The Diamonds (Australian Netball team) dazzle students by training at the Collegians Centre

Radford College had the incredible honour of hosting the Origin Australian Diamonds in our world-class Collegians Centre as they prepared for their upcoming series against the England Roses.

It was an unforgettable experience for our Radford netball players, their families, staff, and coaches, who had the privilege of witnessing these world-class athletes showcase their exceptional talent. Over 140 Radford netballers from Year 2 to Year 12 were invited to attend a closed training session and observe the Australian Diamonds in action.

A key takeaway for our players was that, regardless of the level you play at – whether it’s community, pre-elite, or elite – practicing and refining fundamental skills is essential for success.

The Diamonds Head Coach, Stacey Marinkovich, generously offered her time to speak with the Radford netball coaches before and after the training session, providing an invaluable learning experience for our coaching staff. Learning from one of Australia’s top coaches was a highlight for many of our staff.

Liz Watson, the current Diamonds Captain presented a signed team ball to our 2025 Netball Captain, Alexandra Smith (Year 12 Jarrah), as a token of appreciation to Radford for hosting the Australian Team.

Radford College, and especially the Collegians Centre, is becoming increasingly recognised within the Canberra community and the Australian high-performance sports system as a top-class facility, ideal for elite and national teams to train, often serving as an overflow from the AIS. Radford Sport continues to facilitate opportunities for high-performance teams to not only utilize our facilities but also engage and inspire the next generation of Radford athletes.

Radford Sport extends a heartfelt thanks to Netball Australia for collaborating on this incredible event, and we look forward to more future opportunities.

The Australian Diamonds will compete in the England Series on 19 September (Adelaide), 22 September (Sydney), and 25 September (Bendigo). We’ll be cheering loudly from the sidelines!

Words by Megan Fritsch, Director of Sport 

Photo credit Alan Lee