Diamonds coach Stacey Marinkovich has left the door ajar for changes to Australia’s squad for the Commonwealth Games, which will be announced later this season.
With just 12 players to head to Glasgow to try and defend Australia’s gold medal, competition for spots remains hotly contested.
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Speaking on Fox Netball’s Pivot, Marinkovich said there was room to move for those who impress at Super Netball level.
“I think SSN is the ground that gets you an invitation into the Diamonds; and then it’s in that environment – obviously the players that have been in there for a little while now have cemented some combinations,” she shared.
“We also need to see what’s happening in the world of netball and how we need to keep challenging going forward.
“Definitely looking at the youth – we had a few juniors come through in our last camp.
“I think the way the SSN teams are playing they are using their depth.
“Seeing players come in, even if it’s just to have that impact or for short moments, it’s being out there and actually establishing the way they play and getting confidence from that.”
The Diamonds had opted for arguably their strongest 12 players in their last internationals series against Jamaica last month – with only injured Sunday Aryang missing out.
Sophie Garbin, Cara Koenen, Sophie Dwyer and Kiera Austin were given the nod in attack while Liz Watson, Kate Moloney, Jamie-Lee Price and Georgie Horjus were selected in the midcourt.
Courtney Bruce, Sarah Klau, Jo Weston and Matilda Garrett rounded out the defensive end as the 12 players selected.
But there’s plenty of Australian athletes pushing their case in the early Super Netball rounds.
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Marinkovich said players would have to wait until later in the season to find out if they are successful in landing a ticket to Glasgow.
“(It’ll be) towards the later end of the season so before finals,” she said on when the team will be announced.
“We’re still working through those final dates.
“But we don’t get (the players) until after the (Super Netball) grand final.
“Literally two days; we’ll probably go into camp straight after and then we’ve got a week together and then we’re on the plane.
“Very short time span so we’ve got to make sure that everyone’s doing all the loading and that through SSN and then make sure that we can freshen them up for Commonwealth Games.”
Australia has never missed a Commonwealth Games netball final, with eight appearances for four gold medal victories – noting that the initial 1990 final had no medals awarded as a demonstration event.
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