GEITZ’S BACK ON GAMES RADAR FOR DIAMONDS
AUSTRALIAN coach Lisa Alexander has flagged the possibility of new mum Laura Geitz touring with the Diamonds leading into the Commonwealth Games.
Quad Series matches between Australia, New Zealand, England and South Africa will be played in January at a time and venue still to be confirmed.
This will be the final major series before the Gold Coast Games in April.
Alexander says she has ensured the netball selection policy allows for a possible comeback by Geitz, whose past performance would play a role in her potential selection as she has not played in the international arena for over a year after the birth of her first child, Barney, in late February 2017.
“She is going along well. She has started training,’’ Alexander said ahead of this week’s Constellation Cup matches in New Zealand.
“We will see how it goes. We don’t want to put too much pressure on her.
“But we have the ability to add her to the squad based on previous performance.
“She may be given the opportunity to tour with the England as a training partner. We’ll just have to wait and see.”
Geitz missed last year’s Super Netball season to start a family but has signed on for the 2018 league with the Queensland Firebirds.
Whether she has the form or fitness to also make the Commonwealth Games is still a 50/50 bet.
Alexander and the Australian players flew to New Zealand on Sunday ahead of Thursday’s opener of the annual series between the Diamonds and Silver Ferns.
The first match is in Auckland with the second in Christchurch on Sunday.
Teams return to Australia for the final two matches in Adelaide on October 11 and Sydney on October 14.