Australian coach Stacey Marinkovich is adamant her veterans can find their best form ahead of the second Constellation Cup Test in Christchurch.
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The Aussies were well beaten in a first half horror show in Auckland that saw captain Liz Watson benched and centurion Courtney Bruce follow her in the third term.
Watson finished her night with 11 feeds for four goal assists and two turnovers in 30 minutes of court time while Bruce had zero gains in her 41 minutes at a time her Kiwi counterpart finished MVP for her eight gains.
Neither player was on court when the Diamonds mounted a final quarter fightback, winning that last term 17-11.
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But the duo are two of Australia’s greats – and part of a prestigious group of netball centurions that holds only seven players.
With just three games left to play against international opposition before next year’s Netball World Cup in Sydney, time is running out for the Diamonds to find their X-factor and that squad mix to defend their gold medal.
But Marinkovich is confident personnel is not the issue for the Diamonds.
“I thought Liz was attacking well through the quarters,” the coach said after the 56-50 loss in game one.
“I thought her and Georgie (Horjus in WA) were connecting.
“Jamie (Price) brings another defensive element and to maximise Amy (Mavericks teammate Parmenter) and to make her feel comfortable having that connection is something else. Sometimes you’re looking at other things around it to maximise what others can bring to the court at the same time.
“Courtney got some touches to the ball – but it was coming down pretty quick at the same time. I wouldn’t say it all sits on her shoulders as to the impact she could or couldn’t have.
“New Zealand weren’t putting the ball up for her to fly at. But we weren’t creating that angle and opportunity for her either. So you play with what’s there in front.
“We needed to get ball. And we just switched things around – it’s not to discredit our senior players, but at the same time, we want to see what else we can do.
“As much as you want to test and try – it’s not just throwing changes out for the sake of. We’ve been deliberate in what we’re tying to achieve out on court.
“We’re not throwing this series up to just test and try, not wanting to win the trophy at the same time. I think anybody that steps out there in the Diamonds and the Ferns are going for that trophy.
“It’s how people make the most of their chances out on court, how we can get the connection happening and if we need to make changes, I think that’s also where the game’s going a little bit.
“There’s more rotation coming from the sidelines as opposed to just having a stationary seven all the time.”
International netball is the closest it’s ever been, with the likes of New Zealand, Jamaica and England all pushing for the world champion crown.
The Diamonds have won four of the past five World Cups, but will go into Sydney’s event with the weight as host nation on their shoulders.
Ex-captain Kim Green questioned what the Aussies hoped to get out of the Constellation Cup given it’s their last international hit out before the world event in late August.
“This is where we’re not privy to the conversations that are being had in the change room, but are they looking at trying to find that plan B?” she questioned after watching game one.
“Or are they wanting to win this Constellation Cup – that is going to be the difference.
“If they are willing to have the change ups and trying new things, but with the risk of losing some games, I think that is beneficial going into a World Cup.”
“Surely the World Cup is the goal,” Diamonds centurion Catherine Cox added.
The Diamonds have gone into this Constellation Cup with their three Commonwealth Games squad reserves included.
Amy Parmenter and debutant Jessie Grenvold both got court time in game one, while Donnell Wallam has been named for game two in place of Cara Koenen.
But it’s Grenvold in particular who both Green and Cox were excited to see play in New Zealand.
“She was exceptional,” Cox praised.
“There’s so much talk around the Australian Diamonds and having an X-factor. Everyone is great in this side but to me she’s that player.”
“She had three gains of the six we had,” Green added.
“She was going out and having a crack.”
Marinkovich praised the impact of Grenvold, despite what she described as a “deer in the headlights” start.
“It’s not easy,” she shared.
“She’s had an ankle injury coming into this. She was a bit injured before Comm Games.
“Her progression has been a lot of hard work to actually stand on court this week. I thought at first, she was finding her feet.
“I thought a bit of deer in headlights straight up. But once she started to feel the flow of the game, that’s when you see her instincts.
“She got better positioning and then was connecting with the defenders out the front.
“At the end of the day we were looking at different combinations and what could the people do out on the court.
“Jessie’s in here for a reason to see what she can do.
“We only have four international games before the World Cup so if I don’t get players out there, I’m not going to know what they can do against an international opposition.”