With the Australian team for July’s Netball World Cup confirmed, the team lists for the world’s top five ranked teams are now complete. The Diamonds are aiming for their fourth consecutive World Cup win with a significantly changed team from their 2015 victory in Sydney, with just seven of the 12 players who suffered a heartbreaking loss to England at last year’s Commonwealth Games included.
The question that lingers is, do they have the team to win gold this time? The 2019 World Cup looks to be the most competitive ever contested. Each of the other teams in the top five poses a significant threat to the Diamonds’ chances of retaining their crown. While the games will be hotly contested across the court, each team presents a significant individual match-up that will shape the game.
Caitlin Bassett v Geva Mentor (England)
The obvious pretenders to the World Cup throne, England are seeking to win their first title. There is plenty at stake for Tracey Neville’s side following their win on the Gold Coast, which prompted netball’s profile in the UK to go from strength to strength; to claim victory on home soil would give the game a further huge boost.
The key match-up for the Diamonds looms between captain Caitlin Bassett and Roses veteran Geva Mentor. Former teammates at the Sunshine Coast Lightning, Mentor knows Bassett’s game inside out. Neither player has been at their dominant best for their Super Netball clubs this year, however an international setting often brings out the best in experienced players. If Bassett’s positioning isn’t spot on, Mentor will pull in the high balls and cut off the feeds. To neutralise Mentor, the Diamonds’ midcourt needs to ensure they work to the circle edge and avoid high balls into the pocket that Mentor delights in snaffling.
Paige Hadley v Laura Langman (New Zealand)
Once the fearsome sworn enemy of the Diamonds, the Silver Ferns exited the Commonwealth Games without a medal. The team named last week is experienced, but many are questioning whether combinations that have failed to do the job in the past can now pull out a win.
Silver Ferns centre Laura Langman was controversially denied the opportunity to represent her country at the Commonwealth Games but under new coach Noeline Taurua, who is also Langman’s coach at the Sunshine Coast Lightning, she has the ability to lift her team. Australia’s Paige Hadley is relatively experienced internationally but has been in blistering form for the NSW Swifts. When the two met in Super Netball it was Langman’s Lightning who pulled off the win, however Hadley was showed she can match it with the Ferns star.
Courtney Bruce v Jhaniele Fowler (Jamaica)
Historically Jamaica have fought it out with England for bronze at major tournaments, but they came heartbreakingly close to the gold medal match on the Gold Coast, falling to England by one goal in their semi-final. With a largely unchanged team and another season of experience in some of their young players, they will pose a strong threat.
Fascinating to watch here will be the battle between West Coast Fever teammates Courtney Bruce and scoring machine Jhaniele Fowler. Bruce gives away nine centimetres to the Jamaican and will have to work hard for the small wins. If the Diamonds’ midcourt defence is good and they can slow the ball down the court, Bruce will have the opportunities to wreak some havoc on her Fever teammate.
Stephanie Wood v Karla Pretorius (South Africa)
Not since a young Irene van Dyk shot the Proteas to a silver medal in 1995 have the South Africans been in the medal mix at a major tournament. While they are by no means a favourite for a medal, they have the ability to cause some major upsets when on their game.
Another clash of teammates looms here: Super Netball’s MVP-magnet Karla Pretorius and her Lightning teammate, goal attack Stephanie Wood. Pretorius is billed as a “thief” by commentators – the master at making feeders think there is space where there is none. Her closing speed is extraordinary as she swoops in and takes the ball like it was always meant for her. In the 2019 Super Netball season so far she has taken 28 intercepts, averaging an incredible 5.6 per game. However Wood knows her teammate’s game better than any other goal attack and will have the benefit of matching up on her in training week after week. Wood also has a premiership-winning combination with Bassett from the 2017 and 2018 Super Netball seasons and is one of the best feeders of the goal shooter going around.
The Diamonds won’t have it all their own way in Liverpool, but theirs is a culture that is built on generations of success. An Australian team approaches the World Cup expecting gold and that is a mindset that cannot be underestimated. They are a team that has the potential to win gold – providing the key match-ups fall the right way.