New netball competition vital for Diamonds

Diamonds coach Lisa Alexander says Australia's new Super Netball competition is a crucial cog in cementing her side as the world's best.

After Super Netball's inaugural season, Alexander is in no doubt the eight-team Australian tournament will boost the Diamonds' performances.

"We've had more players on court, more players exposed to (a) competitive environment," Alexander said.

"You really need that to be the best in the world."

Alexander travelled to New Zealand during the Kiwi domestic season for a first-hand look at their revamped competition after the demise of the trans-Tasman league.

"Their competition is still very, very high quality and world class," she said.

The Diamonds kicked off a seven-day training camp on Wednesday in Canberra ahead of next month's Quad Series which pits them against the Silver Ferns, England and South Africa.

Without wanting to give too much away, Alexander foreshadowed changes to existing combinations in the Diamonds' line-up.

"Yes, we are going to look at mixing things up quite a lot," Alexander said.

"That will mean our established fans will be a little bit uncomfortable with that because they're used to seeing things in a certain way."

"When you've got an Australian team of 12 athletes, you need to use your athletes.

"There's no point in having them on the bench. You'll see a lot more introduction of players during Test matches."

While 2015 World Cup-winning captain Laura Geitz, who is on the comeback after having a baby, hasn't been called up for the camp, she is still under consideration for selection for next year's Commonwealth Games.

"As women know, that comeback from having babies, it takes time and particularly to get the form back that you had prior to that," Alexander said.

"Particularly for Laura, she's the sort of athlete that really needs that extra court work.

"We want to make sure that she's given every opportunity to have an opportunity to be selected but, at the same time, our defensive end is fabulous."

Alexander is drawing on Carlton AFL coach Brendan Bolton's philosophy of learning to be comfortable with being uncomfortable as a theme for the Diamonds' camp.

"We won't be going really hard in any of the sessions. We're building up gradually to the Quad Series," Alexander said.