Polished Diamond in Games team mix

DIAMONDS coach Lisa Alexander has conceded Liz Watson’s impressive form during the Constellation Cup will make Madi Robinson’s path back into the national team “more difficult” ahead of the Commonwealth Games.

Watson was one of the standouts in the Diamonds’ 4-0 series sweep against New Zealand, claiming MVP honours twice – in the second Test and Saturday’s fourth and final Test in Sydney.

The Vixens’ vice-captain stepped assertively into the wing attack position that 29year-old Robinson, who was dropped for the series, has made her own in recent years.

After their emphatic Constellation Cup result, the Diamonds now have just one more series to press their case for selection – January’s quad series in South Africa and England – before the final team for the Gold Coast Games is named.

The team for the quad series is expected to be named at the end of the month.

Alexander said selectors now had to debate whether to give Robinson another chance to show what she could do in the quad series, adding her experience would also come into the equation.

“It (Watson’s form) is going to make things more difficult for Madi to get her way back into the team,’’ she said.

“However, we’ve got to balance that against a lot of things – her leadership within the group, her ability to improve on the areas we’ve asked her to improve on.

“We’ve got to make some decisions around whether we give her another opportunity to show us what she can do in the quad series as well, having seen Kate Moloney and Caitlyn Nevins up close and then we’ve also got Paige Hadley in the background.

“It’s not an easy decision, it’s going to be hard, but we’ve got to counter balance all the aspects of playing in a tournament, including experience, which is very important.’’

The full Diamonds’ squad will also come together for an intensive training camp in January.