Diamonds v England netball series: Donnell Wallam’s journey from sponsorship stoush to Diamonds debut

Donnell Wallam was targeted by trolls and portrayed by some as the angry black woman standing in the way of a deal that could solve netball’s financial problems. Here’s how she rose above it.

It’s hardly surprising that Donnell Wallam’s great sporting hero is Serena Williams.

There was, of course, the Cathy Freeman moment — a then six-year-old Wallam remembers the race and great celebration after Freeman’s amazing 400m win at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.

But it is tennis star Williams and her competitive spirit that captured Wallam’s imagination.

Like Williams, arguably the greatest women’s tennis player of all time, Wallam is a warrior once over the sideline.

Despite all the mud slung at the 28-year-old over the past fortnight as she unwillingly became the face of the sponsorship stoush between Netball Australia and Hancock Prospecting, Wallam was able to shut out the noise, get on court and make one of the most remarkable debuts in Diamonds history.

Donnell Wallam has channelled tennis legend Serena Williams to ignite her competitiveness.

Initially shy and softly spoken, Wallam the goal shooter owns the circle as fiercely as Williams commands the tennis court.

“From a young age when I first saw her playing tennis, she was just so competitive,” Wallam said of Williams in an interview with News Corp earlier this year.

“The way she carries herself and on the on the tennis court, she’s just a completely different person to what we see in media and off the court.

“For me, that was just so empowering. She plays with so much passion and she shows that passion off.

Serena Williams has had a huge impact on the career of Donnell Wallam.

“I feel like I’m one of those players as well. I like to celebrate good things and that’s just my passion that comes out on the court in the moment, so I found that really relatable.”

Wallam became just the third First Nations player to run out for the Diamonds when she made her debut against England.

It may only have been a 10-minute cameo but coming off the back of a week from hell — where she became the face of the breakdown of Netball Australia’s $15 million sponsorship deal with Hancock Prospecting — Wallam turned in an impressive stint that culminated in an audacious matchwinning shot in the final seconds.

How very Williams of her.

TUNING OUT THE NOISE

It wasn’t just the opposition Wallam had to combat in Newcastle though.

The proud Noongar woman had been the unwilling face of the Hancock Prospecting decision to withdraw its 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.

A request rather than a stand — and a personal one at that — was soon backed by her teammates given the Diamonds’ Sisters in Arms mantra, although all had yielded to pressure by last week and agreed to wear the Hancock patch on the Diamonds dress.

The company’s decision to withdraw its offer blindsided the Diamonds and the financially fragile Netball Australia, with players bearing the brunt of severe trolling on social media.

Wallam in particular has been targeted, portrayed in certain circles as the angry black woman standing in the way of a deal that could solve Netball Australia’s financial problems.

The pressure she was under leading into her debut on Wednesday night was immense.

Wallam teared up in a post-match interview as she admitted how difficult the past few weeks had been.

“Just the outside noise,” she told Fox Sports of the most difficult element of the unwanted attention.

“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.”

Donnell Wallam and Paige Hadley hug after Wallam’s incredible debut performance to seal victory.

TROLLS DOUBLE DOWN

Wallam’s performance against the Roses should have been the end of this ugly chapter.

Unfortunately, the media storm surrounding the Hancock sponsorship debacle and Wallam’s showing against England only fuelled the online fire, with Diamonds officials forced to issue a statement on Friday due to continued abuse directed at all players.

“We are appalled by the online abuse directed at our players on social media,” a statement from the Diamonds said.

“As a netball community we strongly condemn racism and all other forms of personal abuse.

“These ongoing attacks are hurtful, divisive and won’t be tolerated. They need to stop.

“Netball Australia has and will continue to report all anti-social behaviour to the relevant authorities.”

Wallam is being supported in Diamonds camp by staff and players but is understood to be upset by the ongoing trolling.

While some commentary is directed at the Hancock breakdown and blames Wallam personally for the loss of the sponsorship, much of it is also vile racial vitriol from cowardly anonymous keyboard warriors who almost certainly have no interest in netball as a sport.

Wallam’s teammates have marvelled at her poise though.

“It was obviously super special for her to become Diamond no. 189 and to become one of the sisterhood,” Diamonds’ England series captain Paige Hadley said.

“She waited her time and developed her skills in the squad to be able to get up there and perform like that.

“She’s had enormous support and love from afar and within the community of netball so it’s super special to see her out there.”

COACH CONFIDENT

While Diamonds coach Stacey Marinkovich would not take credit for how the final frantic minutes played out in Newcastle, she had no hesitation in putting Wallam on court.

“She loves a challenge and she loves the moment so yeah, she’s been building towards this,” Marinkovich said.

The Aussie coach and former West Coast Fever mentor first saw Wallam play for a West Australian Netball League mixed team against the Fever.

“She took that moment on and all of a sudden you sort of had a look (at her as a possible training partner), Marinkovich said.

“She loves to play the game. She went to England to get some more experience and I think she’s learning a lot.

“She hasn’t been in the high performance environment too long, so there’s things on and off the court that she’s still evolving and I guess that’s pretty exciting when you see what she was able to do and still a lot more growth to be had.

“When you step into that dress, you represent your culture and the people that have supported you to get there.

“She is now a Sisters in Arms, Diamond no. 189, which is incredible. It’s a pretty special group of people that get to do that and we continue to work our pathway so that everyone can get that opportunity.”

Donnell Wallam celebrates at full time after following game one between the Australia Diamonds and England Roses.

NOT YOUR AVERAGE JOURNEY

Wallam’s debut capped a meteoric rise for an athlete that didn’t even have a Super Netball contract just a year ago.

After playing basketball as a junior, Wallam made the switch to netball in Perth and had almost immediate success.

But her path to the elite level was blocked with only 24 full-time contracts for goalers among the eight Super Netball clubs.

Knowing the world’s best goal shooter — Jamaican Jhaniele Fowler — was contracted to the West Coast Fever, she took a chance on an overseas stint, linking with Dan Ryan at Leeds in the UK Superleague.

While a broken arm and family commitments cut her time in England short, opportunity knocked after she returned home.

“It is crazy. Back in December I was preparing to play in the West Australian Netball League (WANL) — the state league over there,” Wallam said, casting her mind back not even a full year.

“I hadn’t been picked up (by a Super Netball team) and I just had no idea what was about to happen in 2022.

“It’s been a crazy ride, but I’m so thankful.”

With no guarantee of a full-time contract in place, Wallam left her family in Western Australia and moved across the country before eventually being offered a deal by the Queensland Firebirds when Romelda Aiken-George took maternity leave.

It was a leap of faith and one she’s proud of herself for taking.

“I’m someone who is a bit scared of change, so the last couple of years — going overseas by myself to live and play netball and coming over here — were big decisions,” she said.

“But I want to play netball and I want to play at the highest level possible so I just need to do what I need to do to get there and that was move countries and move states in the end.

“It’s only in the last few years that I’ve started to really believe that I can do this and I can play at the highest level and since then it has become a dream of mine so I am willing to do what it takes to get there.”

Donnell Wallam played basketball as a junior before switching to netball in Perth.

DREAM BIG

Wallam played basketball as a junior and did not come through the elite pathway system but she hopes her journey, to play her first Super Netball season at 28, can provide inspiration for others.

“My whole journey is completely different, I didn’t do the netball pathways or anything, I was into basketball at the time and I was a bit of a latecomer to the sport,” she said.

“But I’ve loved the journey and learned along the way to take every opportunity.

“I think that’s a great message, that if you do fail to follow those pathways, not to give up on your dreams because there is other ways to go about it.”

Wallam, whose debut was watched by parents Donna and Wesley, siblings Krystal, Glen and Kenny and a large proportion of Harvey, a town in the heart of West Australian dairy country about 140km south of Perth, became just the third First Nations Diamond when she took the court in Newcastle on Wednesday night and she says she’s stepping on the shoulders of giants along the way.

“A huge appreciation to Marcia Ella-Duncan and Sharon Finnan-White who have paved the way for myself coming through,” she said of the only other Indigenous players to have worn the gold dress.

Despite her own week from hell, the pair was in her thoughts immediately after Wednesday’s game as were the young boys and girls she hoped were inspired to follow their dreams.

“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.

“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.

“It’s been a long time coming, so I hope I make everyone proud out there.”

Originally published as Diamonds v England netball series: Donnell Wallam’s journey from sponsorship stoush to Diamonds debut