The World No.1 ranked Diamonds are heading to New Zealand determined to shrug off a hoodoo that has followed the side for almost eight years.
Catch every game of the 2026 Constellation Cup on Kayo Sports.
Australia will play the Silver Ferns in the best of four-Test Constellation Cup starting in Auckland on Sunday.
But New Zealand historically hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for the Diamonds, winning just three of their past 16 matches across the ditch – and none of those since 2021.
“It’s super excited to be back playing,” Courtney Bruce told Fox Netball.
“We’re acutely aware of how tough the environment is to play over there … The crowds play a huge role in that – the New Zealand crowds are intimate and they’re loud!
“It’s an intimidating place to play.”
It was a sentiment fellow Diamonds defender Matilda Garrett agreed with.
“Over the last couple of years we haven’t had a win over there … but when you go to New Zealand and we go into their environment, their fans are really, really loud and cheering for New Zealand to win,” she agreed.
“We have all the confidence we’re going to put our best foot forward.
“We’ve spoken about it – we know it will be loud, but there’s things we can control and stick to our game plan even if you can’t hear.
“We can be connected on court.
“I think we’re all feeling quite confident we have the ability to go over there and put out two great performances.”
But Bruce was adamant the Diamonds could counter those boisterous crowds – as they did to win the series deciding extra time just 12 months ago to reclaim the Constellation Cup in 2025.
“For us as a group, trying to keep our bubble tight and really connected in that space because once they (the crowd) are up and about, they are up and about,” Bruce said.
“It is a special place to play.
“It’s hard to hear what Richo (assistant coach Nicole Richardson) is saying from the sideline, but that’s the best thing about our group – we have the capacity to connect and call plays in those moments.”
Australia will go into the New Zealand leg of the series as underdogs given their recent form at a time the Ferns just claimed the Commonwealth Games gold medal.
But you can never write off champions – and the Diamonds are 12-time Con Cup winners with a point to prove ahead of a home Netball World Cup in Sydney next year.
The first two games of the 2026 Constellation Cup will be playing Auckland and Christchurch before the series heads to Australia for the final two games.
All games will be shown live on Foxtel and Kayo Sports.