All things netball and entertainment

19/10/2026

Unpredictability over continuity: ATN&E’s Game 2 Diamonds shake-up 🇦🇺

All things netball and entertainment game 2 12 predictions for the diamonds is out and hot with the analytical angle you can't miss.

ATTACKING THIRD : A different circle, a different challenge. ATN&E’s proposed Game 2 side leaves Sophie Dwyer out and pairs Donnell Wallam with Georgie Horjus, prioritising a strong shooting target alongside a mobile creator. The tactical appeal is variety: Horjus can change the angle of entry while Wallam provides a clear destination for the feed. Moving Kiera Austin to WA responds to the concerns raised about her Game 1 turnovers and shooting accuracy without losing her ability to move the ball. But this is not simply a positional fix,Austin would still need to deliver accurate feeds, while Horjus must offer enough shooting threat to prevent New Zealand concentrating their defence on Wallam.

CENTRE THIRD: Leaving captain Liz Watson out is the boldest call, because this proposal changes both the feeding combination and the leadership balance. Kate Moloney at C and Jamie-Lee Price at WD would be tasked with connecting defensive possession to Austin and, ultimately, Wallam. The aim should be controlled progression rather than forcing every pass towards the tallest target: Wallam’s presence only becomes an advantage if the feeders create a clear passing angle first. Moloney and Price would also need to balance their attacking support with defensive recovery, especially when possession changes hands. The central question is whether a reshuffled unit can offer better connections without sacrificing established understanding.

DEFENSIVE THIRD: Sarah Klau at GD and Jessie Grenvold at GK would build on the second-half improvement highlighted in your assessment, rather than introduce another defensive reset. Against the Nweke–Heffernan combination, the priority would be coordinated pressure: disrupt the supply before the ball reaches the circle, contest intelligently and turn rebounds into retained possession.

Their partnership would need support from Price and Moloney; leaving the circle defenders to solve accurate, uncontested feeds would undermine the selection.

This proposed seven backs a new attacking approach while retaining a defensive pairing that showed promise,but how would you balance the case for bold changes against the value of backing established combinations to respond?

Make your case, name the selection that matters most, and share this with a fan who sees it differently.

19/10/2026

It's now fine get your tickets ready.

19/10/2026

Sophie Garbin’s 50th Cap: Proof She Belongs in Australia’s Starting Seven?

Sophie Garbin marked her 50th Diamonds cap with one of Australia’s most efficient performances in Auckland: 20 goals from 21 attempts at 95% accuracy. Coming into the match with questions still surrounding her place in the starting seven, Garbin answered in the best possible way, by delivering against a New Zealand defensive unit that controlled the contest for long periods.

Unlike her role in Glasgow, where she was subbed to stabilise the attack, Garbin was given a genuine opportunity to influence the game from the outset. She did not simply score; she provided a composed presence, took pressure off her shooting partner, and showed that she can perform against elite opposition. Her accuracy alone does not settle every debate, but it makes it much harder to argue that she should remain outside Australia’s strongest seven.

The polarising question is whether one near-perfect performance should change Marinkovich’s selection thinking. Supporters will say Garbin has earned a starting role because she offers reliability, physicality and a different dynamic to Donnell Wallam or Cara Koenen.
Others will argue that Australia’s problem was not Garbin’s finishing, but the quality and timing of ball entering the circle, meaning the midcourt, not the shooters, needs the bigger adjustment.

So, Diamonds fans: should Sophie Garbin now be locked into the starting seven, or does she still need to prove it over a full series?

Drop your verdict below: “Start Garbin” or “Not yet.” Tag a netball fan who has strong views on Australia’s shooting end. 👇
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19/10/2026

AUSTRALIA NEED A RESET—OR BETTER FINISHING? 🇳🇿🇦🇺

New Zealand’s 56–50 win tells a story of efficiency. The Silver Ferns shot at 90%, compared with Australia’s 81%. Those rounded figures suggest both teams may have taken roughly the same number of shots, making finishing a major difference, not simply access to the ball. For Christchurch, Australia must identify whether its misses came from poor shooting positions, defensive pressure or wasted clear chances. New Zealand must keep creating good shooting opportunities rather than rushing the final feed.

Australia’s 67% centre-pass conversion against New Zealand’s 76% is a team problem, not automatically a centre or wing attack problem. This statistic follows the possession all the way to goal: a good first pass can still end with a lost feed or missed shot. The Diamonds need clearer receiving options, better connections and cleaner circle entries. The Ferns should keep their effective patterns but add alternatives before Australia starts reading them. Fix where the move breaks down, not just who starts it.

Australia actually converted its gains slightly better: 14 from 17, approximately 82%, compared with New Zealand’s 16 from 20, or 80%. But the Ferns won more ball, giving them more opportunities and two additional goals from gains. Australia should focus on creating more recoveries while protecting its transition attack. New Zealand should examine the four gains it failed to turn into goals. The lesson is simple: winning possession matters, but the job is only complete when it reaches the scoreboard.

New Zealand’s 22 long feeds against Australia’s seven highlight another tactical difference, but more long feeds do not automatically mean better attacking play. Australia should review how to pressure the feeder and contest the receiver together, while

New Zealand needs shorter alternatives if that direct route is closed. Heading into Christchurch, should the Diamonds prioritise improving their own finishing, or disrupting the Ferns’ supply, and what should New Zealand change to stay ahead?

Save this breakdown, share it with your netball circle and name the first adjustment you would make for each team. 👇
How would your 12 for each team be for game2 in Christchurch?
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19/10/2026

Our condolences to the family and whole netball fraternity

OFFICIAL CONDOLENCE MESSAGE FROM AFRICA NETBALL

On the Passing of Leonard Masao

The Board of Africa Netball, the Council Members, and the entire Netball fraternity across the African Continent wish to extend our most profound and heartfelt condolences on the untimely passing of Leonard.

Africa has lost an official par excellence. He was a great asset to the officiating framework of netball and a dedicated servant of the game.

His commitment, professionalism, and passion for netball officiating have left an indelible mark on our sport. His contribution to the growth of netball in Africa will be remembered with great respect and gratitude.

On behalf of the African netball family, we stand with his family, friends, colleagues, and loved ones during this difficult time.

May his precious Soul Rest in Eternal Peace.

Board of Africa Netball

19/10/2026

The South Australian pathway products in the diamonds environment.
How do you rate both based on game 1?
Jessie Grenvold on GK and Georgie Horjus on WA.
Should we have both switching positions to GD and GA respectively?
Once a contax....

19/10/2026

Grace Nweke Gets the Headlines, Georgia Heffernan Is the Problem Australia Cannot Solve

Everyone is talking about Grace Nweke’s 40 goals from 41 attempts, and rightly so. But the real tactical headache for Australia is the player beside her: Georgia Heffernan. In Game 1, Heffernan shot 6/8 in just a half of netball, collected nine centre-pass receives, recorded 12 feeds and seven goal assists, and committed only one general-play turnover. She was not simply supporting Nweke, she was helping create the conditions that made Nweke nearly untouchable.

Heffernan’s growth is now impossible to ignore. She moves intelligently to open space for Nweke, takes centre passes with confidence, feeds with precision, and can score when the defence collapses inward. Her ability to shoot from range forces defenders to make an uncomfortable choice: stay with Nweke and leave Heffernan open, or pressure Heffernan and risk giving New Zealand’s tallest shooter an easier entry. That balance is what makes this pairing so difficult to defend.

For Australia, the question is no longer only how to contain Nweke. It is whether any Diamonds goal defence can handle Heffernan’s movement, vision and shooting threat in this system. If the Diamonds continue to focus their attention on Nweke, Heffernan will keep punishing them from the pocket, the circle edge and the centre pass. If they spread their defence, Nweke will keep converting at an elite rate. Either way, New Zealand appears to hold the advantage.
Taking us back to the Irene Van dyk/Maria Tutaia times.

How do the Diamonds stop this shooting duo, and is there any goal defender in this Diamonds set-up capable of containing Georgia Heffernan?

Drop your tactical view below: “Double-team Nweke” or “Man-mark Heffernan.” Tag a netball fan who loves a selection debate. 👇

19/10/2026

New Zealand’s Bench Is Now a Weapon: Are the Silver Ferns Coming for World No. 1?

New Zealand’s 56–50 win over Australia was not only about Grace Nweke’s 40 goals or Kelly Jackson’s defensive control, it was about the depth behind them. Dame Noeline Taurua used the second half to give players meaningful opportunities while still protecting the result, a sign that this Silver Ferns squad is no longer relying on a narrow starting seven to beat Australia.

Te Paea Selby-Rickit’s return added experience and composure to the attacking end, while the midcourt reshuffle allowed New Zealand to manage workload without losing structure. Instead of fading when changes came, the Ferns maintained their lead and still finished strongly. That is the mark of a squad with genuine depth: the bench does not merely fill positions, it sustains the game plan.
Australia, by contrast, looked like a team still searching for its best combinations. The Diamonds won the final quarter 17–11, but their fightback came after New Zealand had already built control. If Taurua can rotate players, manage minutes, and still beat Australia, then the Silver Ferns are not just chasing a series win, they are positioning themselves as a genuine threat to Australia’s world No. 1 status.

The stakes are real. A 4–0 sweep would put New Zealand top of the world rankings for the first time since 2013, while three wins would level the rankings. That makes every remaining Test more than a rivalry match; it is a direct challenge to Australia’s long-held position at the top of world netball.
So, netball fans: are the Silver Ferns ready to take world No. 1 from Australia, or will the Diamonds’ experience and depth keep them on top?

Drop your prediction: “Ferns sweep 4–0”, “Australia levels the series”, or “Series split.”

19/10/2026

Liz Watson Benched at Half-Time: Genius Rotation or Panic Move?

Liz Watson’s half-time withdrawal was the most debated decision of Australia’s 56–50 loss to New Zealand. With the Diamonds trailing 32–22, Marinkovich removed her captain and most experienced midcourter, a call that immediately raised questions about whether it was a planned rotation, an attempt to protect Watson, or a response to a midcourt that had lost control of the game.

The solution-based view is that the substitution was an attempt to reset Australia’s connection rather than a criticism of Watson individually. New Zealand’s defensive pressure disrupted the Diamonds’ feeding lanes, while Australia’s centre-pass conversion sat at just 59%. Bringing fresh legs into the midcourt was a logical way to change tempo, create new passing angles, and reduce the burden on Watson after a demanding first half.

The risk, however, was timing. Removing the captain at half-time can signal urgency, but it can also remove the calm decision-making Australia needed most. If the intention was to test combinations for Christchurch, it worked only partially; if it was a reaction to the scoreboard, it may have deepened the disconnect. Either way, Marinkovich now has a clear decision: restore Watson’s usual leadership role, or commit to a different midcourt structure before the series slips away.

Was benching Liz Watson a smart reset or a panic response to New Zealand’s control?
Drop your verdict below

19/10/2026

Australia’s New Zealand Hoodoo: Time for Marinkovich to Change the Formula
Australia’s 56–50 defeat in Auckland was not just another loss, it was the Diamonds’ 11th consecutive defeat on New Zealand soil, a run stretching back to 2019. New Zealand’s 56–50 win extended one of the rivalry’s most stubborn modern streaks, and it came despite Australia winning the final quarter 17–11. The damage, however, had already been done: New Zealand led 32–22 at half-time and controlled the contest for long enough to make the comeback irrelevant.

The history of this rivalry has always rewarded clarity. Australia’s great trans-Tasman sides won because they knew their best combinations, protected their centre pass, and imposed their style early. This current Diamonds group has talent, but Game 1 looked like a team still searching for its identity: Sophie Dwyer in the shooting circle, Kate Moloney was unavailable through a finger injury, and the midcourt never fully settled. If Australia are serious about ending the hoodoo in Christchurch, they cannot keep treating selection as an experiment when the opposition already looks settled.

The boldest answer is to bring Donnell Wallam into the starting circle and move Sophie Dwyer out, while restoring Kate Moloney at centre and leaving Amy Parmenter out. Wallam’s height, timing and finishing give Australia a different problem for New Zealand’s defence, particularly against Grace Nweke’s efficiency at the other end. Moloney’s return would restore a natural link between attack and defence, while Parmenter’s defensive energy may be more valuable as an impact option than as a starter. This is not about discarding players, it is about choosing a formula built to beat this New Zealand team, not merely to compete with it.

Verdict: Wallam in, Dwyer out of the starting seven; Moloney in, Parmenter out. If Stacey Marinkovich wants to stop an 11-loss streak, she needs a starting seven that can control possession, protect the ball and test New Zealand’s defence in a different way.
Is there anything left in the docket, or is this the last chance to change the formula before the series slips away?

Tag a Diamonds fan who believes Christchurch must be different. 👇