The Australian Diamonds name three debutants in hint to the future ahead of next Netball World Cup

Head coach Stacey Marinkovich and national selectors have rewarded Super Netball form in the Australian Diamonds squad named on Friday, including three debutants aged 23 and under.

Emma Greenwood

3 min read

7:00AMJune 07, 2024.

Updated 8:16AMJune 07, 2024

Stacey Marinkovich | The confidence to be authentic

The Diamonds have given a nod to the future in naming their squad for the next 12 months, including three young debutants ahead of a home World Cup in three years’ time.

Young guns Ash Ervin (21), Georgie Horjus (22) and Hannah Mundy, who turns 23 on Monday, have been named in the 18-woman squad, which includes 15 returning players, including captain Liz Watson and vice-captain Paige Hadley.

Hadley’s NSW Swifts co-captain Maddy Proud and Queensland Firebirds defender Ruby Bakewell-Doran have been dropped from last year’s squad.

Potential debutant Mundy has been selected in the Diamonds’ squad. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

Melbourne Vixens veteran Emily Mannix’s outstanding early season form has also been rewarded, with Diamond #173 one of two invitees added to the squad.

The 30-year-old, who played the last of her six Tests in 2019, has been in outstanding form for the joint competition leaders and will join in training camps over the next 12 months, as will young Thunderbirds goaler Lucy Austin.

Austin, a 22-year-old shooter, is among Thunderbirds players being viewed as part of the future of the Diamonds after the franchise sported no Diamonds squad members at all just over a year ago.

But the emergence of defender Matilda Garrett, who made her debut against South Africa last year, Horjus, one of the new trio of players named on Friday, and Austin, a member of Australia’s successful Fast5 outfit, mirrors the success of the Adelaide program, which has had a major focus on developing local talent.

The squad and invitees were selected following an extensive and targeted process by Origin Australian Diamonds head coach Stacey Marinkovich and national selectors Anne Sargeant and Michelle Wilkins.

Stacey Marinkovich | The mentor shaping future Diamonds

Marinkovich looked forward to seeing the squad come together to further grow their connection both on and off the court.

“We know that we need to raise the bar and evolve if we are to continue to contribute to the Sisters in Arms legacy of success,” Marinkovich said of a team that has regained the benchmark Commonwealth Games and World Cup titles during her tenure.

“This squad will build towards a home Netball World Cup in 2027, which will be a pivotal moment for our sport both in Australia and internationally.

“We’ve been incredibly impressed with the standard at the Suncorp Super Netball level this year, and with the development coming through Netball Australia’s pathway programs including Fast5.

“We’re really excited about this squad, the blend of experience and youth and the individual skillsets that the athletes bring. This dynamic will enable the Origin Australian Diamonds to evolve, grow, and take on the challenges of international netball.

“We will continue to closely observe the remainder of the Suncorp Super Netball season with scope to add to our invitee athletes.”

Marinkovich said Ervin, Horjus and Mundy had impressed in the Suncorp Super Netball League to earn national selection.

Ash Ervin joins the trio of potential debutants. Picture: Albert Perez/Getty Images

“Whilst they continue to shape their craft each athlete has challenged the world’s best athletes in Suncorp Super Netball this year,” Marinkovich said.

“We’re looking forward to harnessing their skill sets and embedding them within the broader Origin Australian Diamonds culture and style of play.”

Proud and Bakewell-Doran can consider themselves unlucky not to be reselected, with their axing underlining the depth in the Australian high performance program.

Both players missed the opportunity to add to their Diamonds caps when injured ahead of the South African series late last year with Proud undergoing minor knee surgery and Bakewell-Doran needing an operation for an ankle issue.

The Swifts co-captain has also missed the last several rounds of the Super Netball season, while Bakewell-Doran has seemed close to her best in recent weeks.

Queensland coach Bec Bulley said Bakewell-Doran had completed the “shutdown job” on opponents in the first three rounds when the Firebirds shone.

“Her first three rounds she did the shutdown job, which is the job we wanted her to do and we forced a lot of turnovers, which isn’t necessarily a stat for just one player,” Bulley said.

“But I thought (against the Thunderbirds) she just really stepped up, she did her job so well.”