NETBALL SCOOP: Constellation Cup 2024 preview

NETBALL SCOOP: Constellation Cup 2024 preview

By |2024-10-18T00:05:50+10:00October 17th, 2024|Categories: AUS, Constellation Cup, International, NZ|Tags: , |0 Comments

MATCHES

 

1st Test – TSB Arena (Wellington)

Sun, Oct 20, 7:30pm NZDT (5:30pm AEDT) 

 

2nd Test – Spark Arena (Auckland)

Wed, Oct 23, 7:30pm NZDT (5:30pm AEDT)

 

3rd Test – RAC Arena (Perth)

Sun, Oct 27, 4pm local time, 7pm AEDT (9pm NZDT) 

 

4th Test – John Cain Arena (Melbourne)

Wed, Oct 30, 7pm AEDT (9pm NZDT) 

 

TEAMS

Diamonds

Sunday Aryang

Kiera Austin

Courtney Bruce

Sophie Dwyer

Rudi Ellis

Sophie Garbin

Matilda Garrett

Paige Hadley

Georgie Horjus

Sarah Klau

Cara Koenen

Kate Moloney

Jamie-Lee Price

Liz Watson (C)

Jo Weston

Coach: Stacey Marinkovich

 

Silver Ferns

Karin Burger

Ameliaranne Ekenasio (C)

Maddy Gordon

Kate Heffernan

Kelly Jackson

Phoenix Karaka

Parris Mason (subject to medical clearance)

Erena Mikaere

Grace Nweke

Claire O’Brien

Kimiora Poi

Amelia Walmsley

Maia Wilson

Coach: Noeline Taurua

 

UMPIRES

Gary Burgess

Louise Travis

Kate Mann

 

HEAD TO HEAD

All matches: 167 (Australia 105, New Zealand 60, Draws 2)

In New Zealand: 70 (Australia 39, New Zealand 30, Draws 1)

In Australia: 71 (Australia 47, New Zealand 23, Draws 1)

Constellation Cup: 52 (Australia 33, New Zealand 19)

 

Coaches Stacey Marinkovich and Nicole Richardson with the Constellation Cup. Image Simon Leonard

 

STRENGTHS

 

Australian Diamonds

While they dropped one game against the Roses, the Diamonds generally hummed along like a well oiled machine using some very familiar faces. Coach Stacey Marinkovich will be hoping to maintain a winning formula, while also testing the depth of her group. Despite an influx of new players joining the Australian squad, many were surprised that only Rudi Ellis made brief cameos despite strong seasons from youngsters Ash Ervin, Georgie Horjus and Hannah Mundy. Ellis and Horjus have both been named in the Constellation Cup squad, but will they take the court?

While Sophie Garbin and Kiera Austin have established themselves as Australia’s number one shooting combination, the remaining three – Cara Koenen, Sophie Dwyer and Horjus will all hope for enough court time and strong performances to nail down the remaining two places. Koenen has proved her worth over the past few seasons, but could fans finally see Horjus make her long awaited debut, or will Dwyer do enough to make it clear that she’s the Diamonds’ second choice goal attack?

The return of Courtney Bruce and Jo Weston will add firepower to the defensive end, leaving the Diamonds spoiled for choice with their combinations. Marinkovich has multiple options, ranging from using her more experienced defenders to running with a very tall backline, and from taggers to ball hunters. What will most likely unfold is the use of a range of options, as Marinkovich searches for ways to reduce Grace Nweke’s impact at goal shooter for the Silver Ferns. Defensively, Sarah Klau and Sunday Aryang were fantastic against the Roses. However, Klau has struggled in the past against Nweke, so she will need to replicate the footwork and power she showed against England’s Liv Tchine. 

Then there’s the vaunted midcourt. Captain Liz Watson, Paige Hadley, Jamie-Lee Price and Kate Moloney have held off all comers for their places in the final twelve, and been pillars of strength for Australia over the last few years. With just the four middies named in the touring squad, what is the back up plan at wing attack for Liz Watson? Could Horjus be introduced there, where she’s played so fearlessly for the Thunderbirds? Can Kate Maloney push for a consistent starting position? Either way, it’s an area of the court where the Diamonds usually hold the edge over any opponent. 

 

The return of defenders Courtney Bruce and Jo Weston will be important to Australia in the Constellation Cup. Image Aliesha Vicars

 

 

New Zealand Silver Ferns

Coach Noeline Taurua will be looking to start her Constellation Cup campaign on a high, after losing the Taini Jamieson trophy albeit with close score lines. 

The defensive end of the Ferns kept them alive during the Taini Jamison series. Kelly Jackson was an individual standout during the series as her defensive pressure saw her finish with 15 gains, including several blocked shots. She combined well with both Karin Burger and Pulse teammate Parris Mason who, despite debuting this series, was tenacious and generated intercepts in all three tests. 

Grace Nweke was in fine form in the shooting end, scoring 140 goals from 158 attempts, including 16 offensive rebounds. Nweke’s ability to rebound so many of her missed shots is crucial for New Zealand, but could also be an opportunity for the Australians – if they can box her out of position and compete against her outstanding athleticism. While the Diamonds have height in their defensive end that England lacked, Nweke’s individual brilliance could be kryptonite for Australia’s man-on-man defence. Likewise captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio, who’s work rate outside the circle and beautiful high-arching shot make her difficult to counter.

Hailed as a strength by coach Taurua, the Silver Ferns have depth in their midcourt. With three international calibre options for each of the midcourt positions, there is a variety in how the Ferns can play without losing much. The Silver Ferns trialed a range of midcourt combinations as they sought a winning edge against the Roses, and it was debutante Claire O’Brien who provided the Ferns with their strongest option at the centre pass, their second phase and breaking the English defence during transition which was a key struggle in the series. She was ably supported by Maddy Gordon whose defensive presence always shines, but it was her pin-point feed into Nweke this series that made her standout above other New Zealand options.

 

Kelly Jackson was outstanding in the Taini Jamison series, and her reach could trouble the Australians. Image May Bailey l Clusterpix

 

WEAKNESSES

 

Diamonds

Winning in New Zealand has proved to be incredibly difficult for the Diamonds in recent years, and is one of the few challenges left for coach Stacey Marinkovich to conquer. Since she took over as coach, Australia has won just one of eight matches played there. The Silver Ferns lift considerably when playing Australia at home, so this is a real problem for the Diamonds to overcome. 

The Diamonds have yet to tinker much with their combinations ahead of the 2027 World Cup, and it’s an area that should be explored with Marinkovich hoping to find a way to win across the ditch, while also using the depth of her squad. Chief among these will be her shooting options outside the Garbin/Austin combination. World Cup star Cara Koenen struggled for accuracy against the Roses, and received limited court time as she spent most of that recent campaign on the bench. And while Austin has gone from strength to strength to become one of the world’s most dominant goal attacks, the Diamonds need to invest significant court time in an alternative option. 

Austin has been rattled in the past by the height and defensive pressure of Kelly Jackson, so who will likely slot in if she needs to be subbed? Do Dwyer or Horjus have the composure to stand up against the Fern’s tall defensive line? Will Koenen look to seize an opportunity at goal attack for game time?  

Two further work-ons for the Diamonds will be their ability to generate gains, and their possession game. Against the Roses, the Diamonds could only come up with six gains in the match they dropped, while bumping that level up to 13 and 10 in tests one and three respectively. With Nweke such a strong target under the post, some of the heavy lifting will need to be done outside the circle by the shooters and midcourt as they look to slow ball speed and provide opportunities for their defenders. 

Australia will also be looking to improve team statistics including centre pass, gain and turnover conversion rates. In the series against the Roses, these numbers fluctuated significantly. 

 

Diamonds v Roses Test 1 Test 2 Test 3
Centre pass conversion 77% 73% 81%
Gain conversion 62% 100% 80%
Turnover conversion 100% 60% 64%

 

The Silver Ferns were comparable in their series against the Roses. Greater consistency and improved numbers will go a long way towards determining the winner of the series. 

 

SFs v Roses Test 1 Test 2 Test 3
Centre pass conversion 75% 74% 73%
Gain conversion 89% 73% 69%
Turnover conversion 55% 63% 100%

 

Silver Ferns

New Zealand has also struggled to win away from home in recent years, and last tasted success in Australia in 2019 when Laura Langman was captain. Noeline Taurua has an identical Constellation Cup record to Stacey Marinkovich away from home (one win and seven losses) and she will be looking to improve on that in this series.

An area of concern for the Silver Ferns during the Taini Jamison series was inconsistency through the midcourt and their ability to transition the ball out of defence. The majority of the Ferns’ turnovers were generated in that middle third because they had difficulty penetrating the Roses zone defence; a shock as this is their traditional style of play. Kimiora Poi, Whitney Souness and Maddy Gordon struggled to provide clear options to the ball during transition, forcing several held balls and wasting their generated turnover ball. 

The shooting circle for the Fern’s needs some long-term direction. While Grace Nweke is exceptional, given her upcoming unavailability in 2025, and history of injuries, New Zealand do need to invest court time in Amelia Walmsley under the post. Walmsley received zero minutes during the 2024 Quad Series in January and the Taini Jamison series despite seeing significant development domestically this season. However, she could be developed as a genuine option as a similar tall target that provides better movement, a wider shooting range and better connections with Pulse Teammate Maddy Gordon. 

But perhaps the Silver Ferns’ biggest challenge is the goal attack position. Captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio has been a superstar over the years, but has no clear successor, with three primarily goal shooters named alongside her. With Nweke absent for 2025 and Ekenasio heading into her 12th year in the Ferns environment, consistency is needed to future proof the Ferns shooting end. Tiana Metuarau, Amorangi Malasala and Georgia Heffernan have all been trialed in the position since the Netball World Cup, but Maia Wilson currently has that opportunity, despite primarily playing goal shooter. 

The Silver Ferns were at their strongest in defence against the Roses, but will look to bring their penalties under tighter control. In their two losses, they gave up 64 and 62 penalties, while their win came when they were able to stay in play, committing just 49 offences. Historically, New Zealand has also been tidy with the ball, but after averaging 20 turnovers per match against the Roses, they will also seek to lower this number. It has been labelled as an area for work by coach Dame Noeline Taurua. 

 

Grace Nweke should be dominant again – how will the Diamonds counteract her presence? Image: May Bailey | Netball Scoop

 

 

PLAYERS/COMBINATIONS TO WATCH

Australia use a mobile shooting circle compared to that of New Zealand, in which they rely on Grace Nweke under the post, with Ameliaranne Ekenasio as more of a supporting act. With two very different approaches, expect two very different game styles to suit. 

The Diamonds have more work to do moving the ball to circle’s edge – and while this is difficult to stop once it’s there, also provides the Silver Ferns with greater opportunities to intercept along the way. In contrast, New Zealand tends to feed Nweke from further out, a luxury they can afford as long as their passing is pin-point accurate. 

 

The shooting circles

The shooting partnership of Sophie Garbin and Kiera Austin has gone from strength to strength this year, carrying their form for the Vixens into the international season. Austin was a well deserved Player of the Series against England with the perfect mix of precise playmaking, nerveless shooting, and also instinctive defence. Incredibly for a goal attack, she finished the series with eight possession gains and this adds an extra dimension to the team. Garbin is showing how strong she is back in her favoured position of goal shooter, but this series will provide a tougher assignment against the reach of Kelly Jackson.

 

Of the Grace Nweke and Ameliaranne Ekenasio combination, Ekenasio played a pivotal role out front, orchestrating the attack and working tirelessly in the midcourt. While her volume wasn’t high, she only missed four goals across three games, finishing with an average of 88.3%.  Nweke once again showcased against England why she is one of the top goal shooters in the world. She pulled in seemingly impossible feeds, even while double-marked, and her rebounding ability was second to none. She averaged 47 goals per test at an accuracy of 88.5%, and of the 18 goals she missed, she rebounded 16 of them.

 

Silver Ferns captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio celebrates with young prodigy Grace Nweke. Image: Nicole Mudgway

Silver Ferns captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio celebrates with young prodigy Grace Nweke, however questions remain over a back up goal attack. Image: Nicole Mudgway

 

The midcourts

The four midcourters chosen for the Diamonds in this series are the most experienced and consistent in Australia and they’re a definite point of difference against what will be a less experienced Ferns midcourt. The recent series against the Roses surely established that Australia’s top midcourt is Liz Watson (wing attack), Paige Hadley (centre), Jamie-Lee Price (wing defence), and Kate Moloney as cover from the bench. Of particular interest is Price, who proved just how valuable she was to the team when she was missing from test two against England. Price’s defensive work is proving to be highly effective – so much so that after receiving a warning in the third test, Stacey Marinkovich showed faith in her, kept her on court, and was rewarded with a strong performance.

 

Debutante Claire O’Brien was a revelation in the Taini Jamison series, and has an opportunity to cement her place in the Silver Ferns starting seven. After years spent in the Australian pathways, she will have a strong understanding of their defensive style, while also providing good punch and drive onto the ball. However, Maddy Gordon was the standout midcourter for the Silver Ferns.

Across all three tests, she led the Ferns stats for feeds and goal assists, averaging 26 feeds per game. Her confidence in feeding the ball to Nweke was evident, with her feeds consistently sharp and beautiful to watch. Midcourter of the World Cup, Kate Heffernan, received surprisingly little court time against the Roses, with Karin Burger the preferred option at wing defence. Historically Heffernan has proved a good match up against Australian captain Liz Watson, so she could receive more opportunities in the Constellation Cup. 

 

Liz Watson in action during game 2 of the test series. Image: May Bailey | Clusterpix photography

Liz Watson played every minute of the Diamonds test series against the Roses, but who is best suited as her backup? Image: May Bailey | Clusterpix Photo via Netball Scoop

 

The defenders

It will be interesting to see what defensive combination Australia runs with. Both Courtney Bruce and Jo Weston missed the series against England, recovering from niggling injuries that have troubled them this season. When at full form and fitness, they would likely be the number one pairing in the circle. However, the combination of Sarah Klau and Sunday Aryang performed so well against the Roses, they could be given the first shot. Whichever way they go, they will have their hands full containing New Zealand’s dangerous shooting duo.

The Pulse defensive pairing of Kelly Jackson and Parris Mason performed strongly during the Taini Jamison series. Jackson led the Silver Ferns’ defensive stats with 14 gains across the three match series, while Mason made a strong impact in her debut series, collecting 8 gains and 3 intercepts. Mason sustained a recent niggling injury, but if medically cleared to play she will receive a strong challenge for court time from experienced campaigner Phoenix Karaka, who is making a return from illness, while Burger could also be pushed back into the circle. In all likelihood the Silver Ferns will trial a range of goal defenders against the dangerous Kiera Austin. 

 

TOP FIVES – AUS V ENG & TAINI JAMISON SERIES
Goals Feeds Centre pass receives Gains
Player G Player F Player CPR Player G
Grace Nweke 140 Liz Watson 96 Kiera Austin 61 Kelly Jackson 14
Sophie Garbin 113 Maddy Gordon 78 Liz Watson 59 Sarah Klau 9
Kiera Austin 67 Kiera Austin 76 Ameliaranne Ekenasio 44 Parris Mason 8
Ameliaranne Ekenasio 31 Paige Hadley 48 Claire O’Brien 33 Kiera Austin 8
Cara Koenen 16 Claire O’Brien  45 Whitney Souness 25 Karin Burger 6
Intercepts Pickups Turnovers Penalties
Player I Player PU Player GPT Player P
Kiera Austin 4 Paige Hadley 7 Ameliaranne Ekenasio 12 Sarah Klau 47
Karin Burger 3 Sarah Klau 6 Liz Watson 9 Kelly Jackson 45
Parris Mason 3 Kiera Austin 6 Grace Nweke 9 Karin Burger 36
Sarah Klau 3 Sunday Aryang 5 Maddy Gordon 8 Parris Mason 25
Jamie-Lee Price 3 Sophie Garbin 5 Sophie Garbin & Kiera Austin 7 Kate Heffernan 24

 

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