The Australia National Netball Team, commonly known as the Australian Netball Diamonds, represent Australia in international netball tests and competitions. The team was formed in 1938 and played in the first international game of netball, against New Zealand. In 2008 the team adopted the nickname "Diamonds" in line with other Australian sporting teams, including the national women's basketball team, the Opals.
Australia have traditionally been regarded as the most successful netball team in international netball: they have won ten of the thirteen World Netball Championships, in addition to being the current world champions and ranked first in the INF World Rankings. The Diamonds compete annually in a home-and-away test series, the Constellation Cup, with perennial rivals New Zealand. Regular test matches are also held with other major netball countries, including England and Jamaica. To date, Australia have won ten World Championships and three Commonwealth Games events.
The Diamonds are administered by Netball Australia, the national governing body for netball in the country. Players are usually selected from Australian ANZ Championship franchises. The team are presently captained by Queensland Firebirds defender Laura Geitz. Lisa Alexander was appointed head coach in August 2011, taking over from Norma Plummer.
History
Australia and England during a test match in 2008.
While they remain amongst the world's very best, they have come under increasing challenge from New Zealand's national team, the Silver Ferns, in recent years. New Zealand won the 2006 Commonwealth Games final and the grand final of the 2003 World Netball Championships, which saw Australia lose the top world ranking. However, Australia regained their status as world champions after winning the 2007 World Netball Championships.
Historically, the Australian team has had an edge over perennial rivals New Zealand, as posting 54 victories, as opposed to New Zealand's 36 out of the 90 tests they have played (as at October 2008), including two matches ending in a draw.
On 8 September 2008, Netball Australia launched officially named the national team the Australian Netball Diamonds.[1] Continuing the trend set by the Australian women's basketball team, the Opals, Netball Australia made the announcement and described it as a milestone event in the sport's 80-year history in Australia.
Australia won the 2011 World Netball Championships on 10 July 2011 when the team defeated New Zealand 58–57 overtime, giving them their tenth world championship.[2]
Competitive record
| World Netball Championships |
|---|
| Year |
Championship |
Location |
Placing |
| 1963 | 1st World Championships | Eastbourne, England |
 1st |
| 1967 | 2nd World Championships | Perth, Australia |
 2nd |
| 1971 | 3rd World Championships | Kingston, Jamaica |
1st |
| 1975 | 4th World Championships | Auckland, New Zealand |
1st |
| 1979 | 5th World Championships | Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago |
Joint 1st |
| 1983 | 6th World Championships | Singapore |
1st |
| 1987 | 7th World Championships | Glasgow, Scotland |
Joint 2nd |
| 1991 | 8th World Championships | Sydney, Australia |
1st |
| 1995 | 9th World Championships | Birmingham, England |
1st |
| 1999 | 10th World Championships | Christchurch, New Zealand |
1st |
| 2003 | 11th World Championships | Kingston, Jamaica |
2nd |
| 2007 | 12th World Championships | Auckland, New Zealand |
1st |
| 2011 | 13th World Championships | Singapore |
1st |
| 2015 | 14th World Championships | Sydney, Australia |
TBD |
| 2019 | 15th World Championships | Liverpool, England |
Fast5 (formerly Fastnet)
Australia has competed in all six World Netball Series. The first series saw Australia's side all Diamond test players. Since the second series the fastnet/fast5 Australian team has contained both youthful and experienced players normally those just missing or not ready for Diamonds selection yet. Australia's Fast5 team is called the Fast5 Flyers.
Players
2015 Diamonds World Cup (18 players' squad)
| Name |
Positions |
2015 ANZ Championship team |
| Laura Geitz (captain) | GK, GD | Queensland Firebirds |
| Kimberlee Green (vice captain) | WA, C | New South Wales Swifts |
| Karyn Bailey | GA, GS | Melbourne Vixens |
| Caitlin Bassett | GS | West Coast Fever |
| Erin Bell | GA, GS | Adelaide Thunderbirds |
| Ashleigh Brazill | C, WD | West Coast Fever |
| Rebecca Bulley | GK, GD | Queensland Firebirds |
| Julie Corletto | GD, GK, WD | New South Wales Swifts |
| Renae Hallinan | WD, C | Adelaide Thunderbirds |
| Sharni Layton | GK, GD, WD | New South Wales Swifts |
| April Letton | GK, GD | West Coast Fever |
| Clare McMenimen | GD, WD | Queensland Firebirds |
| Natalie Medhurst | GA, GS | West Coast Fever |
| Tegan Philip | GA, GS | Melbourne Vixens |
| Kimberley Ravaillion | C, WD, WA | Queensland Firebirds |
| Gabi Simpson | WD, GD, C | Queensland Firebirds |
| Caitlin Thwaites | GS, GA | New South Wales Swifts |
| Khao Watts | WA, C, WD | West Coast Fever |
|
Notable past players
- Liz Ellis AM: Most capped Australian Netball player with 122 test caps. Current commentator for Fox Sports Australia for the ANZ Championship.
- Sharelle McMahon: Represented Australia in 118 tests spanning 14 years. Will be remembered most by many for shooting the winning goal in the INF 1999 Netball World Championships final for the Diamonds in Christchurch, New Zealand.
- Catherine Cox: Accumulated 108 Test caps and more than 2000 goals for Australia. Retired after winning an ANZ Championship premiership with the Melbourne Vixens in 2014. Was a side-line commentator for Sky Sports for the 2014 Constellation Cup Series in New Zealand, is a commentator for Fox Sports for the 2015 ANZ Championship season.
- Vicki Wilson: Was considered as the world's best shooter at the time. Has 104 test caps to her name. Coach of the Queensland Firebirds 2006–2009 and was a netball commentator for TEN and ONE HD, now assistant coach of the New Zealand Silver Ferns.
- Kathryn Harby-Williams: Fierce defender for Australia with 94 test caps. Moved to New Zealand with her husband after retiring internationally and played and commentated there until she and her family returned in 2013. Current commentator for Fox Sports for the ANZ Championship.
- Rosalie Jencke: Defender for Australia with 43 test caps. Current coach of the Queensland Firebirds.
- Shelley O'Donnell: Played for Australia for 10 years with 80 test caps.
- Anne Sargeant OAM: Shooter for Australia. 52 test caps to her name in a period with many fewer annual test matches compared to 2001–2013. Received Order of Australia in 1988 for her services to Australian netball. Was a commentator for the 2008, 2013 and 2014 ANZ Championship seasons and also was a commentator at multiple World Netball Championships.
- Michelle den Dekker: Defender for Australia with 84 test caps and was national captain in 1985–86 and from 1988–95. Also known as Michelle Fielke after her former marriage to Adelaide based Australian Rules Football player Grantley Fielke. Current Diamonds Assistant coach.
Most-capped Australian netballers
See also
References
External links
2014 Australian Netball Diamonds Commonwealth Games Team |
|---|
| | Players | |
|---|
| | Coaches | |
|---|
|
|
|---|
| | Full members | |
|---|
| | Associate members |
- Bahrain
- Brunei
- Japan
- South Korea
- Mongolia
- Nepal
- Qatar
- United Arab Emirates
|
|---|
|
|
|---|
|
- A1 GP
- Archery
- Athletics
- Badminton
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Beach handball
- Beach soccer
- Cricket
- Cycling
- Field hockey
- Floorball
- Futsal
- Goalball
- Golf
- Gridiron
- Handball
- Ice hockey
- Inline hockey
- International rules
- Korfball
- Lacrosse
- Motorcycle Speedway
- Netball
- Roller derby
- Roller hockey
- Rowing
- Rugby league
- Rugby union
- Sailing
- Association football
- Softball
- Squash
- Swim
- Tennis
- Volleyball
- Water polo
- Wheelchair basketball
- Wheelchair rugby
| | |
|
40 – 11 
New Zealand
3rd