Double NSW Swifts Premiership champions Sarah Klau and Paige Hadley have been named in a 12-strong Australian Diamonds team which will contest the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham later this year.
The duo, who both shone in Sunday's comeback Suncorp Super Netball win over the Queensland Firebirds, will look to add Commonwealth Gold to their respective trophy cabinets after the Swifts' title defence was agonisingly ended by the Collingwood Magpies, who pipped the Premiers to the last Finals spot on marginal goal percentage.
While there was elation for Klau and Hadley, there was disappointment for fellow double Swifts champions Maddy Proud and Maddy Turner. The pair were both named in the 2022-23 Diamonds Squad, however, neither were selected for the Team to travel to Birmingham.
The Australians will be captained by Melbourne Vixens champion Liz Watson.
Australian Diamonds head coach Stacey Marinkovich is excited for the squad to start working towards the Birmingham Games.
“Selection for any international series – especially the Commonwealth Games – is never easy,” Marinkovich said.
“We have such great depth of talent in Australian netball, across every position on the court, and I congratulate the 12 athletes who have been selected to compete at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
“I’m incredibly excited to work with this group of athletes and build on our connection both on and off the court, starting with a training camp in Perth next month.”
Netball Australia CEO Kelly Ryan has congratulated the 12 athletes selected and said she hopes they can continue to build on Australia’s Games success.
“On behalf of Netball Australia, we congratulate the 12 athletes selected in the Australian Diamonds Commonwealth Games team,” Ryan said.
“This opportunity only comes around every four years, and we are all keen to see this team carry on Australia’s proud history in netball at Birmingham.”
Netball at the Commonwealth Games features the world’s best teams and is one of the most popular and highly-anticipated sports.
The 12 teams in Birmingham are divided into two groups of six. Each team plays every other team in their pool in the group phase. The top two teams in each pool advance to the semi-finals. The two semi-final winners play off for gold, while the two losers play for bronze.
Netball was first played at the Commonwealth Games as a demonstration sport at the Auckland 1990 Games, comprising a single match between Australia and New Zealand. The sport joined the full sport program at the Kuala Lumpur Games in 1998.
England caused a major surprise when they defeated Australia 52-51 in the final at Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. Until then, Australia and New Zealand had played every gold-medal match at the Games.
DIAMONDS SQUAD
- Sunday Aryang (West Coast Fever)
- Kiera Austin (Melbourne Vixens)
- Ash Brazill (Collingwood Magpies)
- Courtney Bruce (West Coast Fever)
- Gretel Bueta (Queensland Firebirds)
- Paige Hadley (NSW Swifts)
- Sarah Klau (NSW Swifts)
- Cara Koenen (Sunshine Coast Lightning)
- Kate Moloney (Melbourne Vixens)
- Liz Watson (Melbourne Vixens)
- Jo Weston (Melbourne Vixens)
- Steph Wood (Sunshine Coast Lightning)
Reserves: Ruby Bakewell-Doran (Queensland Firebirds), Jamie-Lee Price (Giants), Donnell Wallam (Queensland Firebirds)
