Netball: Corletto hopes spell at Mystics ups selection odds

Australian Julie Corletto (left) is playing with the Mystics in order to be with her NZ Breakers player husband, Darryl. Photo / Sarah Ivey

Mystics import Julie Corletto believes playing on this side of the Tasman has helped rather than hindered her chances of Commonwealth Games selection.

The Australian defender will find out on Tuesday if she has made the first round of selection, with Netball Australia to name their wider training squad. The final team of 12 for Glasgow will be named after a three-day selection camp in Canberra in May.

First named in the senior squad when she was just 17, Corletto, who joined her husband and NZ Breakers shooting guard Darryl in Auckland last year, has had a disjointed Diamonds career, having been plagued by knee injuries.

Diamonds coach Lisa Alexander has made no secret that she would prefer the athletic defender to be based in Australia, where their medical and coaching staff can closely monitor the athletic star. But, for Corletto, her happiness comes first and living on the other side of the Tasman from her husband was not an option.

Corletto acknowledges isolating herself from the Australian set-up puts her at a disadvantage when it comes to selection time. But on the flipside, she said getting the opportunity to train every week against the Silver Ferns shooting combination of Cathrine Latu and Maria Tutaia gave her valuable insight she could take back to the national environment.

"It might be a slight disadvantage [being based in New Zealand], but I guess you've just got to put good netball out on the court and make the most of any opportunity to get out there. The selectors have said they'll be watching all the games, so I just have to give them plenty of reasons to select me," said Corletto.

"All my junior netball was training against Sharelle McMahon and I think that was really good for me growing up playing against a player like that. And it's the same with Cat and Maria as well, getting to train alongside girls like that will push you to be better."

After being hampered by a painful foot injury last season in a trying year for the Mystics, Corletto is in much stronger shape for Diamonds selection in 2014. She has looked more comfortable in the Mystics' defensive unit, with the Auckland side making better use of her strengths this season - in particular her speed off the mark and one-on-one marking skills.

Corletto sits third in the league for intercepts, just behind Swifts defender Sharni Layton.