THE 2020 Constellation Cup between Australia and New Zealand has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing restrictions surrounding travel. It will be the first time in 32 years that the Diamonds and Silver Ferns have not played each other and the first time since 1984 that Australia has not played an international test. Although the competition will not take place in October like originally planned, Netball Australia and Netball New Zealand are determined to play two Constellation Cups next year and while dates have not been confirmed yet, there is hope that the first tournament will be held in the January/February period and the next in October as per usual.

The cancellation of the Constellation Cup also allows players to recover from a condensed 2020 Suncorp Super Netball season, which has seen a host of midweek games and short turnarounds. The decision made to postpone the season is one of great significance, however Netball Australia Executive General Manager of Performance, Stacey West has a clear focus on player welfare as she casts an eye towards not only the 2021 international season but beyond.

“It is our priority to ensure that all athletes within the Origin Diamonds squad are able to recover after the condensed Suncorp Super Netball season and long pre-season, to allow them to adequately prepare for the 2021 netball calendar, and more broadly the 2022 Commonwealth Games and 2023 Netball World Cup,” she said.

The delayed international season could actually play into the favour of the Australian Diamonds with a couple of star players potentially returning from injury or pregnancy. Dynamic midcourter and fan favourite Ash Brazill is on the mend from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury she suffered back in February playing for Collingwood’s AFLW, side while Kelsey Browne twinged her ACL during the SSN season. The duo are renowned for their excitement, speed and ability to change the course of a game in a blink of an eye and if they are fit and raring to go come Constellation Cup time, they would both be a shoe in for selection. Another player who could be a sneaky chance to make her way back into the green and gold dress is goaler Gretel Bueta, with the Queensland Firebirds goal attack announcing her pregnancy in July. Bueta is a match winner for the Diamonds thanks to her explosiveness, athleticism and sheer strength and with some potential changes in the front half for the Diamonds could provide that sense of stability.

Still on the up from an ankle injury, an extended break between the SSN and Diamonds duties could play into the hands of Maddy Turner, with the young goal defence not quite yet to reach the heights of her 2019 season. Meanwhile, the ever reliable Liz Watson could relish a longer stint on the sidelines, contending with an ankle complaint that has seen her miss the past two rounds of the SSN. Although these are only short term injuries, the extended break could allow the Diamonds time to recuperate after a huge season, and fine tune a couple of elements as they look to defend their Constellation Cup title to make it eight in a row.

With the international season postponed it begs the question of whether newly appointed Diamonds head coach, Stacey Marinkovich will release her 2020/21 Australian squad. She has a wealth of talent to choose from, with a number of players throughout the 2020 SSN season putting their hand up for a Diamonds stint, but the allure of waiting to see if some injured stars could return could put a halt to her team announcement.