Diamonds at risk of 13-year first as Silver Ferns expose major flaws
A major title was not to be for the Australian Diamonds this season, with their hopes of winning the Constellation Cup dashed by the Silver Ferns on Sunday.
It was a thrilling third battle in the series that had many believing the Diamonds had brushed off the uncharacteristic errors that troubled them at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. But a three-quarter lead crumbled in the dying minutes of the game.
Australia won last year’s Constellation Cup in a thrilling extra-time tiebreaker. Getty Images
The Silver Ferns will now face the tough task of staying hungry in the final game of the series after taking an unassailable 3-0 lead, while the Diamonds hope to avoid a 4-0 whitewash.
With 10 months to go until Australia hosts the Netball World Cup, here are some of the things that are on the line for the Diamonds and coach Stacey Marinkovich.
Australia’s No.1 ranking under threat
The gap between Australia and the rest of the netball world has closed over the past three years, with the Diamonds now under pressure to keep their No.1 ranking.
A surprise defeat against Jamaica at the Commonwealth Games was the first warning for Australia, who were expected to meet the Silver Ferns in the final.
The rise of the Silver Ferns had been clouded by internal conflict over the 12 months leading into the competition in Glasgow, but the talent of the players shone through on their path to the gold medal.
The Silver Ferns then set their sights on the world No.1 ranking.
Dame Noeline Taurua’s Silver Ferns only need one more win to secure that title.
If the Diamonds are to lose on Wednesday in the final game of the series, Australia will fall beneath the Silver Ferns to No.2 on the world rankings.
It would mark the first time since 2013 that Australia has not been No.1.
The green and gold will also move closer to equalling its worst-ever losing streak, set in 2013 after the Diamonds lost five straight games against England and New Zealand. Since then, Australia’s longest losing streak has been three games.
The 2024 Constellation Cup series was the last time Australia lost three-straight games, but the group rallied together to win the final game in Melbourne in dominant fashion, 63-50.
The fighting spirit that helped Australia lead in the first three quarters on Sunday will give coach Marinkovich hope the Silver Ferns won’t win the series 4-0. But the idea of the Silver Ferns only now “coming of age” will keep her on alert.
Marinkovich’s fight to renew her contract
Marinkovich has been in charge of the Diamonds since 2020. Getty Images
Missing out on the title in two consecutive international series will only increase the pressure on Marinkovich to stay on as the Diamonds head coach.
Marinkovich is signed on to lead Australia through until the end of 2027, taking charge of the team at a home World Cup and a possible Constellation Cup series.
With no international matches locked in before the World Cup, Marinkovich has one game left to get her team out of their uncharacteristic slump. If she is unable to do so, the pressure will be on for her to secure a contract renewal.
It is not likely that Marinkovich will lose her job before the World Cup as “there’s (typically) not money to pay out coaches and get rid of them” in the netball scene, according to former Diamond Bianca Chatfield, who spoke about the under-pressure coach’s situation on ABC’s Offsiders.
Chatfield added that the former West Coast Fever coach is also facing a range of challenges past coaches have not faced, including the rise of emerging nations.
Australian captain Liz Watson said emerging nations like Jamaica had brought a new challenge to the international game, with Silver Ferns coach Taurua noting the Carribean nation should never be underestimated, nor should England.
The World Cup will be the biggest test for Australia against those rising nations.
Grenvold made her debut for the national team at the start of the 2026 Constellation Cup series. Getty Images
New combinations put to the test
Seven unanswered goals in the final quarter turned the third game on its head, with the Diamonds unable to get the win that looked all but certain in Sunday’s clash.
The Silver Ferns had to play a different style of netball to what they had done in the first two games, with the Diamonds forcing them to sit higher in attack and placing heavy pressure on star shooter Grace Nweke to come out of the circle.
Nweke’s incredible aerial skills were challenged by the partnership of Jessie Grenvold, who debuted in game one, and 100-gamer Courtney Bruce, in what was an impressive display from the pair given the limited time they’ve had to bond.
“For Courtney and Jessie to have that kind of performance against that calibre of a shooting circle with very limited time ... I’m really looking forward to what our defenders how they keep evolving together,” Marinkovich said post-game.
Taurua also had praise for Australia’s defence: “Jessie has done amazing, I must say. So have Courtney and Sarah (Klau) on the outside. It’s quite remarkable.”
The defensive combination was not the only combination that Marinkovich tested on Sunday, with Sophie Garbin and Sophie Dwyer dominating as a shooting duo.
Garbin’s confidence in the circle saw her remain as the GS for the entire 60 minutes, finishing the match with 37 goals from 43 attempts.
Dwyer was subbed into the circle just 30 seconds into the match due to an injury to Kate Moloney in the midcourt, which forced Georgie Horjus to shift from goal attack to wing attack.
Despite an 81 per cent shooting rate, Dwyer was taken off in the fourth quarter for Kiera Austin, who shot three from three goals. Australia went on to lose.
Marinkovich said those new-look set-ups were not just for the sake of “throwing combinations out there” but rather a way to see what impact individuals have.
“There’s things that we want to see,” she replied when asked if Australia will trial more combinations in the final game of the series.
The Silver Ferns have overcome a number of internal sagas to reach the top this year. Getty Images
“We want to see how people enter games, how they can make an impact.
“Sophie Dwyer at the start of the game went from thinking she would be sitting (on the bench) for a little while to getting straight out there and having an impact. That is the kind of thing that we want to keep grabbing hold of.”
The formation of the midcourt has not been touched in this series due to injuries, with Jamie-Lee Price racing the clock to play in the series finale on Wednesday.
Marinkovich confirmed it is a tight race for the Mavericks star to be fit to play, while defensive star Matilda Garrett has been ruled out of the fourth game due to concussion.
Kate Moloney is also battling two finger injuries, a dislocation and a nasty cut that required 12 stitches to fix, but she is expected to take her place in the series finale.
The only options Marinkovich has left for the midcourt with those injuries are Watson, Moloney, Horjus and Amy Parmenter.
The final game of the Constellation Cup series will take place at John Cain Arena in Melbourne on Wednesday.
