Australia national netball team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Australia

Nickname(s)	Diamonds
Association	Netball Australia
Head coach	Stacey Marinkovich
Asst coach	Nicole Richardson
Captain	Liz Watson
Vice-captain	Paige Hadley
Most caps	Liz Ellis (122)
World ranking	1
Team colours Alternate
First international
Australia  40 – 11  New Zealand Royal Park, Melbourne, 20 August 1938
Largest win
Australia  113 - 12  Singapore Sydney, 5 July 1991
Largest defeat
New Zealand  61 - 36  Australia The Trusts Arena, 29 October 2005
Netball World Cup
Appearances	16 (Debuted in 1963)
2023 placing	1st
Titles won	12
Commonwealth Games
Appearances	7 (Debuted in 1998)
2022 placing	1st
Best result	First (1998, 2002, 2014, 2022)

The Australia national netball team, also known as the Australian Diamonds, represent Netball Australia in international netball tournaments such as the Netball World Cup, the Commonwealth Games, the Constellation Cup, the Netball Quad Series and the Fast5 Netball World Series. They have also represented Australia at the World Games. Australia made their Test debut in 1938. As of 2023, Australia have been World champions on 12 occasions and Commonwealth champions on 4 occasions. They are regularly ranked number one in the World Netball Rankings.

History

Early years

On 20 August 1938, at Royal Park, Melbourne, Australia defeated New Zealand 40–11. This was the first netball Test between Australia and New Zealand. It was also the world's first international netball match. The Australia team included Lorna McConchie and the umpires included Anne Clark. Australia were due to tour New Zealand in 1940. However the tour was cancelled due to the outbreak of World War II. In 1948, an Australia team eventually toured New Zealand for the first time, winning all three test matches. The Australia team included Myrtle Craddock. In 1956, with a team coached by McConchie and captained by Pat McCarthy, Australia toured England, Scotland and Ceylon. During the tour Australia played their first tests against Ceylon, Scotland and England.

Rivalry with New Zealand

One of Australia's main rivals in international netball is New Zealand. Between 1963 and 2015, the two teams dominated the World Netball Championships and Commonwealth Games tournaments. Since 2010 the two teams have also competed for the Constellation Cup. Notable and memorable clashes have included the finals of the 1991, 1999 and 2011 World Netball Championships, the finals of the 2010 and the 2014 Commonwealth Games and the final match of the 2013 Constellation Cup.

Tournament history

Netball World Cup

Australia has competed at every World Netball Championships and/or Netball World Cup since the 1963 inaugural tournament. Between 1963 and 2015, Australia have won 11 championships. With a team coached by Lorna McConchie, captained by Joyce Brown and also featuring Margaret Caldow and Wilma Ritchie, Australia were the inaugural champions after winning all ten matches during the 1963 tournament. In 2005, the 1963 team were inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame. In the 1991 final, Australia defeated reigning champions, New Zealand, 53–52 at a packed Sydney Entertainment Centre. New Zealand held a one point lead at each change, Australia then went ahead with minutes to go. With seconds to spare, Roselee Jencke made a match-saving intercept to ensure a one-goal victory for Australia. The match, which was broadcast live on Network 10, was hailed as one of the greatest netball games ever. Bob Hawke, the Prime Minister of Australia and a lifelong sports enthusiast, called it the best sporting contest he had seen. It was also the first of a hat-trick of World titles for Australia. In 1992, the team and their head coach, Joyce Brown, were all awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia. In 2012 they were inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame. In the 1999 final, Australia were trailing New Zealand 28–34 after three quarters. However, they snatched the title 42–41 with a last minute goal from Sharelle McMahon. The win gave Australia its third straight world title. In 2014, the 1999 team became the third Australia national netball team to be inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.

Tournaments	Place
1963 World Netball Championships	01
1967 World Netball Championships	02
1971 World Netball Championships	01
1975 World Netball Championships	01
1979 World Netball Championships	01
1983 World Netball Championships	01
1987 World Netball Championships	02
1991 World Netball Championships	01
1995 World Netball Championships	01
1999 World Netball Championships	01
2003 World Netball Championships	02
2007 World Netball Championships	01
2011 World Netball Championships	01
2015 Netball World Cup	01
2019 Netball World Cup	02
2023 Netball World Cup	01

Sources:

World Games

Between 1985 and 1993, Australia competed at the World Games, winning one gold and two silver medals.

Tournaments	Place
1985 World Games	02
1989 World Games	02
1993 World Games	01

Source:

Commonwealth Games

Australia has competed at every netball tournament at the Commonwealth Games. In 1990 they defeated New Zealand in a one-off match when netball was a demonstration sport. Between 1998 and 2018 they have played in every tournament final, winning three gold and three silver medals. In 1998, Jill McIntosh guided Australia to the inaugural Commonwealth title after they defeated New Zealand 42–39 in the final. In 2002, Australia defended their title, again after defeating New Zealand in the final, this time courtesy of a Sharelle McMahon goal in double extra time.

During the 2010 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony, McMahon, now team captain, carried the flag for the overall Australia team. In 2014, Australia won their third Commonwealth title after defeating New Zealand 58–40 in the final. Caitlin Bassett scored 49 from 53 at 92% accuracy to clinch the title.

Tournaments	Place
1990 Commonwealth Games	n/a
1998 Commonwealth Games	01
2002 Commonwealth Games	01
2006 Commonwealth Games	02
2010 Commonwealth Games	02
2014 Commonwealth Games	01
2018 Commonwealth Games	02
2022 Commonwealth Games	01

Source:

Constellation Cup

Since 2010 Australia and New Zealand have competed for the Constellation Cup.

Tournaments	Place
2010 Constellation Cup	01
2011 Constellation Cup	01
2012 Constellation Cup	02
2013 Constellation Cup	01
2014 Constellation Cup	01
2015 Constellation Cup	01
2016 Constellation Cup	01
2017 Constellation Cup	01
2018 Constellation Cup	01
2019 Constellation Cup	01
2021 Constellation Cup	02
2022 Constellation Cup	01
2023 Constellation Cup	01

Netball Quad Series

Since 2016, Australia have competed in the Netball Quad Series, playing against England, New Zealand and South Africa.

Tournaments	Place
2016 Netball Quad Series	01
2017 Netball Quad Series (January/February)	01
2017 Netball Quad Series (August/September)	02
2018 Netball Quad Series (January)	01
2018 Netball Quad Series (September)	01
2019 Netball Quad Series	01
2022 Netball Quad Series	01
2023 Netball Quad Series	01
2024 Netball Nations Cup	01

Fast5 Netball World Series

When competing at the Fast5 Netball World Series, the team is referred to as the Fast5 Flyers.

Tournaments	Place
2009 World Netball Series	03
2010 World Netball Series	4th
2011 World Netball Series	03
2012 Fast5 Netball World Series	6th
2013 Fast5 Netball World Series	02
2014 Fast5 Netball World Series	02
2016 Fast5 Netball World Series	02
2017 Fast5 Netball World Series	03
2018 Fast5 Netball World Series	03
2022 Fast5 Netball World Series	01
2023 Fast5 Netball World Series	01

Home venues

The Diamonds have played their home matches at various home venues around Australia. The courts they most recently used include:

Notable players

2023–24 Squad

Australia roster
Players	Coaches
Name Pos DOB Height Club Nat Caps Sunday Aryang GD/GK 25/12/2000 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) West Coast Fever 23 Kiera Austin GA/GS/WA 26/08/1997 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) Melbourne Vixens 25 Ruby Barkwell-Doran GD/GK 21/01/1999 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) Queensland Firebirds 2 Courtney Bruce GK/GD 08/12/1993 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) Sunshine Coast Lightning 75 Sophie Dwyer GA/GS 05/12/2001 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) Giants Netball 8 Sophie Garbin GS/GA 06/04/1997 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) Melbourne Vixens 21 Matilda Garrett GD/GK 11/08/1998 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) Adelaide Thunderbirds 3 Paige Hadley (vc) C/WA/WD 26/08/1992 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) New South Wales Swifts 55 Sarah Klau GK/GD 30/09/1994 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) New South Wales Swifts 51 Cara Koenen GS/GA 27/02/1996 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) Sunshine Coast Lightning 34 Kate Moloney C/WD 8/01/1993 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in) Melbourne Vixens 31 Amy Parmenter WD/C 01/08/1997 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in) Melbourne Mavericks 9 Jamie-Lee Price C/WD 10/01/1996 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in) Giants Netball 43 Maddy Proud WA/C 04/12/1993 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in) New South Wales Swifts 4 Donnell Wallam GS 13/01/1994 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) Queensland Firebirds 5 Liz Watson (c) WA/C 30/03/1994 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) Sunshine Coast Lightning 80 Jo Weston GD/WD/GK 14/02/1994 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) Melbourne Vixens 69	Head coach Stacey Marinkovich Assistant coach Nicole Richardson Physiotherapist: Alanna Antcliff Notes (c) – Captain (cc) – Co-captain (vc) – Vice-captain – Injury / maternity leave (TRP) – Temporary Replacement Player
Player profiles: Team website	Last updated: 29 January 2024

Notable past players

Captains

Award winners

Further information: List of Australia international netball players

Head coaches

Sources:

Sponsorship

Honours

• World Netball Championships/INF Netball World Cup
  • Winners: 1963, 1971, 1975, 1979, 1983, 1991, 1995, 1999, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2023: 12
  • Runners up: 1967, 1987, 2003, 2019: 4
• Commonwealth Games
  • Winners: 1998, 2002, 2014, 2022: 4
  • Runners Up: 2006, 2010, 2018: 3
• Constellation Cup
  • Winners: 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023: 11
  • Runners Up: 2012, 2021: 2
• Netball Quad Series
  • Winners: 2016, 2017 (I), 2018 (I), 2018 (II), 2019, 2022, 2023: 7
  • Runners Up: 2017 (II): 1
• World Games
  • Winners: 1993: 1
  • Runners up: 1985, 1989: 2
• Fast5 Netball World Series
  • Winners: 2022, 2023: 2
  • Runners up: 2013, 2014, 2016: 3