Constellation Cup game 3 live: New Zealand Silver Ferns produce 56-53 comeback win over Australian Diamonds
New Zealand have kept the fight for the Constellation Cup alive, producing a stunning come-from-behind win over the Diamonds to force a series decider.
Coach Stacey Marinkovich says the Diamonds have no intention of picking up the Constellation Cup on goal average and want to win the final game of the series in Auckland to earn retention of the trophy.
Australia uncharacteristically wilted under pressure down the stretch in Invercargill on Thursday night, with the Silver Ferns’ 56-53 victory ensuring Monday’s final match will decide the four-match series.
Just as last year, when the Diamonds lost both games in New Zealand before winning the third in Australia, the final match becomes a series decider, with the Silver Ferns still in contention to win.
It’s a big ask though, with New Zealand still needing to win and erase a 16-goal deficit to lift the trophy.
Even if their rivals don’t erase the margin though, winning the series without taming their recent hoodoo in New Zealand will be of no comfort to the Diamonds.
“We certainly don’t come here to try and win on goal percentage or for-and-against,” Marinkovich said.
“We want to be able to walk away from this Constellation Cup knowing that our brand of netball can be played in New Zealand and in front of the home crowds here and that we can absorb the surrounds but also have great confidence in attacking the game.
“We’ve shown that in parts but can we do it in a four-quarter performance?”
The Ferns’ come-from-behind win in Invercargill was sealed on the back of a star turn from shooter Grace Nweke, as well as stellar defensive work from Kelly Jury, the pair helping the home side outlast the Diamonds in a seesawing and entertaining physical encounter.
Forced out of the World Cup with a knee injury and only returning to action in the second game of the Con Cup in Brisbane on Sunday, Nweke finished with 34 goals in 44 minutes on court to lead the Ferns to an incredible victory.
While Nweke poured goals in, defender Kelly Jury was named played of the match after keeping Australia’s shooters in check.
The tall keeper kept Diamonds shooter Cara Koenen in check in the first half, blunting her effectiveness and forcing Marinkovich to make changes.
She brought World Cup final hero Sophie Garbin on late in the second term, the shooter playing another star turn to all but get the Diamonds home, her only miss of the match coming at a pivotal point, with the Ferns able to outlast their opponents.
After few changes through the opening two games of the series, Marinkovich made plenty on Thursday night, switching shooting, defensive and midcourt combinations throughout the game.
The paid dividends with the Diamonds fighting back into the game in the third term and again in the final quarter after losing the lead, but the defeat will disappoint Australia, who believe strongly in their depth and ability to think their way out of any situation.
“I think there was a time when we had dominance, when they had dominance and (it was about what was going to happen) in the last (quarter),” Marinkovich said.
“I think there’s a point where there’s a perception around pressure and what it feels like out there … so there’s some incredible lessons to learn from that experience,” Marinkovich said.
“We certainly will have a look at it and know that we can move the ball through that zone, we can move it quickly and there’s times when we just have to keep the workrate up – and I think that’s where we had a bit of inconsistency in the connection of moving together as opposed to just relying on one movement because they were covering well.”
The winner was not decided until the final seconds, the pivotal moment coming when the Diamonds missed consecutive shots with 90 seconds remaining.
It was Garbin’s only miss of a strong game that is likely to bring her into contention for a start in the final match in Auckland on Monday.
“She’s such a strong target in there, we know that we can let the ball go,” captain Liz Watson said.
“She demands the ball, she takes up the circle, she’s holding really strong.
“I think it was probably just the general attacking play and how we could get the ball to her – those missed feeds and missed movement – all those sorts of things that let us down in those critical times.
“But I think she came on well, I think everyone who came on did really well, Jamie (Price) had such a good injection into the game.
“It’s probably … how long we can keep that going for.”
New Zealand coach Noeline Taurua was thrilled with her charges and how they were able to turn things around mid-match and she’s not writing off the Ferns’ series chances.
“I don’t think you can write us off, let’s put it this way – but nor can you write off the Australians,” she said.
“We can’t pump ourselves up too big (after the win) – it’s one game.
“This is a learning space for us. It’s our ability to go back-to-back. So irrelevant to the 16 (goal margin), which we know, if we come out with a win, that’s bloody good for us as well and (we) get our product out on court better.
“So whatever that looks like – one or 100 – I’m happy with that.
“But anything’s possible and I still feel we can be better in moments of time and these are the things we’ve got to take control of ourselves.”
NEW ZEALAND 56 (Nweke 34, Ekenasio 12, Walmsley 8, Metuarau 2)
AUSTRALIA 53 (Garbin 21, Koenen 16, Austin 16)
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The Diamonds will look to complete a clean sweep of the Constellation Cup and end their drought in New Zealand, as they take on the Silver Ferns in Invercargill.
Follow live below for the latest updates from game three in New Zealand.
THIRD QUARTER: DIAMONDS FIGHT BACK
Yet another swing in an incredibly seesawing match.
The Diamonds opened with a 10-3 run to erase the Ferns’ advantage and again take the lead in the match with Garbin’s strong hold in the circle opening the feed for the Aussies, while Price’s strength and aerial ability was also a great tonic in the physical encounter.
The Ferns made switches in all areas of the court in response, including taking Nweke off and fought their way to within two goals, teen goaler Amelia Walmsley sinking a buzzer-beater to keep them within a pair at the final break.
The Diamonds made more changes to open the third term, bringing Austin back on at goal attack to partner Garbin in the combination that sealed the World Cup final for Australia.
Jamie-Lee Price has also come into the game at centre in her first appearance since the opening match of the series in Melbourne.
The Diamonds have enormous confidence in their depth and versatility and ability to work themselves out of any situation.
It’s an area in which they will be tested tonight.
HALFTIME: DIAMONDS 24, SILVER FERNS 28
Marinkovich has pulled the trigger, bringing Garbin on at goal shooter, while Cara Koenen has been moved to goal attack in a combination switch-up as the Ferns fight back into the match.
Koenen is generally best known as a shooter but has great movement and in international netball, where the super shot is not a factor, she’s just as effective out of the circle.
The defensive end has also had a switch, with Sarah Klau coming on at goal defence for Jo Weston.
They may only fit just over 3000 fans into ILT Stadium but they can make an incredible racket and
are using their voices in put plenty of pressure on the Diamonds.
That’s been true as the Silver Ferns fight their way back into the match in the second term on the back of several uncharacteristic Diamonds turnovers.
But it was deathly quiet early in the term as the visitors pushed out to a six-goal lead and seemed to have the Ferns number.
The Ferns though fought back to level the scores with just over five minutes remaining, took the lead soon after and held their nerve into the long break, to have a 28-24 margin at halftime after an eight-goal turnaround in the second quarter.
It's been hotly contested so far, down by four at halftime but with plenty left to play #ConCup23pic.twitter.com/FVEG6AYBXs
— Origin Australian Diamonds (@AussieDiamonds) October 19, 2023
FIRST QUARTER: DIAMONDS 14, SILVER FERNS 10
In a do or die clash for the Ferns, they were always going to bring the intensity but this game is being played at a different level from the opening two clashes.
Every ball is being contested and it’s an incredibly physical battle.
There’s plenty of attention on goalers Cara Koenen and Kiera Austin and the battle to get the ball cleanly into the circle could force Marinkovich to think about bringing Sophie Garbin in as a holding shooter to give the feeders some different options.
After being down by four goals at one stage though, the Diamonds have fought back well after a shaky start, taking a 14-10 lead to the opening break.
DIAMONDS GO IN UNCHANGED, NZ UNLEASH NWEKE
Diamonds coach Stacey Marinkovich has named an unchanged starting seven for the third Constellation Cup clash against the Silver Ferns in Invercargill tonight.
Sunday Aryang, who came into the starting side for game two, has retained her spot at wing defence, with Marinkovich again opting for a tall defensive line-up which also includes Jo Weston at goal defence and Courtney Bruce at goalkeeper.
Cara Koenen will again start at shooter, with Kiera Austin at goal attack, while captain Liz Watson (wing attack), vice-captain Paige Hadley (centre) and Aryang start in the midcourt.
Sophie Dwyer, Sophie Garbin, Sarah Klau, Jamie-Lee Price and Kate Moloney are on the bench for Australia.
New Zealand have made two changes, bringing Phoenix Karaka back into the starting line-up at goal attack and starting star shooter Grace Nweke, who played half a game in Brisbane on Sunday in her return from a knee injury.
The Ferns drew both quarters in which Nweke played on Sunday and the length of time she spends on court could help determine the result.
Australia is out to reverse its recent New Zealand hoodoo, which stretches back to the second game of the 2021 edition of the Constellation Cup in Marinkovich’s first series in charge.
The country has not been a happy hunting ground for the coach so far in her tenure, with the Diamonds winning just one game of six across the ditch since she took over.
The Silver Ferns need to win both remaining games of the series – in Invercargill tonight and Auckland on Monday – and overcome a 19-goal deficit if they are to seal an unlikely Cup win.
Legend’s verdict on how Diamonds break New Zealand hoodoo
Former Diamonds shooter and Fox Netball commentator Cath Cox believes Australia can bury its recent New Zealand hoodoo and sweep the series against the Silver Ferns – if shooter Grace Nweke isn’t yet playing full games.
Nweke returned at the weekend from a knee injury that forced her out of the World Cup in South Africa in July. She played two quarters in the Ferns’ 55-46 loss to the Diamonds in Brisbane.
New Zealand drew both quarters in which the towering shooter played, the second and fourth, even though the 21-year-old’s stats were roughly comparable to those of her replacement, teen goaler Amelia Walmsley.
It’s the confidence the 193cm shooter gives those around her that is the difference.
With Nweke in the circle, the Ferns’ midcourters delivered the ball more confidently and quickly, the Diamonds defenders were on high alert and Kiwi captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio could concentrate on getting into the circle herself to keep the score ticking over.
“Statistically, she didn’t (make a big difference when she came on),” Cox said of Nweke’s return from a knee ligament injury.
“But what she does do is just give the rest of the team that massive amount of confidence that maybe they are missing with someone like a Walmsley on.
“They did draw the two quarters that she was on, they were their best quarters, so you can’t ignore that.”
Nweke was not expected to play the Australian leg of the tour at all, so her appearance in Brisbane was a boost, even if it happened in an on-again, off-again manner across the second and fourth periods.
How much of the game she plays in Invercargill on Thursday night may determine whether the Diamonds can turn around the one-five record they have in New Zealand under coach Stacey Marinkovich.
“If it was me, I would be tempted to leave her if she’s only got half (a game in her) until the last half when the pressure’s on,” Cox said.
“But you also don’t want to be too far behind the likes of Australia because then it’s too hard to catch up.
“It’s a tough one but I think what has to happen is she has to have more time if they really want to win the game. I don’t know if she’s able to do that just yet.”
The Diamonds have kept a particularly strong line-up across the opening two Tests, especially in the shooting circle, where Cara Koenen and Kiera Austin have had the bulk of time in the wake of Steph Wood’s retirement.
World Cup final hero Sophie Garbin has played just three minutes across the series, while young goal attack Sophie Dwyer got on in the final minutes on Sunday night in Brisbane.
Expect that to change if the Diamonds are leading well on Thursday night.
Austin will be jettisoned from the squad following the Constellation Cup as Australia looks to the future for its next shooting combination.
Garbin and Dwyer are expected to earn significant minutes if that doesn’t happen earlier.
Cox believes goal attack is a position in which Australian lacks great depth.
“I think there is a real lack of goal attacks for Australia,’’ she said. “If you look across the (Super Netball) teams, that’s the position I think everybody’s really struggling to fill.
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“Steph Wood was one of the smartest players to ever play the game and she’s one they are going to miss.
“Sophie Dwyer is a sensational goal attack for the Giants. I don’t know if she’s ready for Australia yet, she’s still so young, so there are opportunities and it’s worth giving her a go, especially with the South Africa series coming up.
“I think that will be a really good one to get some new blood out there and give them some solid minutes.”
Originally published as Constellation Cup game 3 live: New Zealand Silver Ferns produce 56-53 comeback win over Australian Diamonds
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