Two 14-strong Origin Australian Diamonds teams have been selected to play at the Constellation Cup and England Series this October and November.
The Diamonds’ Constellation Cup team to line-up against the Silver Ferns will feature captain Liz Watson and vice-captain Steph Wood, who will be joined by experienced Diamonds Courtney Bruce and Gretel Bueta*.
Queensland Firebirds dynamic defender Ruby Bakewell-Doran, who produced a breakout season in the Suncorp Super Netball this year, will make her debut in the green and gold.
Ruby Bakewell-Doran will make her debut for Australia.GIANTS trio Sophie Dwyer, Amy Parmenter and Jamie-Lee Price have been named in the team while NSW Swift Maddy Proud also joins the 14-strong team to take on the Silver Ferns.
Further changes will be made to the Diamonds group selected to compete in the three-match test series against England.
Collingwood Magpies shooter Sophie Garbin and NSW Swift Maddy Turner will don the green and gold. They will be joined by Melbourne Vixens veteran defender Joanna Weston.
Firebirds shooter Donnell Wallam, who was a training partner with the Diamonds’ Commonwealth Games team, will also make her debut for Australia after being named in the team to face the Roses.
Midcourter and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Ash Brazill has not made herself available for selection and is taking a break to spend time at home with her family.
Midcourter Amy Parmenter is one of three GIANTS to don the green and gold.Origin Australian Diamonds head coach Stacey Marinkovich said she was looking forward to working towards these two huge international events and bringing test netball back home.
“The upcoming international series against New Zealand and England gives us a unique opportunity to continue to solidify what we have been building over the last 18 months and what we delivered from the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games,” Marinkovich said.
“While we are extremely proud of the result recently achieved at the Commonwealth Games we learned that the depth and competitive nature of international netball is ferocious. I am looking forward to reconnecting with our squad as everyone will be refreshed and re-energised to align our focus towards the 2023 Netball World Cup build.
“We will continue to develop and challenge the depth of our squad enabling players to make their contribution in building our way forward.”
The Diamonds, who are ranked number one in the world coming off the back of a gold medal in Birmingham, will complete a training camp at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra before the international fixture gets underway in mid-October.
General Manager Retail Sales and Marketing at Origin Energy, Duncan Permezel, said Origin was thrilled to see test netball returning home.
“We are thrilled that test netball is returning to Australia and we’re proud to help bring the netball community together and share good energy with fans around the country," he said.
"We wish the world-leading Origin Australian Diamonds all the best throughout the series.”
More details on the international fixture can be found here.
THE TEAMS
Constellation Cup
Sunday Aryang
Kiera Austin
Ruby Bakewell-Doran
Courtney Bruce
Gretel Bueta*
Sophie Dwyer
Sarah Klau
Cara Koenen
Kate Moloney
Amy Parmenter
Jamie-Lee Price
Maddy Proud
Liz Watson
Steph Wood
England Series
Kiera Austin
Courtney Bruce
Gretel Bueta*
Sophie Garbin
Paige Hadley
Sarah Klau
Cara Koenen
Kate Moloney
Amy Parmenter
Jamie-Lee Price
Maddy Proud
Maddy Turner
Donnell Wallam
Joanna Weston
* The Origin Australian Diamonds extend their best wishes to Gretel Bueta, who has announced she is pregnant.
The 29-year-old goaler has withdrawn from the upcoming international series against New Zealand and England to focus on her growing family.
