Geitz makes Diamonds again

Allora’s Laura Geitz, along with other Queensland Firebirds members Natalie Medhurst, Chelsea Pitman and Amy Steel, will don the green and gold for the Holden Netball Test Series against England in October.
New Australian Diamonds coach Lisa Alexander has only made one change to the team that won the 2011 World Netball Championship and that is to include Steel to replace Susan Fuhrmann.
“We’re thrilled for Amy, it’s a breakthrough for her,” Alexander said.
“She started off a little bit slowly this week at camp but she certainly came through very strongly in the endl. She was very prepared and her fitness results were excellent; we’re thrilled with her attitude and willingness to push herself to that next level.
“Amy brings strength in terms of her height, reach, agility, her ability to compete in both goal defence and goal keeper so she brings a real sense of flexibility to our side and I’m thrilled that she can perform on a consistent basis.”
In the lead-up to the camp, Steel has been training with 2011 Premiership coach Roselee Jencke and this has paid off for the defender.
The original team of 12 that won July’s World Championship will take on the New Zealand Silver Ferns, with Fuhrmann returning to the Diamonds team, subject to fitness test, in place of Steel for the remaining three Tests in Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne.
“She’s got an injury and will need to be managed carefully and Amy Steel will come into her position for the England series,” Alexander said.
“Susan hurt her ankle on the first day of camp during fitness testing but we’ve followed our medical advice, which was to keep her off that ankle so that she would be ready to train at the team camp in a couple of weeks.”
Alexander expressed her delight in the quality of 22 players at selection camp but found it difficult to look past the team that claimed Australia’s 10th World Championship title in July.
“What was really pleasing was the fresh approach the players brought into camp, their enthusiasm and positive energy and willingness to give of themselves was completely humbling,” Alexander said.
“It’s so difficult to express how close some players are to selection when they miss out.
“I said to the players at the start of the week that it’s important that we maintain a high performance approach; that we want to keep on improving and it’s not good enough to rest of your laurels, but certainly the upmost in our minds of selectors was that the World Championship team was sensational on all counts.
“At the end of the day, international performances are very important and there’s the potential for improvement.
“The legacy and team that was put together for World Championships, in my opinion, was an excellent group of people and it’s not just about netballers, it’s about the high performance athletes that have those special qualities.
“The team deserves its position; their performances speak for themselves and did so this week.”
The Australian Diamonds team to contest the 2011 Holden Netball Test Series will be back at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) for another four-day camp starting on Thursday, September 22, ahead of the first Test against England on October 9 in Newcastle.
Diamonds team for England Series: Natalie von Bertouch (C), Catherine Cox (VC), Caitlin Bassett, Erin Bell, Julie Corletto, Laura Geitz, Mo’onia Gerrard, Kimberlee Green, Sharni Layton, Natalie Medhurst, Chelsea Pitman and Amy Steel.
Diamonds team for New Zealand series: Natalie von Bertouch (C), Catherine Cox (VC), Caitlin Bassett, Erin Bell, Julie Corletto, Susan Fuhrmann (subject to fitness test), Laura Geitz, Mo’onia Gerrard, Kimberlee Green, Sharni Layton, Natalie Medhurst and Chelsea Pitman.