Cara Koenen: Ferries, flights and the journey to 50 Tests 

By Linda Pearce

Cara Koenen was thrilled to share the stage at John Cain Arena in what, in the circumstances, was always going to be a supporting role. Still, 50 Tests in the gold dress deserves its own spotlight.

If Wednesday night in Melbourne was naturally all about Liz Watson, netball’s latest centurion still managed to squeeze in an apologetic public acknowledgment of her fellow Diamond's own milestone.

Koenen, in turn, admitted to feeling a touch emotional during what she called a "beautiful" induction for captain Lizzy as just the sixth member of a very exclusive club. So does the Commonwealth Games and World Cup-winning shooter also have another 50 caps in her mobile 190cm frame?

“That’s a great question - I have no idea, honestly, at this point!’’ Koenen says with a laugh on the morning after a three-test sweep against the depleted Sunshine Girls that was celebrated with a dinner and well-earned glass of bubbly at the team hotel. 

“I’m just gonna take this moment to relish the 50 that I’ve got under my belt and we’ll see what happens.

“To play one game for your country is a huge honour and a privilege, so it probably hasn’t sunk in all the way yet, but I’ll probably take some time to have a little think back over the last 50 games.’’

Diamond No.182’s international career started during the bizarre Covid-afflicted 2021 Constellation Cup series in New Zealand, as Koenen’s first full game in the gold dress was also Watson’s captaincy debut on coach Stacey Marinkovich’s challenging introductory tour restricted by strict quarantine protocols.

It has continued with a form resurgence against Jamaica, as the starting shooter in games two and three, in what was a confidence-building reward for the work done with Marinkovich and a sports psychologist following the 2025 Constellation Cup.

“Stacey’s been great at empowering my unique role and what that might look like,’’ Koenen says, admitting that the baseline will always be her happy place and comfort zone, while looking to add more dynamic, “dominating” movement.

“I have tried to go with a little bit more intent this series than what I potentially have in the past; just kind of backing the strength of my agility and versatility in being able to get up to a high ball as well and utilise the back space and create a little bit of a point of difference, I suppose.’’

Another Diamonds’ centurion, Vicki Wilson, has been an admirer since Koenen’s junior days, with the pair teaming up during Queensland’s greatest ever shooter's stint as a Lightning assistant coach from 2021.

“I love the movement. I love the way that she is so elusive, particularly on that goal line, and her timing of that repeat effort is incredible and she’s always available for that pass off, that shooter to shooter play, which seems so simple and yet it’s something that’s not used so much,’’ Wilson says.

“An incredible athlete and her ability to take in an aerial ball is great, whether it be for rebounding or for a high ball. She just doesn’t rely on the hold, and she has a great bag of tricks, which is just so important. You just can’t have one thing that you rely on, one skill set.’’

A national development squad member called-up as a Diamonds squad invitee before the 2019 NWC, Koenen also impressed then-coach Lisa Alexander with her composure and athleticism. Not just at goal shooter but with a goal attack game that - along with her longer-range shooting - remains a keen work-in-progress at club level in particular.

“She was very much like a Cath Cox, a tall mobile shooter who could play both positions,’’ Alexander says. “I admire her ability now to combine in any combination and to make it all look easy. Cara always works hard and is elusive and clever.’’

On Wednesday night, with her parents watching from the family home on faraway Magnetic Island, Koenen felt the love of her supportive family from afar, having moved to Brisbane from what she calls that “little slice of heaven’’ near Townsville at the age of just 17 and become a willing poster girl for rural athletes made good.

“Everybody has their own challenges throughout their journey. It just turned out that mine were more logistical in terms of catching ferries and planes and trains and buses and things to be able to get to and from training,’’ she says.

“There’s so much talent in regional Australia - and especially in Queensland, it’s such a massive state - but it is hard to get access to good coaching and the same opportunities as what you get in cities, so if I can be a role model then that’s really cool.’’

One, indeed, for whom reaching 50 caps is a reality the lanky young girl on her island home would have laughed about, Koenen believes. “I don’t think that was ever on the cards or a dream that I thought I would ever realise,’’ she says.

“I was very, very tall and pretty uncoordinated so very, very happy to have made it to this point, and stoked to have reached the milestone. But still feel like we have a lot to give, and really excited about the group that we have in the Diamonds at the moment.’’

The focus, naturally, is on the rare achievement of defending back-to-back pinnacle events in the next 18 months, and although Koenen was not directly involved in the heartbreaking pair of one-goal defeats on the Gold Coast and in Liverpool during the previous cycle, she suffered acute disappointment-by-association with friends who were.

“They were devastating losses,’’ she says. “So I think that having tasted it doesn’t dampen the amount that you want it. If anything it’s more motivating to replicate that feeling.’’

Now 29, and part of an adaptable, deep and harmonious group moulded by Marinkovich, Koenen is willing to play any role required. Which includes a familiar one: coming off the bench, where she is a noticeably vocal and animated cheerleader when not on court.

Asked to share the best thing about being a Diamond, the half-centurion includes the obvious highlights - 2022 Commonwealth Games and 2023 World Cup gold, Koenen having played important roles at various times in both. Yet behind-the-scenes is where a different kind of joy lives, too.

“It’s the smaller moments that you have, being delirious after long flights and having laughs with the girls, playing games, going for coffee, grabbing breakfast, all those little things,’’ she says.

“I’ve had the privilege of playing with some incredible players on the court but have made some incredible friends off the court as well, so that’s something that I will reflect on and be really grateful for when I decide to hang up the dress.’’