Diamonds star Kate Moloney has sent a timely reminder to Australia’s selectors after playing a starring role in Thursday’s 10-goal win over rivals New Zealand.
Moloney was a shock reserve for Diamond World Cup gold, with selectors instead opting for the midfield quartet of Liz Watson, Paige Hadley, Jamie-Lee Price and Ash Brazill.
But with Brazill now retired, Moloney was called up to Australia’s 12-man squad to face the Silver Ferns.
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And it took just 14 minutes for Moloney to take the field in the Constellation Cup opener as a replacement for Hadley – who limped off with a knee injury.
“I know Kate Moloney was the reserve at the World Cup, but what people forget is she was the starting center at the Commonwealth Games in that gold medal match (in 2022 ),” said Diamonds great Bianca Chatfield.
“She fit in perfectly.
“It adds an extra layer of defense for the Diamonds.
“I was really impressed with how she came in.”
Moloney laughed as she revealed she was “blowing” in the second term, such was the high intensity of the match, which Australia won 50-40.
“I feel like I haven’t played a game in a long time,” she said.
“But then, as you get back into rhythm, it starts to come back.
“It’s been a long time since there’s been a proper SSN (Super Netball) match. It’s nice to be there.
Moloney also laughed when asked how the shock third-term exit had affected both teams.
“I’m not going to lie, I was secretly hoping for a break,” she said.
“I was like…time out!” It was a bit weird.
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Diamonds coach Stacey Marinkovich said she was pleased with the way Moloney was able to jump on the court and then leave her mark on the game.
“She might say she’s blowing, but she’s running pretty hard. She’s one of, if not the fittest of the bunch,” Marinkovich said.
“(Paige) was granted full clearance. She had a knee injury. It dragged on a bit.
“I think any time you really stretch your knee… you want to make sure everything is clear and correct.
“When Kate came into the game she was running really hard with the ball, so we continued the change.
“I don’t hesitate to turn to the bench when we need to make changes.”
That versatility within the 12-player squad is what makes Australia such a dangerous opponent, retired Diamond Caitlin Bassett said.
“They have so many strings to their bow. It must be very difficult for Stacey Marinkovich to choose a starting seven,” she said on Fox Netball.
“(Moloney) is a natural leader. She comes in and brings so much enthusiasm.
Moloney has three more matches for the Diamonds before Amy Parmenter joins the team for the South African series which begins later this month.
The second game of the Constellation Cup takes place in Brisbane on Sunday evening, with the first central match starting at 7:30 p.m. AEDT.
