Netball, Australia v England: Donnell Wallam scores insane lay-up goal on debut
WATCH: Donnell Wallam produced one of the most audacious matchwinners in Australian netball history as she capped a week of controversy in perfect style.
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Not even a Hollywood producer would have been so audacious to write a script like the one that allowed Donnell Wallam to sink the winning goal on debut in the final seconds for the Diamonds.
Not just any goal.
A pressure-packed lay-up that broke a 54-54 deadlock between England and Australia in the first Test of the series to seal an incredible win at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre.
Wallam teared up in a post-match interview as she admitted how difficult the past few weeks had been.
“Just the outside noise,” she said of the most difficult element of becoming an unwitting face of the netball’s sponsorship stoush that eventually led to Hancock Prospecting pulling its $15 million partnership.
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“Thanks so much to everybody for their support.
“All the kind messages I’ve been getting.
“It hasn’t gone unnoticed and it’s really helped me in these last couple of weeks.”
Wallam finished a hero after sinking the match-winning goal in the first Test of the series against England.
“I caught the ball out wide in the circle and thought I’m not going to shoot from here,” Wallam told Fox Sports.
“I saw my defender run past me, so I just turned and stepped to the goal post and did the lay-up - it was just instinct.”
Diamonds, they say, are made under pressure.
If that’s true, Wallam’s debut for the Diamonds is set to be the first of many games in the gold dress.
Injected into the game in the fourth quarter with the match on the line, Wallam finished with eight goals, shooting at 100 per cent accuracy.
After a week from hell and scrutiny few could imagine, Wallam made possibly the most hyped debut in Diamonds history when she was injected into the game in the final quarter as England’s Roses fought back into the game.
“I was kind of relieved to finally get my chance on court,” she said.
“It’s been one of the toughest few weeks of my life, so to finally get out there and play in this dress was just special and it kind of makes the last couple of weeks feel like a bit of a blur.”
Diamond no.189 - Wallam becomes just the third First Nations player to represent the Diamonds after Marcia Ella-Duncan and Sharon Finnan-White and the first in almost a quarter of a century.
“It’s really special and I just hope that I’m now a role model to the young girls and boys coming through for their turn,” she said.
“It was really special, I had Marcia Ella-Duncan present me the dress last night.
“It’s been a long time coming, so I hope I make everyone proud out there.”
Her first touch was a goal. A minute later, she was pulling tricks out of the bag, sinking the ball as she fell out of court.
And the icing on the cake was the match-winning lay-up.
The celebration was immense.
It was as if the pressure valve had been released. Wallam ran, arms outstretched, her yell unable to be heard above the incredible din inside the stadium.
Much of it was coming from her Diamonds teammates, who soon engulfed the 28-year-old in a golden huddle, thrilled for her.
Every Roses player lined up to embrace her, the moment not lost on anyone.
Wallam has been the unwilling face of the Hancock Prospecting decision to withdraw its $15 million sponsorship offer after she objected to wearing the logo of the company founded by a man whose comments about “sterilising” Aboriginies in the 80s were so personally hurtful.
The storm that has swirled around her was not of her making and her ability to concentrate on the job at hand was incredible.
“Every single one of the team members, the staff has just been amazing,” Wallam said.
“Coming into the bubble we just try to not let the outside noise impact us and they’ve just really wrapped their arms around me and embraced me and that’s just so special.
“To be in camp is such a special feeling with these girls.”
Wallam didn’t win the game alone though.
Sophie Garbin started at goal shooter for the third game in a row and was outstanding, underlining her case for a spot in the Diamonds’ World Cup squad next year.
But she tired under constant pressure - first from Collingwood Magpies teammate Geva Mentor, and then rising star Funmi Fadoju.
Eventually, Diamonds coach Stacey Marinkovich injected Wallam, for a fairytale ended to a horror week.
AUSTRALIA 55 (Garbin 36, Wallam 8, Austin 8, Koenen 3)
ENGLAND 54 (Cardwell 44, Housby 7, Drakeford-Lewis 3)
RELIVE THAT LAST 30 SECONDS RIGHT HERE BECAUSE WE CAN'T EVEN BELIEVE WHAT WE JUST SAW.
— Fox Netball (@fox_netball) October 26, 2022
📺 Watch #AUSvENG LIVE on CH505 or stream on @kayosportshttps://t.co/pgmIvdnguupic.twitter.com/yUWZTpywwo
MATCH RECAP:
CROWD ROARS AS WALLAM INTRODUCED
Wallam is on.
And listen to the response from the crowd.
The Noongar woman becomes Diamond no.189, slots her first shot and the roof almost comes off the building.
With the Roses defenders grabbing plenty of ball at the start of the fourth quarter, Marinkovich as gone to her bench and brought Wallam into the game.
Garbin has done a power of work but it looking very tired, with the defenders working her over.
A spine chilling cheer as Donnell Wallam enters the match. I first met this outstanding human in the Netball Super League. Full of grace and innocence, focussed solely on being the best version of herself. For her sport and for all Australians. A great day for Netball. 🇦🇺🖤💛â¤ï¸
— Gary Burgess ⒾⓊⒶ (@GaryBurgessIUA) October 26, 2022
Diamond no 189 and a goal within seconds.
— Emily Benammar (@EmilyBenammar) October 26, 2022
👠Donnell Wallam pic.twitter.com/YqHx7j8n2c
KOENEN INTO UNFAMILIAR ROLE
Cara Koenen has been slotted on at goal attack in a new position for her at international level.
Generally a goal shooter in a moving circle, Koenen is doing a power of work in front of Garbin, who is now being marked by exciting Roses defender Funmi Fadoju.
There has been plenty of buzz around the athletic young defender and Aussie crowds are getting their first look at the woman who could shape as a longterm replacement for veteran Geva Mentor once she steps away from the England set-up.
Heading into the final term, will Marinkovich bring Wallam on for her debut or leave Grabin out there with the game on the line?
AUSSIES LAMENT PENALTY COUNT IN CLOSE CONTEST
The Aussies have made one change for the start of the second half, with Kate Moloney on at wing defence.
Coach Stacey Marinkovich said she wanted some contest around the ball and felt Moloney would bring the dynamic, repeated effort she wanted.
“I thought we were a bit flat at getting on to the next movement,” Marinkovich said.
The removal of Bruce was in part due to how much netball the Fever captain had played over the past two weeks during the Constellation Cup but also because of feedback from the umpires over penalties.
“Obviously our penalty count’s way too high,” she said.
“Getting some fresh legs (out there) - Courtney’s played a lot of netball over the last few weeks and making sure that we can get a contest and also Sarah (Klau) and Joey (Weston) play really well together, so we wanted to keep pushing that combination.”
England coach Jess Thirlby was pleased with her side’s first-half efforts.
“I just think our willingness to keep the ball and the possession - it’s not something we’ve always been strong at - so (that was good),” she said.
“But we were wasteful at key times, I thought we could have turned the screw at key times when momentum was with us.”
A strong start from the Diamonds has pushed them back into the lead midway through the third term.
STAR SUPER NETBALL RECRUIT HAS AUSSIES ON ROPES
What a treat it’s going to be having Ellie Cardwell playing for the Adelaide Thunderbirds in Super Netball next season.
The Aussies may be known for their physical style but the Roses are giving as good as they get – and the battle between Cardwell and Sarah Klau in the goal circle has been outstanding.
But it’s going to take plenty of work outside her from Swifts goaler Helen Housby and former Swifts teammate Natalie Metcalf (nee Haythornethwaite) if the Roses are going to take an early lead in the series.
The Diamonds defenders have been getting plenty of hand on ball but they’re also being penalised heavily and need to clean up their act in the second half.
HALF TIME: ROSES 27 DIAMONDS 26
Great finish to the period for the Diamonds, who turned things around in the final minutes to drag themselves back into the contest.
There’s just one goal separating the teams at halftime after Kiera Austin converted just seconds from the break.
After trailing by as many as five goals late in the period, the Diamonds turned things around with a four-goal run to get themselves right back in the contest.
Sophie Garbin has 19 goals in a battle dominated by the holding shooters, with Ellie Cardwell adding 22 for the Roses.
BIG MOMENTUM SWING
England has shifted momentum significantly at the start of the second term, with Roses defenders Fran Williams and Geva Mentor starting to get on top of the Aussie shooters.
And it’s getting testy out there.
Aussie defenders Courtney Bruce and Sarah Klau attracted plenty of whistle in the opening quarter and after Bruce and Roses wing defence Laura Malcolm wrestled for the ball, testing the patience of the umpires, Bruce is off with Jo Weston into the game.
After an 11-7 start to the term, the Roses have pushed out to a four-goal lead and have the momentum heading into halftime.
FIRST QUARTER: 14-14
Nothing separates the Diamonds and Roses at the first break, with the teams going to quarter-time at 14-14 in a gritty battle in Newcastle.
The Diamonds have changed their team significantly from the Constellation Cup, with Paige Hadley, the series captain, coming in and forming an immediate strong connection with NSW Swifts co-captain Maddy Proud.
Hadley, who returns from a calf injury sustained at the Commonwealth Games that prevented her from taking part in much of the tournament, captains the Diamonds in this series with Liz Watson being rested.
Slotting in at wing attack for Watson, Hadley showed she was back to her best, using her familiarity with Swifts co-captain Maddy Proud and former Swifts goaler Sophie Garbin to move the ball through the court at great speed.
The Roses defenders had few answers for Garbin, who was up against Collingwood Magpies teammate Geva Mentor.
There were plenty of emotions for the Diamonds as the national anthem rang out, with series captain Paige Hadley wiping away a tear and potential debutant Donnell Wallam getting plenty of support from her teammates.
HANDBRAKE ON WALLAM’S DEBUT
Donnell Wallam will have to wait at least momentarily to make her Diamonds debut, with Sophie Garbin again named to start at goal shooter.
Garbin will combine with Kiera Austin in the shooting circle, while England series captain Paige Hadley comes in at wing attack for Liz Watson, who has been rested for this series.
Hadley is joined by her NSW Swifts co-captain Maddy Proud at centre and Jamie-Lee Price at wing defence in the midcourt.
England series vice-captain Courtney Bruce will start at goal defence with Sarah Kilauea at goalkeeper.
Diamonds:Kiera Austin, Courtney Bruce (vice capt), Sophie Garbin, Paige Hadley (capt), Sarah Klau, Cara Koenen, Kate Moloney, Jamie-Lee Price, Maddy Proud, Maddy Turner, Donnell Wallam, Jo Weston.
Earlier, Wallam had been named to make her Australia Diamonds debut in tonight’s series opening clash with England at Newcastle.
After a fortnight of intense scrutiny and fallout to the aborted Hancock Prospecting sponsorship saga that cost the sport a $15m deal, Wallam will finally get to do what she does best after being included in Australia’s final 12-woman squad to face the Roses.
Wallam has been rooming with new stand-in captain Paige Hadley in recent days and was last night presented with her first green and gold dress by Hadley while former Diamonds goalshooter Caitlyn Thwaites and Sharon Finnan-White dialled in via video link.
Wallam becomes the third Indigenous player to pull on a Diamonds dress, joining Marcia Ella-Duncan and Finnan-White who was the most recent First Nations woman to play for Australia 22 years ago.
Maddy T and Maddy P return along with England Series skipper Paige, while Donnell Wallam has been named in her first Diamonds team! pic.twitter.com/OpPj4WflqD
— Origin Australian Diamonds (@AussieDiamonds) October 25, 2022
Those closest to Wallam had feared the emotional toll of the sponsorship saga would weigh heavily on her ahead of her debut, but by putting her in the first game of the series the Diamonds are confident the rookie can put the scandal aside quickly and get on with the job.
Hadley told News Corp earlier this week she was thrilled to see Wallam’s journey to the Diamonds, having only secured a Super Netball contract at the start of 2022 with the Queensland Firebirds as maternity cover for Romelda Aiken George.
“To see her rise - she’s only been playing netball at this level for not very long at all, a lot of us have been playing since we were seven and going through the pathways - but for Donnell, it’s been a completely different journey,” Hadley said.
“To see her come through and just take everything in her stride (is incredible).
“For me, who debuted back in 2013, it’s super special and I can’t wait to see what she can do out there on court because her rise has been exceptional.
“And after what she’s been through, I can’t wait to go out there and do the thing that she loves most and that’s playing netball.”
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