A dominant second half helped Australia win the Quad Series in Cape Town this morning, with the 56-49 victory over New Zealand installing Stacey Marinkovich’s side as firm favourite for this year’s World Cup.
Led by shooter Steph Wood, the Diamonds recovered from a scintillating 18-goal first quarter from the Ferns, taking the remaining three and the title.
Here are the big talking points out of the gold medal match.
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HANGING TOUGH: WOOD CREDITS TEAM MATES
Australian vice-captain Steph Wood, named MVP in the final, credited the Diamonds’ tough training environment with priming her for the Quad Series.
Paired with her Sunshine Coast Lightning shooting partner Cara Koenen, Wood shot 23/28 at
82% accuracy, had two deflections, 17 goal assists and 20 feeds (18 with an attempt).
The 31-year-old also had 13 centre pass receives, behind captain Liz Watson on 19, ensuring the Aussies didn’t become predictable.
Wood’s impressive netball IQ was on full display as she exploited the smallest opportunities
afforded to her outside the circle by direct opponent Phoenix Karaka, didn’t crowd the feeders
and sighted Koenen beautifully.
It was her second MVP performance of the series after also taking it out against the Ferns in
the preliminary rounds.
Asked post-game about being able to face up to the smothering Kiwi defence, Wood pointed
to the training court.
“We train it. We train against our defenders, who definitely give us a tough time. We want to
make training harder than games, so when you come up against these defenders and it’s a
really tight contest, we know what to do,” she said.
“It was a really tough match. Every time we come up against the Ferns … they’re just getting
better and better. I’m proud of our group, we’re slowly putting four quarters together,” Wood
added.
‘This is nuts!’ Ferns denied CLEAR goal | 01:07
FARCICAL SCENES EXPOSE UMPIRING ISSUE
Umpiring by “neutral nation” officials, sometimes unaccustomed to the speed and skill of top-
flight netball played mainly in Australia and New Zealand, is an issue at every major tournament.
And the Quad Series was no different, with the final tarnished by farcical scenes in the last quarter when New Zealand was denied a goal because the controlling umpire, South African Anso Kemp, and her colleague, Gary Burgess from England, both missed it.
With just over seven minutes left on the clock, Silver Ferns captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio
sunk a goal as her teammate Grace Nweke and Diamond defender Courtney Bruce jockeyed
beside her.
As the shot went through, the pair fell to the ground in a tangle of arms and legs, distracting
Kemp. Although she appeared to start to signal a goal with a hand motion, Kemp stopped and
didn’t know what to do next.
After some confusion and the umpires conferring, it appeared the Diamonds would be awarded a throw-in, but eventually Kemp did a toss-up – an antiquated, now rarely-used way
to decide possession – between Nweke and her opponent Sarah Klau, which ultimately saw the Ferns score.
Under the rules of the game, it was the only option available to the umpires.
Fox Netball’s Cath Cox was left almost speechless. “I cannot believe my eyes. I haven’t seen
that happen in any game I can remember,” she said.
The incident highlighted a lack of resources and pay for umpires that will no doubt also
become a talking point at the World Cup later this year.
‘This is nuts!’ Never-before-seen umpire ‘farce’ mars Aussies’ Quad Series crown
KOENEN MAKES HER CASE FOR CUP SELECTION
Diamonds coach Stacey Marinkovich only has room for four shooters at the World Cup later
this year – and with Gretel Bueta and Steph Wood certain to take two of the available spots if
they’re fit and available – the Quad Series was always an audition for the other two slots.
Marinkovich tried Sophie Garbin, Cara Koenen, Sophie Dwyer and Kiera Austin in Cape Town and still has Donnell Wallam at home. It was 26-year-old Koenen though who made the
strongest case, shooting at an average 95% accuracy across three games.
After Garbin and Austin played in the opening Test against England, shooting at 90% and
78%, Koenen got the nod at GS for the big one, against New Zealand the next day, and she
repaid the faith, sinking 38/40 at 90% and grabbing two rebounds, playing with Wood.
She only played the last quarter in the final preliminary match against the Proteas, scoring a
perfect 9/9. Dwyer got 29 minutes in that game, her only court time of the tour, recording
13/15 at 87% and Austin also recorded 11/3 in her second and last game.
In the final this morning, the Sunshine Coast Lightning star put in 33/34 at 97% and took a
rebound in a starring support role to vice-captain Steph Wood.
She didn’t take a backward step against Jane Watson and then Kelly Jury at keeper, even
after a heavy clash with Watson left her sprawled on the ground.
Her almost-flawless performance will go a long way to getting a ticket back to Cape Town in
July.
AMAZING GRACE LIVES UP TO HER MONIKER
Silver Fern Grace Nweke lived up to her “Amazing Grace” nickname in the Quad Series,
playing every minute and taking out player of the tournament and best shooter in a career-
defining performance.
The 193cm holding shooter was the main avenue to goal in her side’s wins against England
and South Africa and two losses to Australia and took out MVP honours in the Proteas match.
The 20-year-old almost single-handedly won the gold medal match, shooting 33 of a total 49
goals for the Kiwis, but floundered a little in the second half when the game became scrappy
and physical.
Nweke, who was a standout in the Ferns’ bronze medal match at the Commonwealth Games
last year, has long been touted as the future of New Zealand netball, but the Quad Series will
be remembered as the moment she lived up to the hype.
Former Silver Fern captain Anna Stanley was full of praise for Nweke.
“When you look at (her), at 20 years of age, and she’s played every quarter of this tournament
… Grace, for me, could end up being one of the most capped Silver Ferns,” she said.
