Constellation Cup 2022: Game two live, latest scores and news
The Diamonds injected three debutants into the game, but it wasn’t enough to seal the match after third-quarter lapse handed victory to the Ferns.
The Diamonds have a massive job ahead to win the Constellation Cup, needing victory in both Australian legs of the series by a combined score of at least 13 goals if they are to wrestle the trophy back from the Silver Ferns.
Australia lost just one quarter in their 52-48 defeat in Tauranga on Sunday night but it was enough for the Ferns to turn the tide and take a 2-0 lead in the four-Test series after the Aussies led through the first half of the match.
The Diamonds remedied the horror start in Auckland that had them down nine goals - and effectively losers in the series-opener - after 15 minutes.
But they could still not find the consistency needed to beat their greatest rivals over four quarters.
Captain Liz Watson remains bullish her side can turn things around though.
“We’re still in this contest,” Watson said.
“We’ve got two games to go. It’s definitely not over but we’ve just really got to push ahead on those matches.”
But she conceded there was real disappointment in not being able to capitalise on the strong start.
“Just from that previous game we wanted that strong start because we didn’t have that,” Watson said.
“We got that and then to come out after halftime and not have that same intent and power play, it is disappointing.
“The first two goals (went to the Ferns) and you’re already on the back foot. Once that happened, we needed to find a way to keep pushing and get ourselves out of that.”
Instead, the Diamonds lost the term 15-9 in what was the turning point of the match.
Australia blooded three players in the loss, with coach Stacey Marinkovich keeping an eye to next year’s World Cup in South Africa.
But the coach has been adamant gold dresses are earnt and not gifted and winning the Constellation Cup remains a massive priority for the Diamonds on the road to the Cape Town.
The former Fever coach has not yet coached on Australian soil and is looking forward to getting back to Melbourne for the first Diamonds Test at home in almost three years.
“There’s a lot of girls that haven’t played in front of their family and friends with Covid and not having any internationals back home,” Marinkovich said, adding home court was a “huge advantage” for the series-defining final two Tests.
“I think you get familiar with your surroundings, the girls obviously play in those stadiums for Suncorp Super Netball, so it will be nice to be in a normal routine,” she said.
The debutants - four in the first two Tests - as well as several other changes on court, could be seen as disruptive but Marinkovich said they had the confidence of their peers and had slotted in well.
“Sometimes you get people named into the 12 and they don’t get on to court but I think the fact that they’re coming in and getting straight on to the court, shows the confidence the group has in them and also what they’ve been doing in the training environment,” Marinkovich said.
“It’s great to put them out there and see the impact, what that looks like and then how do we evolve that into combinations for longer periods of time.”
Watson was also delighted for the debutants.
“It is really exciting,” Watson said.
“To see them get out there - and they’ve got family and friends here watching them - so I was really proud of them and excited they could get out there and have that run around.”
SILVER FERNS 52 (Nweke 37, Ekenasio 15)
DIAMONDS 48 (Koenen 21, Wood 21, Dwyer 6)
RE-LIVE THE LIVE COVERAGE HERE
Ruby Bakewell-Doran is on as the Diamonds introduce their third debutant this match.
But will another change help or hinder the Aussies as they attempt to claw their way back into the match after leading at the first and second breaks.
At three-quarter time, they’re trailing by five and have three newbies across the defensive transverse line, with Proud, Bakewell-Doran and game-one debutant Amy Parmenter trying desperately to prevent the ball from travelling into the Ferns’ circle.
The Diamonds did a good job early in the match preventing the long pass to towering Ferns shooter Grace Nweke and Courtney Bruce and Sarah Klau have done a power of work crowding the Nigerian product.
With Klau on the bench to bring Bakewell-Doran on, it’s the Queensland Firebirds defender’s chance to show why she was rushed into the Commonwealth Games squad as a travelling reserve.
DEBUTANT ALERT!
Just moments after Maddy Proud became Diamond no.186, Giants goal attack Sophie Dwyer has hit the court at goal attack, injected after halftime.
Dwyer, who travelled with the Diamonds to the Quad Series in England in January, making the squad after fellow shooter Kiera Austin was injured, did not play in that series and after missing the Commonwealth Games squad had to wait again.
But she’s on the court for the Diamonds now and comfortably potted her first shot with a classic mid-range step-back.
She’ll have to be on song though, with the Silver Ferns making a concerted run to start the third term.
They’ve overhauled the Diamonds and lead 34-30 midway through the term.
DIAMONDS LEAD AT HALFTIME — JUST
The Diamonds are holding on to a skinny 25-24 lead at halftime in the Constellation Cup as they attempt to keep the series alive.
Much more successful in breaking down the Ferns’ zone than they were in the opening match, the Diamonds have worked the ball quickly to shooters Steph Wood and Cara Koenen, who struggled in the first match.
Will they stay on though? Marinkovich used all four shooters at her disposal in the first match and she could change things up again with Sophie Garbin and Sophie Dwyer on the bench.
PROUD MAKES DIAMONDS DEBUT
Maddy Proud has hit the court!
More than a decade after first being called into the Diamonds squad, the NSW Swifts co-captain has hit the court at centre, brought in for Jamie-Lee Price.
Price had four general play turnovers in one-and-a-half quarters but she was far from poor, helping the Diamonds find circle edge and feeding her shooters well.
The battle for midcourt positions for next year’s World Cup is going to be epic.
FIRST QUARTER: DIAMONDS PRODUCE IDEAL START
The Diamonds have completely turned around the poor start that cost them the opening match of the Constellation Cup, leading the Silver Ferns 13-12 at the opening break in Tauranga.
Captain Liz Watson and coach Stacey Marinkovich backed the Aussies to be fast learners after a horror opening period in Auckland after which they trailed 20-9.
But in the return clash, the Diamonds are back humming like the well-oiled machine that won the Commonwealth Games gold medal just two months ago.
Better organised in defence, Amy Parmenter is all over her direct opponent, Ferns Peta Toeava, who was so dominant in the opening stages in Auckland, while wing attack Liz Watson and goal attack Steph Wood are in sync, moving the ball more easily into the circle.
The Diamonds’ dominance is reflected in the stat line, with the Aussies winning the gains (4-1) and intercepts (3-0) in the opening term and making the most of the ball.
Meanwhile, the Aussies are again without the Hancock Prospecting patch on their gold dress despite the multi million-dollar deal trumpeted just over a fortnight ago.
DIAMONDS SET TO NAME DEBUTANT
NSW Swifts co-captain Maddy Proud is all but certain to make a Diamonds debut more than a decade in the making after being named in the 12-player squad for the second Test of the Constellation Cup in Tauranga.
Proud was called into the Diamonds squad as a 17-year-old before spending the next decade in the wilderness battling injury and Australia’s incredible midcourt depth, wondering if her chance to wear gold had passed her by.
She was again overlooked for the Commonwealth Games this year but consistent stellar form throughout the Super Netball season led to her being named for series against both New Zealand and England and after sitting out last week’s loss, she has been called on to the bench by coach Stacey Marinknovich, who has made two changes to her team.
Jamie-Lee Price, who was instrumental in the Diamonds’ fightback in their 56-48 game one loss, will start at centre, with Kate Moloney dropping out of the game-day squad.
West Coast Fever defender Sunday Aryang has been ruled out with a leg injury, with Proud and Giants goaler Sophie Dwyer being added to the bench.
Aryang’s absence leaves the squad with just three specialist defenders, increasing the odds Queensland Firebirds goal defence Ruby Bakewell-Doran will make her Diamonds debut at some stage in the match, replacing either Sarah Klau (GK) or Courtney Bruce (GD).
Dwyer is also in line to make her debut if called off the bench.
DIAMONDS GREAT BACKS AUSSIE GAME TWO FIGHTBACK
Diamonds legend Cath Cox is backing Australia to turn around its Constellation Cup form and claim victory in the series against the Silver Ferns but has called on Stacey Marinkovich to maintain a big picture view with the World Cup in less than 12 months.
The Diamonds could not recover from a poor start after the Ferns piled on 11 unanswered goals in a seven-minute period in the first quarter, going down 56-48 in the opening Test of the four-match series in Auckland.
Australia also struggled to adapt to the Kiwis’ zone defence and without talismanic shooter Gretel Bueta, struggled to find ways to score.
“It’s very obvious Gretel Bueta is a big loss,” Cox said.
“I don’t think the score would have been anything like that had she been in the mix.
“But I also know that Australia don’t often lose two games in a row. So there’s no doubt in my mind that they’ll bounce back and they’ll bounce back well.
“And (if) they get a win the next game in Taurua, then they’re home, they’re back in Australia for the first time and just under three years and that’s going to boost them immensely as well.
“So I’m confident they’ll turn it around from here but geez, New Zealand were good in that first quarter particularly.”
Marinkovich used four different goalers during the match and also made switches in the midcourt and defence in an attempt to turn the tide.
And Cox has urged her to use all the players at her disposal throughout the series with an eye to the future.
Swifts midcourter Maddy Proud and Giants goaler Sophie Dwyer did not make the match-day 12 for the opening game of the series but Cox predicts they will both make their Diamonds debuts at some stage in the series.
“They’ll have to (be used). I think with this sort of series, if you don’t do it now, when are you going to do it, these are the opportunities to get them out there and try them,” Cox said.
“Whilst both coaches would want to win this series, I think that’s probably their bigger picture is thinking about getting as many combos out on court as they can, see what players can do and that’s going to help their selection going forward to July next year for the World Cup.”
Cox played 108 Tests for the Diamonds, winning World Cup and Commonwealth Games gold as a shooter but she cannot currently point to who should fill Bueta’s shoes in South Africa next year.
“It’s definitely too soon to call who it is after (the first Constellation Cup Test),” Cox said.
“Maybe after the next one if we have a good performance it might become a little more clear.
“The beauty of this series is that (Marinkovich) can keep testing combinations and I think also, the beauty of the depth of this Australian side is that it’s a bit horses for courses.
“ She can put on an attacking side that best suits the opponent that she’s coming up against.”
More Coverage
Mavs make Uneeq signing as part of stacked training roster
A roster that underlines the depth of Super Netball and the difficulty of snaring a full-time contract, or a nervy move by a club unprepared to back new talent? The verdict on the Mavericks’ stacked training roster.
NRL and AFL stars’ secret code switch pleas for LA Olympics
With eyes set on a rare chance at Olympic gold, stars from AFL, NRL, Super Rugby and Super Netball have been making secret queries over the prospect of surprise code switches.