Diamonds v Proteas: Aussie talent factory continues to produce as new starter, debutant, shine
Australia’s ability to shuffle its line-up and test new combinations will be as important as winning in this series against South Africa, writes EMMA GREENWOOD.
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If patience is a virtue, Sophie Dwyer must be one of the most noble players in the Diamonds’ squad.
First selected to tour with the Australian team to the Quad Series at the start of 2022, Dwyer had to wait another nine months to make her debut in the second Test of the Constellation Cup in New Zealand.
She played 17 minutes off the bench in Australia’s 52-48 loss to the Silver Ferns in Tauranga - the only game she played in the series - and added two more caps last year against England, with her longest stint on court 30 minutes, when she was injected at halftime in game three of the sweep of the Roses.
She bided her time during the recent Constellation Cup, playing just one game - and only five minutes - in Australia’s 55-46 win in Brisbane.
Matilda Garrett’s debut may have stolen the headlines from Wednesday night’s series opener against South Africa, with the defender becoming Diamond no. 191 when she was injected into the game after halftime in Australia’s 19-goal victory.
But just as auspicious was Dwyer’s first run in the starting seven in just her fifth Test in her fifth series as a member of the Diamonds squad.
In 45 minutes on court - coach Stacey Marinkovich changed up her shooters in the final term, putting talls Donnell Wallam and Cara Koenen on together - Dwyer finished with 15 goals shooting at 83 per cent accuracy, had nine goal assists and 15 feeds, a gain from an intercept and worked hard to advance the ball with a glut of centre pass and second phase receptions.
“In her lead-in she’s been doing some really good work with Paigey (Hadley) back in Sydney on some key things we were working on and she’s been plugging away at different things in our training environment,” Marinkovich said.
“So this was her opportunity to transfer that and there’s lots of things to like as to what she was doing out there.
“She loves going to the post. She’s one that will sit back a bit because she wants to be close to that circle and that’s a great asset for us to have two threats to the post.”
With Australia already leading well and Dwyer having had little time during the Constellation Cup, bringing her off may have seemed unnecessary.
But this series for the Diamonds is as much about increasing their versatility and depth as winning alone.
The tall combination of Wallam (193cm) and Koenen (190cm) presented the Proteas defenders with another challenge, while giving Koenen another run at goal attack internationally.
It’s a string she wants to add to her bow and looks likely to be given the chance by Marinkovich to do so.
The tall combination of Garbin and Koenen challenged New Zealand’s defenders in the final Constellation Cup match on Monday and while Marinkovich opted to bring Kiera Austin back for the final stages, she won’t be giving up on running a tall pair.
“I sat with Cara (ahead of the South Africa opener) and said, ‘look, we haven’t done a lot of work with you a goal attack - and particularly in this combination (with Wallam), so I’m not looking for something that is perfect and seamless’,” Marinkovich said.
“She’s actually learning the role and learning the role with someone she doesn’t play with regularly.
“So I think we’ve got to give each other a bit of leeway to work out where it actually stands.”
Whether it’s different shooting combinations or injecting players like Garrett, or Amy Parmenter, who started at wing defence to gain her seventh Diamonds cap, Marinkovich is future-proofing the world champs.
“I think it is good to have a really good balance,” Marinkovich said.
“I think we do need to keep working on what’s new, we need to look at the different variety - particularly when the opposition has seen us for quite some time.
“You want a really competitive environment.
“That’s where I think the Diamonds have got its success from, is that everyone is pushing for spots and putting up their hands.
“The more these guys come in and challenge positions, they can certainly earn (places) and be in those starting sevens and at the same time those that have been there have to keep making changes and … keep evolving their game so that it still is impactful in years to come.”
That’s the massive benefit of this series for the Diamonds.
On world rankings alone, taking on the world no. 5 Proteas, who have had some turnover of their own since the World Cup and have several inexperienced players in their line-up, seems of little benefit other than goodwill and playing a development role that is both necessary and an obligation for the world’s top team.
But the Diamonds have plenty to gain as they plan for the future including a home World Cup in 2027.
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Originally published as Diamonds v Proteas: Aussie talent factory continues to produce as new starter, debutant, shine
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