Commonwealth Games heartache inspiring Diamonds in netball Quad Series
CAPTAIN Caitlin Bassett says the sting of the Diamonds Commonwealth Games loss will lift Australia to new levels as the team targets a cleansweep of their first international series since the event.
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CAPTAIN Caitlin Bassett says the sting of the Diamonds Commonwealth Games loss will lift Australia to new levels as the team targets a cleansweep of their first international netball series since the event.
Australia fell a goal short in its defence of the Commonwealth Games crown in April with nine players from the Games 12 returning as the Diamonds open their Quad Series campaign against South Africa in New Zealand on Saturday.
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Bassett said while the 51-52 loss to England in the final of the Games will be motivating, the Quad series also marks the start of a new era for the Diamonds.
“There is that of course, the loss, which will motivate us, but it also feels like a fresh start for us because we have three new faces in the team and the World Cup is now less than a year away,” said Bassett, who recently signed with the Giants for a three-year stint in Super Netball.
Former captain Laura Geitz, Madi Robinson and Susan Pettitt all retired post the Games with midcourter Kelsey Browne, defender Emily Mannix and goal attack Gretel Tippett coming in as their replacements for the Quad series.
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Bassett says the Diamonds will take the lessons learned from their loss at the Games to become a better team ahead of their defence of the world crown in the UK next year with success in the three-game Quad series starting Saturday crucial.
“Every time we step out we want to be better than the last,’’ Bassett said.
“We will be going out to win every one of these matches.’’
Australia are the defending Quad series champions with the event contested by four of the top five nations in netball - Australia, England, New Zealand and South Africa.
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Australia will met South Africa in Auckland on Saturday with New Zealand playing England in the following game.
On Tuesday New Zealand will play South Africa at home while Australia will host England on Wednesday at Newcastle Stadium.
The following Sunday Australia will play New Zealand and South Africa will meet England in Melbourne.