The squad of 18 athletes that our national team selectors will choose from to make the Australian 2022 Commonwealth Games side from has been revealed.
So, how did the selectors land on these 18? We’re going to go player-by-player and try to get in Stacey Marinkovich, Anne Sargeant and Michelle Wilkins’ heads to see why these 18 were chosen.
One thing to remember before we get stuck in; the squad can grow to up to 22-athletes, depending on what the selectors need. All that considered, we’re just looking at the named 18.
We started with the shooters, then the midcourt and now we wrap it all up with the defenders.
Sunday Aryang
You have to love the ascendance of Sunday Aryang since her Super Netball debut in 2020 with the Fever.
Part of the extended squad system brought in for the condensed season, Sunday forced her way into the starting line-up and really hasn’t looked back since.
The rangy 21-year-old defender, who made her international debut against South Africa at the Quad Series, is full of confidence and has a fantastic on-court relationship with Liz Ellis Diamond winner and Fever captain Courtney Bruce.
She’s definitely looked sharp to start the Super Netball season, ranking eighth in intercepts (7), sixth in deflections (19) and tenth in gains (13).
Similar to Steph Wood and Cara Koenen, this selection makes a lot of sense, irrespective of the stats. Being able to potentially roll-out a defensive combination in Aryang and Bruce that works so well week-to-week in SSN will be huge for Marinkovich.
Courtney Bruce
I think most people would agree that the strength of this squad is this defensive group. At the head of that group is the reigning Liz Ellis Diamond winner Courtney Bruce.
Few players in the sport can swing a match like Courtney Bruce can at the GK or GD position. She has that uncanny ability to pop up and make a huge play when her team needs it most.
She’s had an incredible start to the Super Netball season at the Fever, trailing just Shamera Sterling in intercepts (15) and gains (43) and leading all comers in deflections (29) and defensive rebounds (20).
Something we’ve loved seeing from Bruce recently is her ability to chuck on the GD bib and run wild through the middle third, where she can use her cannon of a shoulder pass to stretch defences.
If Lizzy Watson wasn’t the first name written down by the selectors, then I think it must have been Courtney Bruce.
Sarah Klau
The tallest of the five defensive specialists selected, 190cm Sarah Klau seems to get better and better every time she steps on to the court.
If selected in the Commonwealth Games team, Klau should get the job on those tall shooters of the tournament, like Jhaniele Fowler, Sam Wallace (if healthy) and Peace Proscovia.
Klau’s size and athleticism allows Stacey Marinkovich to deploy some really intriguing defensive setups that hinge around the big South Australian. Klau at the GK spot with Courtney Bruce at GD and Sunday Aryang or Jo Weston at WD was fun to watch when size was needed in defence. And the combination of Klau and Weston would get under even the most level-headed shooters in the world.
While Klau’s numbers so far this Super Netball season aren’t huge (seven intercepts, 18 gains, seven rebounds and 23 deflections) she is the lynchpin of the second hardest defence to score against, with the Swifts allowing just under 59-points per game.
Klau is one of the best defenders in the world and is a no-brainer for this Diamonds squad.
Maddy Turner
One of the quiet achievers of Australian netball, Maddy Turner seems to save her best performances for the biggest games.
Perhaps the best game she’s ever played was her Player of the Match performance in the 2021 Super Netball Grand Final. She completely shut down fellow Diamond squad member Sophie Dwyer while snapping up five gains, two intercepts, four deflections and three rebounds in the win.
So far this season she’s managed five intercepts, nine gains and 13 deflections through the first five rounds for the Swifts. Solid numbers for a GD who’s more of a nullifier than a ball-hawk.
Should both be named in the team, Stacey Marinkovich will love rolling out a Sarah Klau and Maddy Turner combination in defence when goals need to be kept to a minimum and the ship needs steadying.
Jo Weston
A real heart and soul of the team kind of player, when Jo Weston is on, the Diamonds normally walk off the court happy.
The Melbourne Vixens superstar looked great at the Quad Series, sharing minutes with Sunday Aryang and Maddy Turner. She had nine gains, six deflections and five rebounds in her 123 minutes played over three games. Not too shabby.
And she's been flying so far to start the Super Netball season, picking up 11 intercepts, 18 gains, 13 deflections and seven rebounds in the first five games.
The real beauty of Jo Weston’s game is that she can do all of the above no matter who she has playing keeper behind her. She’s one of those athletes who raises the play of those around her and seems to instantly mesh with those she shares the court with.
Jo Weston is an automatic choice for the Diamonds and the kind of player opposition coaches will be losing sleep over as the Commonwealth Games draw near.
