Australia is hoping to rebound from a six-goal loss to the Silver Ferns in the second game of their Constellation Cup series after losing the Auckland opener by six goals.
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Australia → hop → goals
If the Silver Ferns win all four matches of the series they are expected to dethrone Australia from its number one world ranking for the first time since 2013.
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they → win → 2013
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Key Event
Starting 7s
AUSTRALIA
Oh my goodness.
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you → choose → Starting
After a solid 30 minutes to finish Game 1 it makes sense that Sophie Garbin would be rewarded with the GS bib.
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Garbin → finish → bib
Without Jamie-Lee Price available, they've slotted Kate Moloney into wing defence.
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they → slot → defence
Sarah Klau and new Diamond Jessie Grenvold have been propelled into the starting line-up too, taking the spots of Matilda Garrett and Courtney Bruce.
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Klau → propel → Garrett
They finished the match together on Sunday.
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They → finish → Sunday
I don't think I'm alone in worrying about this midcourt again.
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I → think → midcourt
As we've mentioned, Liz Watson didn't have her best outing in Auckland so let's see if she can improve with another run at centre tonight.
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she → mention → centre
The Silver Ferns also being brave, listing Toeava at wing attack.
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Ferns → list → attack
Most sides would stick to the winning combination that did so well in that first outing.
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that → stick → outing
Instead they're not afraid to mix it up.
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they → mix → it
GS – Grace Nweke
GA – Georgia Heffernan
WA – Peta Toeava
C – Maddy Gordon
WD – Kate Heffernan
GD – Karin Burger
GK – Kelly Jackson
SUBS: Parris Mason, Mila Reuelu-Buchanan, Ta Paea Selby-Rickit, Carys Stythe, Amelia Walmsley
Team changes
AUSTRALIA
The good news for Diamonds fans is that vice-captain Kate Moloney returns to the line-up after recovering from the finger laceration that kept her out of Game 1.
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that → return → Game
Captain Liz Watson filled her spot at centre and Georgie Horjus was given the wing attack bib.
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Horjus → fill → bib
They lacked punch up the middle and Watson ended the game on the bench.
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Watson → lack → bench
Many — including us — thought Jamie-Lee Price would have been a better choice to start at centre.
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Price → include → centre
Price had a cracking Super Netball season in that position with the Melbourne Mavericks.
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Price → have → Mavericks
The bad news is, she's unavailable tonight after being ruled out with a calf injury.
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she → rule → injury
So let's hope Moloney is up to playing a full game at centre!
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Moloney → let → centre
Other changes include goal shooter Donnell Wallam replacing Cara Koenen in the team.
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Wallam → include → team
Wallam has never played against New Zealand before and last played for the Diamonds at the 2024 Nations Cup.
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Wallam → play → Cup
Last year she was only an invitee at camp and missed out on a national contract, so this is a huge boost for her career!
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this → miss → career
Wallam is the tallest option in the Constellation Cup at 193cm tall and definitely has the X-Factor.
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Wallam → have → Factor
With a basketball background she has a unique playing style.
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she → have → style
Koenen was shaky throughout the Constellation Cup opener and finished with 77 per cent accuracy, so it make sense to try something different.
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it → finish → something
Head coach Noeline Taurua has omitted Kimiora Poi (30+ caps)and added Peta Toeava (15 caps).
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Taurua → omit → Toeava
It's a bold choice, as Poi was part of the team's gold-medal-winning Commonwealth Games team.
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Poi → win → team
She started in wing attack in Game 1 and played 38 minutes but Taurua has spoken about trying to find the balance throughout this series of giving opportunity to less experienced players in preparation for next year's World Cup and winning each game.
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Taurua → start → game
Toeava has a brilliant connection with shooter Grace Nweke that developed during their time playing at the Northern Mystics.
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that → have → Mystics
Giving that connection more time to build at an international level could be beneficial down the track.
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Giving → give → track
Game 1 result
Head coach Stacey Marinkovich is hoping for a better start from her team in game two, after Australia fell behind by as many as 15 goals in Auckland and only managed to claw the scoreboard back to 56-50 in the final quarter once the opposition brought on their bench players.
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opposition → hop → players
The biggest area they struggled was in the goal circle.
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they → struggle → circle
Whether it was feeding the shooters or going for goal, the Silver Ferns were continuously able to steal ball and intimidate using their long arms over the shot.
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Ferns → feed → shot
Marinkovich trialled almost every shooting option she had except running Georgie Horjus at GA.
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she → trialle → GA
The pocket rocket remained at WA for the entire match.
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rocket → remain → match
Sophie Garbin lifted Australia's accuracy when she came on after the half-time break, landing 20 of her 21 attempts.
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she → lift → attempts
Meanwhile, defender Jessie Grenvold impressed on debut, becoming Diamond #198 when she was injected in the second quarter and topped the gain stat for her team with once intercept, four deflections and one pickup across 43 minutes of game time.
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she → impress → time
You can read more about the game at the link below.
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You → read → link
A reminder that Australia hasn't won a Test on New Zealand soil for five years.
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Australia → win → years
There is a serious home crowd advantage in this series, with both sides struggling to get over the line in opposition territory.
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sides → be → territory
…and 5 more, not listed.
The Aporia