Constellation Cup: Diamonds could experiment in dead rubber clash

Diamonds captain Liz Watson is unsure how much the Aussies will experiment as they try to avoid a clean-sweep series defeat.

Losing the Constellation Cup for only the third time has stung the Diamonds, but captain Liz Watson says they know what they need to fix to avoid a 4-0 series whitewash in Melbourne.

Australia could experiment with a revamped line-up in the fourth Test against New Zealand on Wednesday night, but Watson said the squad was in the dark over whether coach Stacey Marinkovich was planning any significant changes.

Watson has been a mainstay in the Diamonds side but spent significant spells on the bench in the previous two losses as Georgie Horjus was handed a debut in the 61-43 loss in Perth on Sunday.

The 30-year-old mid-courter said she was happy to play any role required as she noted the Diamonds had little remaining time together ahead of the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

“It’s part of elite sport. You can’t be out there all the time. I think losing by 20 or 18 goals, whatever it was, something has to change, whether that’s positions, personnel, whatever that may be,” Watson said when asked about her benching.

Diamonds captain Liz Watson says she had no issue with rare stints on the bench in the previous two games as her side went down 3-0 to the Silver Ferns. Picture: James Worsfold / Getty Images

“We can’t expect always to just put the same thing out there and get a different result.

“It’s obviously disappointing, knowing that the series is over … we had a really good chat just before about bringing that excitement back – wanting to finish the series off, playing the way that we want to play and being proud of our performance that everyone recognises.”

Whether Horjus played more minutes or the likes of inexperienced goalkeeper Rudi Ellis was given an extended shot against Silver Ferns star Grace Nweke was unclear to Watson.

“That’s probably a really big decision for Stace (Marinkovich) right now. Georgie in her debut was incredible to come on and do that,” she said.

“I think we need to make sure that we do get the value out of this series, whether that is playing whoever Stace needs to play – someone who’s been there before, someone who hasn’t, just getting that info … we as athletes just want to win, no matter what it is, so whoever is out there is going to be hungry to do that.”

Wing attack Georgie Horjus could spend more time on court in the final Constellation Cup match after impressing Watson on debut in Perth on Sunday. Picture: Paul Kane / Getty Images

Watson agreed with Marinkovich’s post-game assessment that “perceived pressure” was behind the “silly errors” that had plagued the Diamonds this month.

She insisted the Diamonds were not getting “used to losing” – a criticism netball great Liz Ellis had levelled at the group in the wake of their previous Constellation Cup defeat in 2021.

“We’ve had so much success in the past, and it’s probably (about) how we can bounce back from losses and not let a game repeat itself like it has in this series,” Watson said.

“I think we are a very competitive bunch. We’re very hungry, we all want to be out there and make our country proud, and we haven’t been able to do that – that’s the most disappointing thing.

“We know exactly what the Ferns are doing, we know exactly what we need to do – we’re just not doing it for the whole time.

“It’s only eight or so games away until the Comm Games, which is not that many, so we’ve got to learn from this series and not just put it to the side and sweep it away.”

The Diamonds will face the Silver Ferns in the final Constellation Cup match at John Cain Arena on Wednesday at 7pm.

Originally published as Constellation Cup: Diamonds could experiment in dead rubber clash