A host of GIANTS have been selected amongst the country’s brightest stars, with Netball Australia announcing the 2025-26 Origin Australian Diamonds squad ahead of October’s South Africa Series and the Constellation Cup against the New Zealand Silver Ferns.
A total of four GIANTS featured in Wednesday’s announcement, with GIANTS co-captain Jamie-Lee Price and star shooter Sophie Dwyer both rewarded for their stellar 2025 campaigns with selection in the 18-person squad featuring the country’s top netball talent.
Highlighting their potential, emerging GIANTS Amy Sligar and Erin O’Brien will also feature amongst the country’s best and emerging players, with Sligar recognised as a potential national representative in the future with selection as one of four ‘invitees’ to the camp, while O’Brien will also join the squad as a temporary replacement player for injured invitee Teigan O’Shannassy as she recovery from injury.
The selection of four GIANTS in the Australian Diamonds camp further highlights the exciting talent at the club and follows from the recent selection to the Australian 21U side for promising GIANTS teenagers Hope White and Monika ‘Otai.
Price, Dwyer, Sligar, O’Brien, and the rest of the newly announced Diamonds squad will come together for a five-day high-performance camp at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra in early September.
A second preparation camp will follow from September 19, leading into the Diamonds’ South Africa Series and Constellation Cup in October.
“It’s really exciting to have four GIANTS selected to be part of the Australian program for the upcoming series,” GIANTS coach Julie Fitzgerald said.
“Jamie-Lee and Sophie have both been on that stage before but it’s always exciting and a fantastic achievement to be selected in the Australian squad and their selection is thoroughly deserved.
“It’s equally as exciting to have both Amy and Erin included in the program. Having a group of invitees is a great way to reward and expose promising young players with opportunities to showcase their talent within the Diamonds environment and Amy thoroughly deserves that opportunity after taking such huge strides in her game over the past 18 months.
“Erin is another who has also taken huge steps this year to become a really exciting defender in Australian netball and the opportunity for her to be part of the Diamonds environment will be incredibly beneficial and I can’t wait to see what she gains from the experience.”
Origin Australian Diamonds head coach Stacey Marinkovich said the newly announced squad was filled with a great balance of experience and rising stars of Australian netball.
“This squad brings together world class experience and rising talent, with a focus on connection, preparation and collective growth,” she said.
“The leadership from our experienced players will inspire a competitive high-performance environment that can both challenge and support our younger athletes, while our youth will bring a new perspective and skill set to the mix.”
Marinkovich said the extended lead-in to October’s South Africa Series presents a valuable opportunity to lay important groundwork.
“With international test matches not until October, we have a great opportunity to prepare for what’s to come.
“It’s only 372 days until the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, and every session, every match, every moment we get together is about setting ourselves up to be at our absolute best when it matters most.”
Every match of the South Africa Series and the Constellation Cup against the Silver Ferns will be broadcast live and ad-break free during play on Kayo Sports and Foxtel.
2025 - 2026 ORIGIN AUSTRALIAN DIAMONDS SQUAD
Sunday Aryang (West Coast Fever/ Western Australia)
Kiera Austin (Melbourne Vixens/ New South Wales)
Courtney Bruce (Sunshine Coast Lightning/ Western Australia)
Sophie Dwyer (GIANTS Netball/ New South Wales)
Ashleigh Ervin (Sunshine Coast Lightning/ Queensland)
Sophie Garbin (Melbourne Vixens/ Western Australia)
Matilda Garrett (Adelaide Thunderbirds/ Victoria)
Paige Hadley (NSW Swifts/ New South Wales)
Georgie Horjus (Adelaide Thunderbirds/ South Australia)
Sarah Klau (NSW Swifts/ South Australia)
Cara Koenen (Sunshine Coast Lightning/ Queensland)
Kate Moloney (Melbourne Vixens/ Victoria)
Hannah Mundy (Melbourne Vixens/ Victoria)
Amy Parmenter (Melbourne Mavericks/ New South Wales)
Jamie-Lee Price (GIANTS Netball/ New South Wales)
Alice Teague-Neeld (West Coast Fever/ Victoria)
Liz Watson (Sunshine Coast Lightning/ Victoria)
Joanna Weston (Melbourne Vixens/ Victoria)
2025 - 2026 INVITEES
Lucy Austin (Adelaide Thunderbirds/ South Australia)
Teigan O’Shannassy (NSW Swifts /New South Wales)
Amy Sligar (GIANTS Netball/ New South Wales)
Donnell Wallam (Northern Mystics/Western Australia)
REPLACEMENT PLAYER
Erin O’Brien (GIANTS Netball/ New South Wales)
2025 South Africa Series
2025 Constellation Cup