Cara Koenen on filling Gretel Bueta’s shoes, Aussie Diamonds’ quest to win netball’s ‘complete set’
Australia will be without arguably its best player at this year’s World Cup,
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Who is up to the impossible task of replacing Australia’s best netballer in a World Cup year?
That’s the question looming over Australian netball as the domestic Super Netball competition gets underway this weekend.
While players have been urged to focus on club duties, it’s difficult not to cast one eye forward to July’s Netball World Cup in South Africa.
The World Cup is the one title missing from Australia’s trophy cabinet and the Diamonds are determined to emphatically reclaim their position as the undisputed powerhouse of world netball.
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But they will have to do it without dynamic shooter Gretel Bueta, who will miss the Super Netball season and the World Cup campaign after announcing she was expecting her second child.
It’s delightful news for Bueta, who pulled out of international series late last year before revealing she had suffered a miscarriage.
But her absence poses a major dilemma for Diamonds coach Stacey Marinkovich, who needs to settle on a starting goal shooter for the World Cup.
The three leading contenders are Cara Koenen, Sophie Garbin and Donnell Wallam, who have all excelled when given the opportunity in national colours in the last 12 months.
Koenen played vital minutes in the gold medal match at last year’s Commonwealth Games, Garbin turned the Constellation Cup in Australia’s favour and Wallam famously scored the matchwinning buzzerbeater goal on debut.
Koenen is a frontrunner to get first crack at goal shooter, although the Diamonds’ World Cup squad is far from set in stone.
The 27-year-old said first and foremost, the Diamonds squad had rallied around Bueta after the emotional rollercoaster of the last six months.
“Obviously, Gretel’s been on an absolute rollercoaster and as much as we are a squad first mentality, it’s kind of more like a family,” Koenen told news.com.au.
“Our whole culture is based around ‘sisters in arms’. I think when one of us is feeling something as significant as that, we wanted to rally around her, and (husband) Niko and (son) Bobby as well as they’ve been a mainstay of the Diamonds environment over the last couple of years.
“It was obviously a very tough time for her family and we wanted to support her in whatever way we can. It kind of brings it back to the fact that it’s bigger than just netball. It reminds you of what’s important.
Koenen is well aware the Australian GS bib is there for the taking and she is determined to be part of the Diamonds team that wins the World Cup.
“In terms of me trying to take that opportunity that I suppose that (Bueta’s absence) left for me, yeah I think everyone’s putting their hand up for court time,” she said.
“That’s part of the strength of Australian netball at the moment and why we’ve been so formidable over the last 12 months.
Koenen has come into her own in recent years and has become a mainstay of the Diamonds and her Super Netball club the Sunshine Coast Lightning.
“It’s been a busy 12-18 months with international stuff backing onto the end of the SSN (Suncorp Super Netball) league,” she said.
“I’m really enjoying playing my netball and I’ve had the privilege to play with some pretty amazing girls both for Diamonds and Lightning.
“I mean Comm Games was probably a highlight of my netballing life, life in general. Being able to get minutes in that final, which I was by no means expecting. That’s an indescribable moment that I’ll never forget.
“We’ve got really great groups, we get along really well off the court so I feel like most of it has been hanging out with my mates and throw in a little netball on the side.
“As soon as we head into (Diamonds) camp I do have a pinch me, deer in headlights kind of thing, where I still have to pinch myself that I’m there.”
The Diamonds have been on a mission to be the dominant force in world netball since Marinkovich took over as coach in 2020.
Apart from losing the Constellation Cup in 2021, Australia’s trajectory to the top of the mountain has been steady and successful.
In a perfect last 12 months, the Diamonds won two Quad Series, Commonwealth Games gold, reclaimed the Constellation Cup and dominated England.
The redemption tour will be complete if they win the World Cup, where New Zealand and Jamaica loom as the fiercest challengers.
“Something Stacey’s instilled in the group since coming on board as head coach is the fact that she doesn’t want to shy away from expectation,” Koenen said.
“I think in sport sometimes it can be a little bit taboo to talk about ‘we want to win this amount of medals, we want to win this amount of games’.
“Whereas she’s been really open and honest about setting that benchmark and expectation as World No. 1 that we want to win that trophy back from New Zealand, win it back from the Kiwis and have the complete set back in our hands.
“It’s something that hasn’t been done a whole lot in netball, winning both Comm Games and World Cup in one cycle. We talk a lot about being a transformational team, I think she has really instilled that expectation and belief in us that’s a big goal for this year.
“Having slowly filled up our trophy cabinet again, we do have such a squad strong. It’s not even about that seven that gets on court or the 12 that’s picked in the team or the 15 that tours.
“It’s really that whole 20 that’s pushing for selection when any opportunity comes up. It’s a really competitive environment, which I think only makes us a lot better.”
Koenen’s combination with goal attack Steph Wood is growing every time they step out on the court together for the Diamonds and the Sunshine Coast Lightning.
“We joke about it a lot but we call her the smartest player in the game,” Koenen said of Wood, who is in career best form.
“She hates it but I think it’s pretty on brand. She’s got such a way of reading play and creating in our attack end. She pretty much runs what we do up there so I feel very lucky to have shared the goal circle with her for many years now.
“I feel like she just gets me. She kind of knows where to put the ball before I know where I’m going.
“We’ve had the privilege to work together in an SSN environment and being able to work with her in the Diamonds as well and just continuing to strengthen that combination against international opponents is really exciting.
The Lightning finished bottom of the Super Netball ladder last season but are hoping for an improved 2023, with the returning Karla Pretorius to shoulder a heavy load in defence after Tara Hinchcliffe suffered an ACL injury.
“The only way is up really,” Koenen laughed.
“The league is really tight points wise. We had a few awesome performances and we got waxed a few times on court as well.
“We’ll definitely be looking to make finals and be really, really competitive this year.”
The Lightning begin their Super Netball campaign against the Giants on Sunday afternoon.
Originally published as Cara Koenen on filling Gretel Bueta’s shoes, Aussie Diamonds’ quest to win netball’s ‘complete set’
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