Diamonds lose Constellation Cup to New Zealand Silver Ferns with game three defeat

Australia has lost game three of the Constellation Cup 52-49 to New Zealand to hand the trophy back to the Silver Ferns in Sydney.

After leading 41-39 heading into the final quarter of a gripping contest, the Ferns rattled off seven straight goals after three-quarter-time to establish a five-goal lead.

The Diamonds went on their own run to square the ledger at 47-47 as the Test headed into its final five minutes, but costly turnovers and penalties by Australia allowed New Zealand to win the final quarter 13-8.

After falling behind 3-0 in the four-game series, the Diamonds will be playing for pride at Melbourne’s John Cain Arena on Wednesday.

The Diamonds are also a chance of losing their world number one netball ranking to New Zealand after the Ferns won gold at the Commonwealth Games in August, while Australia claimed bronze.

Head coach Stacey Marinkovich now has just a 50 per cent series winning record in the Constellation Cup.

Before she took charge in 2020, the Silver Ferns had claimed the trophy once in 10 series. In the six series since, the Kiwis have claimed it three times.

Marinkovich is contracted through to the end of 2027. This is the last time her team will be together before next August for the Netball World Cup in Sydney.

The result looks ominous for the Diamonds’ chances.

However, former Diamond Bianca Chatfield believes Marinkovich’s role is safe, alluding to the challenges of the unlimited import rule in Australia’s Super Netball league.

“I think she’s safe for now … unlike male sports there’s not the money just to pay out coaches and get rid of them, and you do that in the heat of the moment,” Chatfield told ABC’s Offsiders.

“She deserves a chance to go through to the World Cup … She’s facing different pressures to what other Australian coaches have in the past.”

New Zealand head coach Noeline Taurua said the victory was a massive result for the Ferns after a challenging 12 months.

Taurua was suspended from coaching her team this time last year by Netball New Zealand and missed tours of Australia, England and Scotland before being reinstated.

The New Zealand Premiership has also been in fast decline due to poor broadcast deals and management by the national body. Most Silver Ferns jumped ship and signed with Australian teams to ensure they could earn a full-time wage.

“This is our opportunity to write the next chapter of our book,” Taurua said.

“Commonwealth Games gold was obviously the start of that and now backing that up with the Constellation Cup.

“Whether the world number one [is next] or not, we’re within cooee of Australia and getting closer, knowing that we’re building towards the World Cup.

“We’re just riding the wave and enjoying the moment.” abcnews