Diamonds axe stars as Gold Coast plans begin

Three-time world champion Natalie Medhurst is a shock omission from the Diamonds squad for the year’s remaining Test matches.

Australian netball coach Lisa Alexander. Picture: Michael Klein

Three-time world champion Natalie Medhurst is a shock omission from the 18-player Diamonds squad for the year’s remaining Test matches.

Medhurst is one of two notable omissions from the squad as coach Lisa Alexander ramps up preparations for next year’s Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. Laura Geitz, one of the sport’s biggest names before she took time out last year to have a baby, has also been omitted.

Alexander had given Geitz until the end of June to put her hand up for a return to the national team.

Although there is still scope for adjustments before the Commonwealth Games beginin April, coach Lisa Alexander said she was now “finetuning selection”.

The squad is split into two 12-player teams set to contest October’s Constellation Cup and Quad Series (August/September) tournaments. Ten players have, significantly, been selected for both sides: Caitlin Bassett, April Brandley, Courtney Bruce, Sharni Layton, Kim Ravaillion, Madi Robinson, Gabi Simpson, Caitlin Thwaites, Liz Watson and Jo Weston.

The selection panel tasked with whittling the nation’s abundant talent down to 18 spots is comprised of Alexander, Sport Australia Hall of Fame Legend Anne Sargeant and former Diamond Michelle Wilkins. Their deliberations were assisted by an unusual figure: Dr Mitch Mooney, the Diamonds’ analytics expert.

Mooney is a senior performance analyst at the Australian Institute of Sport, and has been working primarily with Netball Australia since 2013. He doesn’t sit in on the entire selection process, and isn’t responsible for final decisions on who makes the cut.

Mooney’s main role is to play what he calls the “ignorant observer”, and challenge what coaches may have assumed are obvious conclusions.

“He just questions our decisions and makes us justify them … it’s important for each of us to explain why we feel the way we do about a particular performance.”

Quad Series squad: Caitlin Bassett, April Brandley, Courtney Bruce, Sharni Layton, Tegan Phillip, Kim Ravaillion, Madi Robinson, Gabi Simpson, Caitlin Thwaites, Gretel Tippet, Liz Watson, Jo Weston.

Constellation Cup squad: Caitlin Bassett, April Brandley, Courtney Bruce, Sharni Layton, Susan Pettitt, Kim Ravaillion, Madi Robinson, Gabi Simpson, Caitlin Thwaites, Liz Watson, Jo Weston, Stephanie Wood.