Last year Donnell Wallam was without a Super Netball contract.
Now, she is on the verge of making history as the third-ever First Nations woman to don the green and gold for the Diamonds.
It’s been 22 years since Sharon Finnan-White took the court for Australia as the second First Nations woman to do so after Marcia Ella-Duncan debuted in 1986.
Finnan-White said it’s been a “long time coming”.
“I am so excited for Donnell and her family,” she said.
“This moment has been such a long time coming. It has been 22 years since I retired from the Diamonds team so it’s so amazing to see another First Nations athlete representing the Diamonds.
“This means so much to our people, especially our young ones who now have someone to aspire to. Seeing is believing and now we have that visibility for the next generation of First Nations players.
“I wish Nelle all the very best in this exciting chapter of her netball career.”
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Wallam — a proud Noongar woman — had an incredible season with the Leeds Rhinos in the Vitality Netball Super League, scoring 438 goals in just eleven appearances. Contracted for the 2022 season, Donnell decided to opt out of her contract, moving back to Australia following the loss of her grandmother.
“I had no idea what was in store for me,” she said.
“I was in talks with fever as a training partner so that was one option, but I was also just prepared to go back to WA and play state league.
“It was in January that I got a message that there was an opportunity to join the Firebirds and I just thought, you know, it’s my foot in the door with another club so they can see what I can do and at the time it was only going to be a six-week contract…
“My main thinking was proving myself in those six weeks so that next year maybe I’d get a look in somewhere else, but it just happened to work out for me.”
Following the announcement teammate Romelda Aiken-George was expecting her first child and would not be taking the court this season, the Firebirds elevated Donnell into the starting side.
Her performance did not disappoint, averaging an 86 per cent shooting accuracy scoring 519 goals across the regular season — the fourth most in the competition.
Her spectacular debut year earned her a spot in the Commonwealth Games extended squad.
“It was just a whole new level of netball that I just wasn’t aware of,” Donnell said.
“The intensity was just so high, but it was really enjoyable. I learnt so much in those three weeks.”
Donnell is now ready to move out of the training zone and take to the court, but she will have to do it without her Firebirds teammate.
Star goal attack for the Diamonds, Gretel Bueta, and her partner Niko, announced that they are expecting their second child, effectively ruling Bueta out of the Constellation Cup, England Series and 2023 Super Netball series.
Although Donnell could not be happier for her teammate and friend, she will miss her on the court for the international series and in clubland.
“So happy for Grets, Niko and Bobby. Congrats to them, it’s amazing,” she said.
“It will be hard without Gretel, she’s the best GA in the world.”
“It’s hard not having that experienced player in but it’s also exciting that an up-and-coming player now gets a chance to prove themselves as well.”
“Gretel brings this calmness to the court, in those tough situations she’s always that calming present. I guess that flows on to me as well if I can just bring that in for the whole team so we can stay calm in those pressure situations.”
It is exciting to see how the Diamonds will step up in the goal circle in Bueta’s absence, although she will no doubt remain a large part of their team off the court.
