed. When we got into position, then we were allowed to accumulate pressure,” she said.
Marinkovich said the team’s penalty count is sitting twice as high as it should be.
“We’ve got to really look at that.”
Roses focus on unit defence
While the individual brilliance of defender Funmi Fadoju was a standout in the Roses’ 55-54 loss on Wednesday, coach Jess Thirlby revealed post-match her laser focus on building a defensive unit.
Thirlby applauded Fadoju but said the 20-year-old was “really celebrating” the work done in front of her by goal defence Fran Williams – who had five gains, including three intercepts and was among the Roses’ best – veteran Jade Clarke at centre and Imogen Allison, who replaced Laura Malcolm at wing defence in the second half.
When injected, 26-year-old Allison made a significant impact, winning ball and making the Diamonds’ midcourt more accountable, despite four turnovers of her own.
The work to slow the ball into the circle and help out the circle defenders is something Thirlby is focused on ahead of the World Cup in South Africa next year.
“We are under no illusions that often we come unstuck if we try and match player-for-player against certain nations in the top order,” Thirlby, who replaced 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medal-winning coach Tracey Neville in 2019, said.
“So we’ve worked really hard on having a great, cohesive back four. I think you did see some great evidence of how well they work together in our structures.
“That’s really encouraging and we’ve still got more to come off the bench in that end too,” she said, referring to superstar defender Layla Guscoth, who didn’t take the court.
