With netball’s international season getting underway in October, Stacey Marinkovich has named her 2025/2026 squad this week.
It’s been a busy year for Australia’s national coach and is about to get busier – the Diamonds have two selection camps in September, followed by a three match test series against the South African Proteas and the four match Constellation Cup. Early next year there’s further camps and a yet-to-be announced test series, followed by another squad selection ahead of the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
Marinkovich said, “Nothing will be gifted and we’ll be looking at the strengths of our combinations and every player. I said to the group last night and the players coming in, that this isn’t a development programme. Ultimately, you’re in the best team in Australian netball, so you’ve got to be ready to contribute.
“Our players have been selected for certain skill sets, and they need to have the confidence and the courage to bring that into our environment.
“We want to have our best team out against New Zealand and South Africa, while also exploring our options at the same time. So it’s a tough balance.”
The size of the squad
Marinkovich has named the biggest Diamonds’ group she’s able to, and while she’d love to include more, she’s bound by a formula agreed upon in the most recent Collective Players’ Agreement (CPA). That is a maximum of 18 contracted squad members, plus no more than four invitees. A temporary replacement player can also be named for someone who is ill or injured, as is done in Suncorp Super Netball (SSN).
“It is no longer just a high performance decision, and there is a lot more complexity around it,” she said.
“The complication is that the outside world sees so many great performances and then wants to see those players get an opportunity at national level. We would never close the door on that, but the limit on four invitees means we do have to be very targeted and specific about our approach.
“The high performance staff and I try and connect with as many levels as we can, from the Under 17 camp we’ve just been in, through to all the pathway programmes and SSN clubs. We work with the coaches, the strength and conditioning staff work together, as do the medical staff. Preseason trainings, connecting with players during the season, building relationships – it’s all important.
“All the players know that you’re keeping an eye on them, are across their performances and are there for feedback. I think it’s the best connection we’ve had with the clubs since I’ve been in this role – we have done a lot of work in building communication lines and trust with them.”
Australian Diamonds travelling squad – 2024. Image: Clinton Bradbury/Bradbury Photography
Has Marinkovich’s selection process altered?
With five years under her belt as national coach, Marinkovich’s approach to selection has subtly altered since she was named in 2020. She now has a much deeper understanding of players across SSN and Australian pathways, which she said has led to ‘clarity’ of what she is trying to achieve.
“I’ve had more interaction with the athletes, more insight as to where their bodies are at, where they are at from a game strategy point of view, understanding their performances in SSN to the nth degree.
“Having that extended knowledge helps me to look at different ways we can play the game, and be more innovative in the strategies we put in place.”
When it comes to selection, Marinkovich said that she and her fellow selectors will have their interest sparked by what they see out on court. They’ll also consider a wide range of performance data from their analysts, and information around athlete’s strength and conditioning, work load, injury management and wellbeing.
“Those insights help us understand what kind of preparation players need to be ready to perform at camps. From there, if they are selected into a team, what do we need to do to make sure they’re flying when it comes to game opportunities and international competition?”
Developing a game plan
“I work with Nic (Richardson, assistant coach) to understand what we’re trying to deliver on court, what our opposition are doing, and where netball is shifting to.
“It’s really important to understand our individual and collective strengths, and how we maximise them as a group. We’ve got some incredible athleticism and skill sets within the group which we want to use, rather than try and force them into playing a certain way.”
While the Diamonds play to their own abilities and game plan, they also look at what opponents might throw at them. For some teams, that centres around a tall, holding shooter such as Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard or Grace Nweke. For Australia to maintain their level of success, picking up gains before it reaches the post has become more important than ever.
“We definitely have to look at ways we can get ball,” said Marinkovich. “A one-on-one contest is very hard against them, so we need to work with a collective approach. There are abilities within our group that can put their direct opponent under pressure and win ball from them.
“So we have to find the balance between what an individual is doing and our team work, and a lot of our time in camp is spent clarifying everyone’s roles out on court so we’re connected and cohesive.”
Stacey Marinkovich and Nic Richardson lead the Australian Diamonds. Image: Netball Australia
Working with injured athletes
If Marinkovich wants to name a player within her squad for the next year, they have to be contracted, even if they are currently carrying an injury.
With two and a half months before the next international series, she said the inclusion of four currently injured athletes gives them the time and resources to get back into peak condition.
“We are working on that at the moment, and this season we do have the benefit of time. I’ll get intimate knowledge of where those players are at. But you know, there’s a definite part where we’re looking to Commonwealth Games. So some players might have a different progression, but certainly it’ll be in the best interests of team performance.
Players on the rise
Although there’s seven players under the age of 25 in the squad, there wasn’t room for more of SSN’s rising stars. Unfortunately that group has had limited international opportunities since the Covid-forced cancellation of the 2021 Netball World Youth Cup and demise of the Australia A concept. Marinkovich said Netball Australia are working hard to support the next tier of players coming through.
“We’ve seen eight of our World Youth Cup squad members out on the SSN court this year. We’ve also got the likes of players that you mentioned like Lauren Frew, Reilley Batcheldor and the Cransberg twins who are too old for that competition.
“So it’s making sure we put them in the right programmes that they can thrive in.
“We are exploring our options around further international opportunities for the next tier under the Diamonds.
“It’s a pivotal part of the transition process. We link into clubs, I see them in the training environment and have a good understanding of what they are capable of. And when a player does then step up into the Diamonds, we want to make sure they are ready to thrive.
“So yes, we have to work out the best way to get that development for them.”
International series against South Africa and New Zealand
Marinkovich believes it would be naive to think that the Proteas, ranked below New Zealand in world standings, won’t provide as much of a test as the Silver Ferns.
She’s been keeping an eye on the English SuperLeague, and said, “Their players have had some great performances over there. They’re young, and they’ve got a new and different coaching structure since we last played them so they are a little bit unknown to a certain degree. So we will want to attack that, and we know how capable New Zealand are.”
Australia lost their last Constellation Cup series against the Silver Ferns, and Marinkovich believes that progress will come from focusing on their own strengths rather than worrying about the opposition that faces them.
“We need to improve on some skill sets. We want to keep the ball moving quickly, be aggressive in defence, and have real confidence in our own way of playing.
“So there’ll be a lot of emphasis on the way in which we want to play, while giving players the freedom to adapt and shift the contest.
“During the last Constellation Cup I think we started to sway into trying to combat what we perceived was happening with New Zealand, as opposed to really focusing on what our own strengths were.
The Diamonds and Silver Ferns contest the Constellation Cup annually, and Australia will be hoping to win it back after New Zealand took out the 2024 title. Image Aliesha Vicars
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Shooters
Squad members: Kiera Austin, Sophie Dwyer, Sophie Garbin, Cara Koenen, Georgie Horjus*
Invitees: Lucy Austin, Donnell Wallam
*moves between shooter and midcourt
“We recognise that we have limitations in options for our goal shooters,” said Marinkovich. “I can’t shift that, but I can make sure we work with players we’ve identified. Checking and challenging them, and seeing what development plans we need to put in place.”
With a lack of shooting depth due to the number of imports in the SSN, Marinkovich will be exploring how she uses exciting youngster Georgie Horjus, who can swing between goal attack and wing attack as needed.
“We want to take the strength of both her positions. She’s had great impact when she’s stepped into goal attack in SSN, doesn’t mind going to post from the mid range, and she doesn’t need to play in a position a lot to hit the standard we need. She’s also very creative in how she moves the ball.”
Three of the Australian shooters – Kiera Austin, Sophie Dwyer and Sophie Garbin – sit first, second and third in the league for turnovers. While it’s particularly surprising of the well-established Vixens shooting combination, Marinkovich isn’t too stressed over it, particularly as all bar two of the top 20 in the league for turnovers are shooters.
She believes it’s taken them and their feeding partners time to adapt to different defensive tactics this year, while also being aware it will be an area to focus on.
“We pride our attacking end on being secure with the ball, so it’s showing me what to address and target. There’s been turnovers in a lot of teams this season.”
Two of the decisions that have created the most chat are the dropping of Donnell Wallam from the squad to an invitee, and the continued inclusion of Lucy Austin as an invitee despite just two brief SSN appearances this season.
Marinkovich said, “Donnell has had a disrupted season with injury, and she’s also been out of our Australian system for quite a while now. But she is showing great strength out on court up against different Silver Fern combinations in the ANZ league, and is having good success over there.
“We definitely recognise her capability, and we want to see what it looks like having been out and now coming back in, where she’s at physically. Being an invitee is an exploration of where she’s at, but she is still involved in the programme.
“Lucy is another. She had a great camp with us in January, showing us she has a point of difference to what we already have in the squad. She’s young, she had a high shooting percentage and was able to get up to high balls, so there was a lot of boxes ticked in terms of what she looks like in the Diamonds.
“So while she hasn’t had much SSN experience this year other than preseason, she has played Reserves, and we’ve been working closely with the Thunderbirds over this period of time.”
Diamonds squad members Georgie Horjus and Matilda Garrett and invitee Lucy Austin received green and gold flowers in 2024 to celebrate their national selection. Image: Hannah Howard | On the Ball Media
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Midcourt
Squad members: Paige Hadley, Georgie Horjus (also included in shooting circle), Kate Moloney, Hannah Mundy, Amy Parmenter, Jamie-Lee Price, Alice Teague-Neeld, Liz Watson
Invitee: Amy Sligar
Marinkovich is excited by what she is seeing from the selected midcourt, believing they have a great combination of youthful energy and experience. And while of her capped centres the youngest is Jamie-Lee Price at 29, she believes age isn’t an issue.
“We have such character and personalities in there. They are so driven individually to achieve standards but are also strongly team focused. Our senior players work extremely hard, they are very aware of their own level of performance, and also the role they play in challenging the youth coming in. And the youth have the freedom to come in and own their strengths.
“Having energy that links both ends of the court puts us in a good position. It’s going to be the most competitive environment that we’ve seen from our midcourt, and that’s when our Diamonds thrive.
The only changes to the midcourt group are the elevation of Alice Teague-Neeld to the squad, and the inclusion of Amy Sligar as an invitee. Marinkovich is pleased by what she’s seen of both this year.
“Amy was very happy, but also surprised. Her inclusion was a reflection of how she’s played this year – she’s gone out and attacked the ball. She works the one on one really hard, takes a fly and has the vision for what’s happening around her. That built during the season, and we have to find ways to win ball outside the circle. Amy showed that during the season.”
At 29, Teague-Neeld is unfortunate to be of a similar vintage to many of the Diamonds’ regulars, but Marinkovich said that won’t hinder a debut if it’s warranted. “While people do focus on age, I look at performance. Alice has had an incredible journey and she’s shown great strength of character to evolve. She’s such a consistent performer at a high standard, and has made the most of her last two opportunities as an invitee.
“She combined with other players really well at camp, especially feeding a moving circle, which is different
to the environment she’s in at Fever. And when she was playing without Jhaniele at the start of the season,
her numbers didn’t shift from what we are seeing now, so her skills are transferable.
“Like every other player, if performance is consistent and connections are right, then the opportunities take care of themselves.”
Some consistently strong seasons have seen Alice Teague-Neeld elevated to the Diamonds’ squad. Image: Clinton Bradbury/Bradbury Photography
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Defence
Squad members: Sunday Aryang, Courtney Bruce, Ash Ervin, Matilda Garrett, Sarah Klau, Jo Weston
Invitee: Teigan O’Shannassy* (Erin O’Brien will provide injury cover)
The Diamonds’ defence is its most experienced end of the court, with just one uncapped squad member and one new invitee. With Courtney Bruce to be given all the time she needs to get her body right, there’s a possibility that Ash Ervin could debut.
She sits sixth for the most number of gains this season, which Marinkovich said is ‘solid’ given her limited court time. And while SSN shows total number of gains, she prefers to look at the numbers in comparison to court time which allows her to compare apples with apples.
“That makes it easier for me to assess. Ash does get hand on a lot of ball, and has real presence in the circle with her stature. Now we need to add some spice to that in some cases.
“She’s a young body, she’s still developing and working really hard on the strength and power components to her game. It’s our role to bring out the best in her, and she’s really striving towards her debut.”
Already a Diamonds’ regular, Sunday Aryang is another young player who has stepped up this season. Marinkovich said, “She’s been flying, particularly in the last couple of weeks.
“She’s always contributed strongly to our group, but probably hasn’t quite had the level of impact in the finals of big tournaments that she’d like. And we’re seeing her take real ownership and accountability of what she’s wanting to achieve. So we’re supporting that in partnership with West Coast Fever, she’s really developing her leadership, and she’s showing us how she can attack the opposition.”
Teigan O’Shannassy is an invitee to the Diamonds, and will attend camp alongside Erin O’Brien, who will provide injury cover for her. Marinkovich said it was a tough choice between two such exciting young players, but O’Shannassy is currently the more established.
“Teigan is one of the best defenders in the league for coming off her own player and getting intercepts. She’s hard, courageous to the ball, and has a loud voice at the back at key moments in the game, so that really grabbed our attention.
“Erin’s really evolved since she went out to the goal defence position, and I’ll look forward to seeing if she can bring those learnings into camp, and then what they look like when she goes back to goal keeper.
“For the pair of them, the speed of the Diamonds’ game will test their decision making and movement, and I’m super excited to see them have a crack.”
Ash Ervin has all the ingredients for success, and now Stacey Marinkovich wants her to add a little more spice to her game. Image: May Bailey-Ireland | Clusterpix
