Talking points: Con Cup

By Stephanie Smarrelli 
 

The Origin Diamonds are returning home from New Zealand with the coveted Constellation Cup.  

The battle between the Aussies and Kiwis was fiercely contested and only intensified once it crossed the ditch.  

Here are the key talking points from the series.  
 

IS THE DIAMONDS HOODOO BROKEN? 

Kind of. 

Heading into this year’s Constellation Cup, the last time the Origin Diamonds defeated the Silver Ferns in New Zealand was 2021. 

With two wins in the book from the series’ opening clashes in Australia, the Diamonds headed to New Zealand with momentum. 

But Game 3 in Hamilton delivered the Diamonds their first blow of the year. 

The Ferns were prolific, with a dominant third-quarter performance allowing them to surge passed the Diamonds, bringing the series score to Diamonds 2, Ferns 1.  

Then came Christchurch and while the Diamonds led for most of the fourth game, the Silver Ferns were breathing down their necks. 

The home crowd advantage helped push them over the line, with the defensive circle combination of Catherine Hall and Kelly Jackson suffocating the Aussies. 

With the series drawn and the Diamonds having lost both of the New Zealand games, it seemed the Diamonds curse was well and truly alive. 

But for the first time in Constellation Cup history, the draw led to a series decider. 

The new rule came into effect ahead of last year’s annual series. 

Two seven-minute halves took place with the winner to take it all.  

And the Diamonds set the tone early, but it was neck and neck from start to finish. 

The Aussies controlled possession in the final minute to seal the victory. 

It was a win on New Zealand soil that had previously eluded them. 

But the question remains, can the Aussies defeat the Ferns in New Zealand in a full 60-minute match? 
 

FERNS PUT SSN ON NOTICE  

The Silver Ferns were in blistering form during the second half of the Constellation Cup. 

And with a group of them flocking to the Suncorp Super Netball League next season to join Grace Nweke, the competition is set to heat up. 

Maddy Gordon was unstoppable in the Ferns midcourt, giving Firebirds fans plenty to look forward to. 

One hundred and one feeds, 70 goal assists, five deflections and an intercept, it’s clear she’s going to shake up the competition.  

And speaking of midcourters, how fantastic was Kate Heffernan? 

The Thunderbirds recruit was on fire, shutting down important leads and applying pressure across the court. 

She finished the Constellation Cup with 41 feeds, 32 goal assists, four deflections and two intercepts. 

And who could forget Kelly Jackson and Karin Burger in defence? 

Jackson was menacing in the goal circle, putting doubt into the minds of feeders while contesting ball after ball.  

There’s no doubt she’ll significantly bolster the Firebirds’ defensive end next season having tallied nine deflections, seven rebounds and two intercepts throughout the Constellation Cup. 

Karin Burger was an imposing figure throughout the series, her ability to switch into any of the defence positions will give the Lightning a lot to play with next season. 

Burger was a standout throughout the Con Cup with 14 deflections, seven intercepts and three rebounds to her name. 

 
SELECTION HEADACHES 
 
With a couple of big years ahead of the team, Origin Diamonds head coach Stacey Marinkovich has a lot to consider before the Commonwealth Games and Netball World Cup. 

The Diamonds have a wealth of talent across the court which will create plenty of tough choices at the selection table. 

The midcourt is oozing with talent, each midcourter who took to the court looked right at home. 

But not everyone can get on the plane to Glasgow next July. 

The Diamonds’ best goaling combination looks pretty set with Sophie Garbin and Kiera Austins’ partnership dominating the starting bibs.  

A perk to having Austin in the shooting circle, her ability to drain a long bomb which she did time and time again during game four of the Constellation Cup. 

While we only saw glimpses of Cara Koenen and Sophie Dwyer this series, there was another goaler who stood out. 

Georgie Horjus. 

The zippy midcourter might become the shortest in the goal circle, but throughout the Con Cup we saw that her speed and agility in the goal circle could give the Diamonds an edge. 

And then there’s defence. 

The big question out of the Constellation Cup is who will replace Sunday Aryang in the squad? 

Sport can be cruel. After displaying some of her career-best form, Aryang went down with an ACL injury in the final moment of the series decider. 

The defender was fantastic throughout the Con Cup with 10 deflections, nine gains, and seven intercepts contributing to the Diamonds ability to build pressure. 

Aryang leaves a big gap in the side and awaits further medical consultation to plan the next steps in her recovery. It’s expected to be a lengthy stint on the sidelines for the star.  

Throughout the Con Cup, the Diamonds were missing experienced defender Jo Weston who is likely to be called back into the side. 
 
Young gun Ash Ervin was given the opportunity to get some more game time under her belt and while her time on the court was minimal, it could be valuable when it comes to making decisions further down the line.