Article by Erin Smith courtesy of the Courier Mail.
THE Diamonds physical win over Jamaica has created history — winning Australia’s 1000th gold medal and creating Commonwealth Games history.
It was almost a case of history repeating itself with Diamonds going into the final break with a six-goal lead.
The same lead they went into the final quarter against Jamaica with just days ago — when they went on to lose by two points.
But it was a different looking Diamonds team this morning.
They ran out with a steely look in their eye as if the final round two-goal loss to Jamaica just days ago wiped from their memories — there is no doubt they had flashbacks at three-quarter time though.
But they fought those off to hold firm and take the game 55-51.
Australian captain Liz Watson said the team learned from their shock loss to Jamaica in the pool match.
“We were lucky we got to play them in the rounds, we learned from that last quarter and we just wanted to make sure it was a six-goal lead, the same as last game, but everyone had that belief and that fight and we weren’t going to let that happen again,” said Watson
It was far from a perfect game with the Sunshine Girls uncharacteristically dropping balls every which way.
Ash Brazill put her AFLW skills to use proving a pest to the Jamaican’s midfielders and pulling off a number of sensational intercepts.
Australia went into the first break with a two-goal lead but Jamaica didn’t let it last long, levelling the scores and going two goals up within minutes of the clock starting for the second half.
Coach Stacey Marinkovich did as she promised and learned from the first clash against the powerhouse, stepping in to switch up the defensive end, which was having little impact on super shooter Jhaniele Fowler — moving Courtney Bruce to GD and bringing Sara Klau into GK.
Marinkovich was criticised after the two teams first met for failing to make any changes despite the game slipping away.
Klau had a little bit more luck frustrating Fowler and slowing down the circle feeds.
Gretel Bueta praised the Diamonds’ resilience, teammate and Marinkovich’s game plan.
“I was counting down the minutes at the end. It was a ripper of a game … they pushed us to our limit,” Bueta said. “We have got a lot of depth in our side and Stace used the bench. Cara Koenen is a dream to play with. I can pop into the circle and she’ll get out and spread the defence. We want to do Australia proud. We want to bring back to the gold. I am just so happy.
“It’s a dream.”
A second change saw Bueta move to her favoured GA role and Cara Koenen replace Sunshine Coast Lightning teammate Wood in the shooting circle. Both shooters shot at 100 per cent, an incredible achievement given the pressure they faced in the circle.
The well timed changes put Jamaica on the back foot, zapped their momentum and let Australia back in the game. Jamaica took the chocolates for the quarter, scoring 17 the Aussie’s 15 goals, with the scores drawn for the start of the second half. Diamonds found a new level for the third quarter. For the first five minutes Australia had complete control of the game scoring goal after goal.
It was the first time the Jamaican substitutes couldn’t be seen dancing on the sidelines.
Brazill, Kate Moloney and Bueta proved the dynamic trio, moving the ball from one end to with lightning precision. While captain Liz Watson proved the circle feed queen. The Jamaican defenders went from looking calm and collected to frazzled and struggling to keep up with Koenen and Bueta.
They went into the final break up 45-39. Everyone was on the edge of their seats — even the substitutes from both teams were on their feet.
With the Jamaican crowd subdued, the cries of ‘let’s go Aussies” could finally be heard — and the tears from the Diamonds could flow.
