Netball World Cup Diamonds squad 2023: Matilda Garrett speaks after Australia team call-up

The surprise selection in Australia’s Netball World Cup squad has revealed her shock at being selected and how coach Stacey Marinkovich almost couldn’t deliver the good news.

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• Lisa Alexander’s Diamonds World Cup squad

Matilda Garrett has vowed not to limit her thinking ahead of final World Cup selections despite admitting she is still in shock that becoming a Diamond is suddenly a realistic possibility.

Garrett was the sole new player added to the Diamonds’ 19-woman squad named by coach Stacey Marinkovich on Thursday, the Adelaide Thunderbirds defender rewarded for her stellar season with the club on the rise.

She admits the past few days have been surreal and her selection is yet to sink in.

But Garrett is determined to continue treading the path that has led her to become the first Thunderbirds player in almost a decade to make the national squad.

“It would definitely be a dream come true if I was selected to go to the World Cup but for the moment, I think my biggest priority is winning a premiership with the Adelaide Thunderbirds and I just want to continue to take my opportunities when I get on to the court,” Garrett said.

Matilda Garrett has described her joy after being included in the Diamonds World Cup squad.

“I don’t really want to think too much about the Diamonds per se, I just want to do what I can in the space that I’m in at the moment and do what I can for the team.

“My goal is definitely to win a premiership and then whatever happens from there, happens from there.”

Marinkovich had a tough time getting hold of Garrett, who found six missed calls when she eventually checked her phone on Wednesday, the day players were informed of their selection.

One of those was from the Thunderbirds’ high performance manager, who suggested she call the number that had been trying to get hold of her all morning.

But such was Garrett’s disbelief at what was about to unfold, even when she did get hold of Marinkovich, she asked the coach if there was a possibility she could call her back in an hour given she was on professional placement duty with the Adelaide Crows.

Understandably, Marinkovich was in a rush to deliver the news and it has blown Garrett away.

“It was a big surprise, big shock,” she said.

Despite coming through the development pathways and playing for the Australian U21 side, Garrett said she was in such awe of other Diamonds, she never believed she was a chance of becoming a member of the squad herself.

Matilda Garrett celebrates a win for the Thunderbirds.

“It’s crazy to even think about because it’s not something that I thought would ever happen for me,” Garrett said.

“It’s definitely been a dream of mine, I just did not expect what happened two days ago, to happen, so it’s very exciting for me.

“I just didn’t think it was a possibility because when you look up to the Diamonds, they are so good and they’re the pinnacle of netball.

“Dreams really do come true and I hope one day that I do get to wear the green and gold dress – and that will be a very, very special day for me.

“But at the moment, I’m just super grateful and proud to have been recognised in the squad.”

The Thunderbirds are rated among the Super Netball premiership favourites this season after adding the likes of England international Eleanor Cardwell to a team including star Jamaican defenders Shamera Sterling and LaTanya Wilson and the continued improvement of players like Garrett is only adding to their chops – as seen last week in their win over defending premiers West Coast Fever.

They take on the Collingwood Magpies at Netball SA Stadium on Sunday, looking to end the first full round of fixtures in the top-two on the ladder.

DIAMONDS SQUAD REVEALED AFTER TOUGH CALL TO STAR

Matilda Garrett was charmingly unaware of the caller attempting to get her to pick up the phone on Wednesday.

As players previously involved in the Diamonds squad waited nervously for a call to confirm whether or not they had made head coach Stacey Marinkovich’s World Cup squad, Adelaide Thunderbirds defender Garrett proved rather difficult to get hold of.

Marinkovich was attempting to raise Garrett to inform the 24-year-old her contribution to the T-Birds’ rise this season had been rewarded with a spot in the Diamonds’ 19-woman preliminary squad for 2023-24.

Garrett, who previously represented Australia at the Netball Youth Cup, was the only new player added to the 2022-23 group of 20, while Swifts defender Maddy Turner was dropped.

Goaler Gretel Bueta, who starred in the Diamonds’ gold medal-winning Commonwealth Games campaign in Birmingham last year was not considered due to pregnancy.

Matilda Garrett was a shock inclusion into the squad. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images for Netball Australia

“It took us a little while to get a hold of her,” Marinkovich said.

“Obviously she wouldn’t have known a specific time (to be available) because we don’t schedule everyone in the league to see whether they do or don’t get a call.

“So when we do get a hold of her, I think she was just shocked. She certainly wasn’t expecting it – and I guess that shows a little bit of humility as to the type of person that she is.

“She’s been really focused on what she does in the SSN (Super Netball) environment and to then be able to then give her a call and basically say that we’ve recognised and seen the qualities that we think can really contribute to the group (was great).”

The Thunderbirds have emerged as genuine Super Netball titleholders this season and much has been made of the form of their Jamaican defenders Shamera Sterling – arguably the best goalkeeper in the world – and LaTanya Wilson.

But Marinkovich said Garrett’s form shone independent of the pair.

“The type of balls that she’s getting (as gains and intercepts) was really off her own effort and being able to impact the game,” Marinkovich said.

“There’s ones that you can see are in collaboration with those around her but then ones where she has really come through strong.”

Selectors had also been impressed in Garrett’s improvements in several areas of her game, testament to the work she had put in during the off-season that was paying off in her on-court performances.

Another advantage for Garrett is her versatility given she is able to play at both goalkeeper and goal defence, with her 186cm frame tall enough to play either position in the circle, while her agility and wingspan allow her to push up court to become a midcourt option as well.

“Huge versatility in what she can do in all three defensive positions,” Marinkovich said.

“The game she plays, I think, is really suited to the environment.”

The flip side was the call Marinkovich had to make to Turner, who missed out on the squad after fighting her way back from missing the Commonwealth Games last year to play for the Diamonds again in last year’s domestic Tests.

“Maddy certainly was very professional in her response,” Marinkovich said.

“We’ve had some good feedback over the time and reinforced that that still rings true and we would continue to work with her and the Swifts so that she could continue to evolve as a player throughout the rest of the season.”

While selectors – Marinkovich, former Diamonds captain Anne Sargeant and Michelle Wilkins – had been able to name up to 22 players, the coach said keeping slots open allowed them to keep looking at the Super Netball season with a view to the future following the World Cup.

“We’ve got some really clear things that we want to implement in terms of players that are performing in SSN in terms of that development of Australian invitational (squad) and making sure that those players that are recognised can get a direct line to the Diamonds and opportunities within camp,” Marinkovich said.

Swifts defender Maddy Turner was dropped from the squad. (Photo by Will Russell/Getty Images)

“So there’s things that we’re looking to progress as we go into further internationals but right here and right now we’re very firmly focused on World Cup.”

For now though, the pinnacle event is the focus and with a window of less than a fortnight in camp following the Super Netball grand final, players with the proven ability to transfer their skills from the domestic arena to the elite international stage, won the nod, with the event the culmination of Marinkovich’s time with the squad since her first international series in charge in 2021.

“It’s not a test and trial period for World Cup,” she said.

“We’re really solidifying performances and we’re going to have to be a level of execution that’s well above what we did at the Commonwealth Games if we’re to be successful.”

Originally published as Netball World Cup Diamonds squad 2023: Matilda Garrett speaks after Australia team call-up