Diamonds apply lessons in naming new squad
COACH Lisa Alexander says “little things” have been identified to help the Diamonds return to the winners’ circle but there will be no kneejerk changes to the way the Australian netball team runs in the wake of its shock loss at the Commonwealth Games.
A new Diamonds squad will be named on Sunday, with change expected in the wake of the international retirements of senior players Laura Geitz, Susan Pettitt and Madi Robertson, and the emergence of new talent in Super Netball.
With a series of international matches looming – the first since England beat Australia for its first Games gold in history – Alexander said a thorough Netball Australia review had been completed.
“It’s the most thorough review I have ever been part of,” Alexander said.
“But we can’t be kneejerk reactionary. Keeping it in context, we were still four goals up with six minutes to go and should have won the game.
“Everyone has fire in the belly to get back in there.
“There are many little things we have learned, little details that will be applied. There are things we will make sure do not happen again.”
Australia has a series of internationals in September and October, including its first rematch with England since the Games loss.
Alexander said there might be new faces in the squad as she worked on retopping her pool of talent ahead of next year’s world championships in the UK.
Swifts defender Sarah Klau is one young player pushing for squad selection after a second standout season with the NSW side.
Klau will test her mettle against the best shooter in Super Netball, Jhaniele Fowler-Reid, tomorrow when the Swifts host the table-topping West Coast Fever in Sydney.
The Swifts must win all of their remaining matches this season and then rely on other results to fall their way to have a chance of making the top four.