By Sophie Taylor
The inaugural Netball Nations Cup was a mega success for the Origin Diamonds, sweeping their opposition with four straight wins.
These are the five things we learned across two big weekends of action.
SOPHIE SQUARED STAND STRONG
Sophie Garbin and Sophie Dwyer earned ample court time during the tournament, proving their combination can cause headaches against all forms of defence.
Both played an average of 30 minutes per match throughout the series, and displayed an impressive ability to start strong, and finish stronger.
Garbin looked confident going to post, consistently offering a great option in the goal circle and showcasing her strong hold under all kinds of pressure.
With confidence came an impressive 96 per cent accuracy, as the goal shooter piled on 88 goals – and just four misses - across her four appearances.
Dwyer started against England on both occasions and flourished in the high-pressure environment. Her best outing came in the Netball Nations Cup final, shooting 22 goals and connecting with Garbin for 10 goal assists.
Dwyer was also highly accurate, only missing five goals across her three matches, and while she sat out the team’s historic test against Uganda, proved to be a key lynchpin for the side.
Sophie Dwyer and Sophie Garbin were an excellent pairing.VERSATILITY WINS MATCHES
No matter what combination of seven was on court, the Origin Diamonds flourished.
Seamless connection across both the attacking and defensive ends was magnified by the team’s stability through change, with all 13 squad members earning plenty of court time across the four matches.
All five goalers starred and provided differing options to their counterparts. Marinkovich’s confidence in her partnerships and the ability for all five to start just proves how much depth is within the Origin Diamonds’ shooting group.
The midcourt shone, with captain Liz Watson, vice-captain Paige Hadley and GIANTS star Jamie-Lee Price all winning individual MVP awards over the first three matches, and all playing a high impact game.
Hadley was an excellent asset to the side, playing across both centre and wing attack throughout the series and rarely skipping a beat on her way to the series MVP award.
Versatility was also showcased in the defensive end, with all four defenders rotating across multiple positions and partnerships.
HISTORY MADE
The third test of the series marked a historic occasion as the Origin Diamonds and Uganda She Cranes went head-to-head for the very first time.
The world number seven She Cranes were a force to be reckoned with throughout the Netball Nations Cup, and their clash against Australia was no different.
They challenged the Origin Diamonds at every turn in a tightly fought match up.
Uganda’s patience with ball in hand caused plenty of frustration throughout the tournament, while their ability to reel in the loose ball across the court showcased the athleticism the playing group possessed.
While they did not get a win on the board, they came close in every match and even led at times throughout some thrilling contests.
Sarah Klau's 50th cap coincided with the historic Australia-Uganda clash.KLAU 50
Sarah Klau’s excellent week on tour was headlined by a momentous occasion – earning her 50th international cap for the Origin Diamonds.
While Klau’s international debut dates back to 2019, the goal keeper has developed like a fine wine and added to her repertoire with a number of appearances in goal defence.
She had a stellar series, playing the full 60 minutes of her milestone match in the historic first clash against Uganda, and came away with two intercepts, two deflections and a pickup as she shut down both Mary Cholhok and Shadiah Nassanga in turn.
Overall, Klau’s shutdown ability assisted the Origin Diamonds to the series clean sweep while her combination with Courtney Bruce grows with every game.
TWO YEARS OF DOMINANCE
The Origin Diamonds’ Netball Nations Cup success is ultimately the culmination of two massive years of dominance.
The Origin Diamonds have won the trophy of every series they have competed in since January, 2022, including the two majors – 2022 Commonwealth Games gold and 2023 Netball World Cup.
There is no denying the incredible impact of head coach Stacey Marinkovich and the depth of Australia’s national pathways, with this incredible dominance something to behold.
