Netball: McMahon ready for action

Sharelle McMahon has been given the captaincy of the Diamonds. Photo / Getty Images

The last time dynamic Australian goal attack Sharelle McMahon stood on court with the Diamonds was November, 2007 - when Australia defeated the Silver Ferns to win its ninth world championship.

Since then McMahon has undergone arthroscopic surgery on her left knee.

While recuperating she experimented with guest media commentary in last year's international series before successfully making her netball comeback in spectacular fashion - leading the Melbourne Vixens to ANZ Championship victory this year. To top it, she also won the Vixens' best and fairest earlier this month.

While McMahon is "reasonably happy" with her form, it is playing for the Diamonds that really drives the dangerous shooter. So when McMahon says she's "so excited" about the international season starting next week, it may send shivers down the spine of Ruth Aitken's defensive unit.

The final Diamonds squad of 12 has yet to be announced but Australia coach Norma Plummer has welcomed McMahon back with the captaincy.

"I'm so excited just to be back playing with the Diamonds," McMahon says. "I haven't been on court with them since the end of 2007 at the world champs and that was a long time ago for me."

While the Silver Ferns international season starts tomorrow with the first of three games against the World 7 side, the Diamonds have slightly longer to prepare.

Their season starts with just one game against the World 7 on September 2 before hosting games in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane against the Silver Ferns and then two tests here in New Zealand.

To date, the 16-strong Aussie squad has spent just one week together in a training camp in Canberra. Plummer has spent the last week in the Cook Islands watching the world youth championships and will soon cut the team to 12.

McMahon says, despite the short time to prepare, the Australian players have gelled - laying solid foundations for not only this season but also for the Commonwealth Games and next world championships. McMahon predicts Plummer will have a tough job making the final cut.

"Last year, a lot of the young girls had an opportunity to play because we had so many injuries," McMahon says. "I was so impressed with how they stepped into that role, so it's not so much about blooding these younger players for the Com Games or world champs, it's about Norma finding the right combinations. It's going to be tough to fit everyone in."

To find the right combination, McMahon predicts some variation in the starting line-up for the upcoming series against the Silver Ferns.

"Norma hasn't mentioned it but I think she'll probably want to give as many players as much opportunity as possible," McMahon speculates. "It's possible you'll see a few changes. Norma will probably have a bit of a play with combinations and starting seven."

If appearances count for anything, the Aussies look relaxed and confident. So how do the Silver Ferns compare on the eve of their busy international season?

After a week-long camp the Silver Ferns squad was announced on Friday and, like her Diamonds counterpart, Silver Ferns coach Ruth Aitken says she has the pleasure of depth and talent to select from.

"It's not a job I enjoy. I know I will have to break the hearts of some wonderful players and people but it's good to have these tough decisions to make," Aitken says.

Following games against the World 7s and Australian Diamonds, the Ferns travel to Manchester for a world series against England and Jamaica.

In the next 10 weeks, the squad will spend just 13 days at home. Aitken says it also provides an opportunity for her to experiment with combinations.

"This year there will be other selection points at the end of each series, so there's room for players who didn't make the first cut to have an opportunity to push on," she says.

Aitken will use the unknown entity of the World 7 team to test youthful talent but says combinations will be more secure when it comes to playing Australia.

"The level of analysis steps up when it comes to Australia," Aitken says.

Aitken is also using this season to trial new players on the international stage, such as Larissa Willcox and Anna Thompson.

"We have got time to try more than one combination and for the future we need more than one set of seven."

New Zealand and Australia have had similar pre-seasons. They have given ANZ Championship players a chance to recover, had intense, short training camps, made late final team announcements, look set to use the World 7s as time to experiment and appear to be laying the foundations for the next few years.

If there is to be a difference, it it could be a relaxed, fit, confident and hungry Sharelle McMahon.

Silver Ferns team named for the three-test series against a World 7 - Shooters: Irene van Dyk, Maria Tutaia, Paula Griffin, Anna Thompson. Midcourt: Laura Langman, Temepara George, Liana Barrett-Chase, Maree Bowden. Defence: Casey Williams (captain), Joline Henry, Katrina Grant, Larissa Willcox.