Jamie-Lee Price is set to face the Silver Ferns when she plays for the Australian Diamonds in the Constellation Cup Series. Photo / Getty
Jamie-Lee Price is set to face the Silver Ferns when she plays for the Australian Diamonds in the Constellation Cup Series. Photo / Getty
Five years after she made her debut for a New Zealand club side, Jamie-Lee Price will cross the Tasman to Hamilton as a prospective Diamond hoping to earn her first international cap.
Price received a shock late call-up to the Diamonds team yesterday after veteran Kim Ravaillion's decision to stepdown from the Australian netball side for the upcoming Constellation Cup with New Zealand.
Ravaillion's departure to rest mentally and physically has given coach Lisa Alexander the opportunity to throw rookie Price into the mix for the two-game New Zealand leg of the annual series.
Jamie-Lee Price was a member of the Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic squad from 2013-16. Photo / Getty
Fellow midcourter Kate Moloney will fill the gap left by Ravaillion in the opening two tests in Queensland to be played October 7 and 10.
Price, the daughter of former Kangaroos and New Zealand Warriors rugby league great Steve Price, grew up in New Zealand and played for the Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic in the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship.
She was eligible to play netball for New Zealand but chose to campaign for a Diamonds spot instead.
"I can't really believe it but this time when Lisa Alexander rang to tell me I answered the phone," said Price, who missed the call from Alexander last month telling her she was in the Diamonds squad for the first time.
"I thought I was a training partner at first and kept saying, 'what am I, what am I'.
"I debuted for the Magic when I was 17 and all my home games were in Hamilton so to be going back there as a part of the Australian team is so, so exciting.''
Ravaillion, with 60 tests to her name, said she needed a break to refresh mentally and physically for 2019 where Australia will attempt to defend the World Cup it won in Sydney in 2015 in the UK.
Jamie-Lee Price is set to make her Diamonds debut next month. Photo / Getty
"This block of time will assist in my preparation for the rigours of the 2019 domestic and international season," Ravaillion said.
The changes come after Australia swept the Quad series against New Zealand, England and South Africa.
"Leading into the January Quad Series and the 2019 Netball World Cup we're keen to ensure that we have a variety of strong playing combinations and a team that is flexible and adaptable," Alexander said.
"We're fortunate to have the ability to bring in two squad members in Kate and Jamie-Lee who we know have the capabilities to perform at the highest level.
"We appreciate that Kim is in need of some time away from the game, so we wish her well for the next few months and look forward to seeing her refreshed in 2019."
Moloney will join the team next week ahead of the Brisbane series opener on October 7 and the Townsville test three days later.
Price will be in the team for the Hamilton test in New Zealand on October 14 and the series final in Wellington on October 18.
Oct 7 Diamonds v Silver Ferns, Brisbane Oct 10 Diamonds v Silver Ferns, Townsville Oct 14 Silver Ferns v Diamonds, Hamilton Oct 18 Silver Ferns v Diamonds, Wellington
