Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
AAP
AAP
Sport
Murray Wenzel

Diamonds emerge stronger from turbulence

The Diamonds' 3-0 home series sweep of England has completed a highly successful and dramatic 2022. (Darren England/AAP PHOTOS) (AAP)

An emboldened Stacey Marinkovich will welcome fresh selection headaches instead of performance and commercial migraines after the Diamonds ended a turbulent year with a full trophy cabinet.

A four-goal defeat of England on Thursday night in Brisbane sealed a 3-0 series victory for Australia, who left out key personnel to blood fresh talent ahead of next year's World Cup.

They also won the Constellation Cup, Commonwealth Games gold and a Quad Series title on home soil to reclaim every major trophy available to them.

Marinkovich was under the pump when she took the job but, ever since an 18-5 final quarter against the Roses sealed the Quad Series earlier this year, has barely put a foot wrong.

Challenges off court only complicated her assignment, the messy sponsorship saga dragging her squad and netball into unchartered territory.

But with the Victorian government stepping in to replace the $15 million deal withdrawn from Hancock Prospecting, Marinkovich can reflect positively before her focus switches to Super Netball.

With only a handful of Tests expected before South Africa's Cup, it will be largely domestic form that determines who gets a seat on the plane.

"You have to have moments where you can be strong enough to go, 'This is what I'm doing to do', the coach said.

"Sometimes you don't make the right decisions ... (but) it's not my job to please everyone.

"To keep backing up competition to competition, using every player in our squad, shows we're growing something pretty special.

"People will start to look and think, 'OK, what's coming next?'."

She said the off-court distraction of a soured sponsorship deal was a lesson for Netball Australia as it attempted to gain a higher footing in Australia's crowded sports market.

"It does show that what we do on the court is recognised, but also the personality and what we do as a group to contribute to the community has a stronger reach," she said of the attention the saga attracted.

"We need to grow to understand how we embrace that ... you're stepping up with the AFL, under more scrutiny and surveillance.

"But it's a credit when you're making those inroads, reaching communities and making a change."

England coach Jess Thirlby will fly home impressed by her opponent but not forlorn.

"An Aussie side not holding onto a major trophy is a big deal, so there was some soul searching I imagine," the Roses coach said of the Diamonds starting the year without any silverware.

"But they've never not been No.1, even when they haven't won major tournaments.

"It's important to acknowledge that they have remained there and that's (ranking system) there for a reason.

"Australia have had a great six months ... but is it (the World Cup) a shoe-in? Absolutely not."

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.