Donnell Wallam snubbed from Australia’s Netball World Cup team

Donnell Wallam has been brutally snubbed from Australia’s team for next month’s Netball World Cup despite having a sensational season.

Donnell Wallam has been left out of Australia’s squad for next month’s Netball World Cup in a brutal selection call.

The Diamonds announced their 12-player squad for netball’s showpiece tournament in South Africa, but Wallam was snubbed in a selection bombshell.

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Wallam was overlooked for Collingwood’s Sophie Garbin after the pair’s season-long battle for the fourth shooting spot in the squad.

Garbin was superb in last year’s Constellation Cup win and this year’s Quad Series, but has struggled while playing out of position at goal attack for the Magpies this Super Netball season.

Several netball legends and Fox Netball commentators including Cath Cox, Caitlin Bassett, Caitlin Thwaites and Bianca Chatfield told news.com.au they would be comfortable picking Wallam for the World Cup.

Wallam famously scored the matchwinning buzzerbeater goal on debut for the Diamonds against England last year.

Donnell Wallam’s World Cup omission is a huge selection call. (Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images)

Sophie Garbin got the nod at goal shooter. (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)

In the absence of the pregnant Gretel Bueta, Wallam went from strength to strength for the Queensland Firebirds, shouldering a heavy load in just her second Super Netball season.

She shot more goals than any other Australian in the league (669 at 87 per cent accuracy), compared to Garbin’s 122 goals at 64 per cent.

But Diamonds coach Stacey Marinkovich wasn’t turned off by Garbin’s domestic form and decided to stick with her incumbent goal shooter.

Elsewhere in the squad, dynamic Giants midcourter Jamie-Lee Price was selected in the squad, ahead of Kate Moloney.

After playing her last game for Collingwood, veteran wing defence Ash Brazill will get her chance for a fairytale finish to her career after being named in the Diamonds team.

Wallam, Moloney, and defender Ruby Bakewell-Doran will travel to South Africa with the Diamonds as reserves.

Jamie-Lee Price looms as an X-factor in the midcourt. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

Australia begins their World Cup campaign on July 28 against Zimbabwe.

The Diamonds are favourites to win the World Cup and claim the only trophy missing from their cabinet following a dominant international cycle.

But they will be challenged by reigning champions New Zealand and rising netball powerhouse Jamaica.

Every game of the World Cup will be available to stream on Fox Netball via Kayo.

2023 AUSTRALIAN DIAMONDS WORLD CUP TEAM

Sunday Aryang (West Coast Fever/Western Australia)

Kiera Austin (Melbourne Vixens/New South Wales)

Ash Brazill (Collingwood Magpies/New South Wales)

Courtney Bruce (West Coast Fever/Western Australia)

Sophie Garbin (Collingwood Magpies/Western Australia)

Paige Hadley (NSW Swifts/New South Wales)

Sarah Klau (NSW Swifts/South Australia)

Cara Koenen (Sunshine Coast Lightning/Queensland)

Jamie-Lee Price (GIANTS Netball/New South Wales)

Liz Watson (Melbourne Vixens/Victoria)

Joanna Weston (Melbourne Vixens/Victoria)

Steph Wood (Sunshine Coast Lightning/Queensland)

Reserves

Ruby Bakewell-Doran (Queensland Firebirds/Queensland)

Kate Moloney (Melbourne Vixens/Victoria)

Donnell Wallam (Queensland Firebirds/Western Australia)