Captain Liz Watson\u2019s team is competing in the best entertainment venue in town while hanging out for the International Olympic Committee\u2019s decision on whether they\u2019ll get a run at the Brisbane Olympics.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt will mean everything to us if we\u2019re included for 2032,\u201d says coach Stacey Marinkovich. \u201cWe\u2019re in the bid and we\u2019re down to the final few. We\u2019ve put a big case forward. Leadership, women, community \u2013 it\u2019s not just about what happens on the court. It\u2019s about connection to the Australian public and potentially, to the world. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe epitomise the Olympic values. It\u2019s just about being given the chance to showcase it in Brisbane. It\u2019d be huge for the Diamonds, and our sport. When more people see what the sport is like \u2013 Americans are starting to get into it \u2013 the appreciation will continue to grow and grow and grow.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Diamonds are filling The Hydro\u2019s 14,300 seats and it\u2019s only 11am. I haven\u2019t watched much netball. I need to do it more. This is bloody great. Watson is the wing attack and chief playmaker. She does everything Nathan Cleary does as puppeteer except kick 40\/20s. <\/p>\n
The Australians beat England 66-47 with hands quick enough for a game of hot potato. For a non-contact sport, there\u2019s a heck of a lot of contact. Pushing, shoving, dropped shoulders, elbows to the ribs. These are tough, talented young women.<\/p>\n
Cardwell tries to intimidate. She\u2019s knocked down so often we might have to drag her out. Fluorescent yellow singlets add to the impression of the Diamonds\u2019 blazing speed. Bodies are constantly in motion. The background music is the sound of shoes squeaking on the floor. It\u2019s action-packed, end-to-end, extremely watchable.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was fierce and ferocious and it started to get a bit narky at the end,\u201d Marinkovich said. \u201cThe thing with the Diamonds is, we want to take everyone on the journey with us. We want to be engaging. We want people to know and understand our story.\u201d<\/p>\n
What\u2019s the story, morning (11am) glory? \u201cAs soon as you put a Diamonds uniform on, there\u2019s an expectation of gold medals. The Australian netball team doesn\u2019t get gifted anything. We\u2019re the world No.1 and everyone wants to beat us. <\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a legacy of excellence and success in this uniform. Every new generation has to contribute to that and make sure it continues. We have a deep-seated connection to the successes of the past. Each new group and generation inherits the world No.1 ranking and then has the responsibility to maintain and evolve and enhance it.\u201d <\/p>\n
Excellence. That\u2019s what you see, feel, taste. Sheer excellence. Goal shooter Sophie Garbin, well, shoots a lot of goals. Raised in Western Australia\u2019s famous old gold-medal, sorry, goldmining town of Kalgoorlie, she\u2019s all over England defender Francesca Williams like a cheap frock. <\/p>\n
At 184cm, with a strong, powerful, superwoman frame, she takes high, one-handed passes with just centimetres to spare to the back line. Then gets on her tiptoes to land 41 of Australia\u2019s points as effortlessly as she might pluck an apple from a tree. <\/p>\n
Shoot. Score. Repeat. How do you like them apples? She\u2019s given a breather when the Diamonds have romped to an unbeatable 23-point lead at three-quarter time. <\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s a larrikin,\u201d Marinkovich says of Garbin. \u201cShe\u2019s the one who brings the humour to the group. Very laid-back, provided the fun. She\u2019s the Tik-Tokker and the cool kid. Keeps us entertained.\u201d <\/p>\n
Dear IOC. Give these fierce, ferocious women, and their lively sport, a gig at the Brisbane Games. They\u2019re one of the great Australian sporting teams, perhaps the best of the lot among females, and good old nettie in good old Brizzie will be one of the hottest tickets in town. <\/p>\n
The gold medal match in Glasgow will be staged just hours before the closing ceremony on Sunday, and the crazy Diamonds wholly and totally expect to be there. <\/p>\n
They don\u2019t have to say it. Every pedal-to-the-metal move they make, and every hustling, bustling, soft-shoe-shuffling step they take, and every subtly flying elbow, and ruthless dropped shoulder, reveals it.<\/p>\n
Will Swanton is a sportswriter who\u2019s won Walkley, Kennedy, Sport Australia and News Awards. He\u2019s won the Melbourne Press Club\u2019s Harry Gordon Award for Australian Sports Journalist of the Year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The crazy Diamonds expect to win. You can see it, feel it, taste it. Shine on. They\u2019re 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<\/a>Will Swanton<\/a>Sport Reporter<\/p>\n