Netball World Cup 2023: Diamonds’ ready for big moments and hostile crowds to complete unfinished business in Cape Town

The Diamonds will finalise their preparations for the Netball World Cup and captain Liz Watson has revealed the slogan driving their campaign.

Australia’s slogan in its campaign for the Netball World Cup is “unfinished business” and Diamonds’ captain Liz Watson has declared the team is primed for the big moments and hostile crowds awaiting them to get the job done in Cape Town.

As the Diamonds’ were given an official send-off in Melbourne on Sunday ahead of their departure for South Africa later this week, Watson stressed it was going to take a “whole squad effort” to deliver the World Cup trophy.

The Australian team is striving to reclaim the major piece of silverware currently missing from its collection, four years after losing it to arch rivals New Zealand.

World Cup winners 11 times, the Diamonds lost their hold on the trophy in a heartbreaking one-goal loss to the Silver Ferns in Liverpool.

But skipper Watson, a member of the 2019 World Cup team, felt the Diamonds were well prepared to handle the big moments ahead in this campaign, which kicks off against Zimbabwe on July 28.

“We have been speaking about it for a long time and obviously there is a lot of hard work to go and I feel like the gap at international level is getting a lot smaller but hopefully we can get there,” Watson said at the team’s send-off.

“We are a very different group from (2019) - new coach (Stacey Marinkovich), new program, whole new squad, a lot has changed. (We) try not to think about that too much and just really carry momentum from what we have been doing.

“We prepare the best in Super Netball, it is the best comp for us, we are playing against internationals, tight matches, one-goal losses …. so everyone knows how to play in those big moments.

“It is going to be a whole squad effort. It’s intense, lots of hard work and grit and towards the back end of the tournament, you have just got to go for it when you are hurting and you’re tired.

“I think the pride of playing for your country is going to override everything.”

Liz Watson (c) says the Diamonds are well prepared to avenge their 2019. Picture: Kelly Defina/Getty

The Diamonds will finalise their World Cup preparations in camp in Melbourne this week before flying out for South Africa on Friday.

The team has been preparing for the tournament with match-play against the Victorian men’s team, which Watson predicted would help any potential meetings against the long-reach of Jamaica.

“We have had the men’s netball team in pretty much every session, so they are offering something different to play against,” Watson said.

“We play in a practice match against them on Monday and Tuesday, so lots of court and match-play now.

“(There is) lots of different opposition we will come up against, we are practising playing the guys who have got the big reach and long arms, a bit like Jamaica, a bit unorthodox play as well.

“We are pretty lucky in the sense that we are really confident in our game plan, we don’t feel like we need to change it dramatically, if we do the basics really well that’s when we’re really good.”

Liz Watson revealed the Diamonds World Cup slogan. Picture: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images

Watson said it was nice to “feel the love” at Sunday’s send-off ahead of what she expected to be “hostile” crowds in South Africa.

“It’s quite hostile over there in Cape Town, not too many fans (for us),” Watson said.

“We’re kind of used to it in all of the big tournaments we have played in, everyone is usually going against us, which is fine because they are very passionate.

“But lots of our family and friends are coming, so we’ll have a little crew.

“We’ve all played in really big games in Super Netball, in hostile crowds in Super Netball, too, so I think we are used to the cheers that aren’t going for us.”

While there is plenty of buzz around the Matildas ahead of their home World Cup campaign, Watson hoped the Diamonds could also generate plenty of support from back home.

“We actually went to their (warm-up) game the other night which was really cool to see how much support they have had,” Watson said.

“But I think we are just generating this movement in World Cups and women’s sport and it’s really exciting.”