Diamonds gagged by Netball Australia amid Hancock Prospecting sponsor saga

The Diamonds have closed ranks after a week of on-court defeats and off-court controversy, heading home on the brink of losing a second-straight Constellation Cup for the first time.

Stacey Marinkovich’s side will swap New Zealand for Melbourne on Monday, snapping a long run away from home. The Australians will play their first home Tests since 2019 when the Constellation Cup concludes in Melbourne on Wednesday and the Gold Coast on Sunday.

After losing the opening two matches to a sharper and more precise Silver Ferns outfit, the Diamonds need two strong wins to claim back the trophy. But beyond the netball, the sport also needs to address a ruction between the players and the sport’s managers that threatens the code.

There has been speculation that the players had taken a stand against Hancock Prospecting, the mining company of Gina Rinehart, when they appeared in uniforms without the new sponsor’s logo during the recent games in New Zealand.

The Diamonds are reportedly siding with squad member Donnell Wallam, who stands on the brink of becoming just the third Indigenous player to represent Australia. Wallam has reportedly raised concerns with the company’s record on Indigenous issues.

Netball Australia said prior to Sunday’s second game that the new squad uniform had been delayed “pending the resolution of outstanding matters relating to the player interim agreement and certain sensitivities”.

The issue is a thorny one, not least because Netball Australia has suffered losses of more than $7m in two Covid-impacted years. Hancock has agreed a $15m sponsorship deal over four years with the cash-strapped governing body.

Former Diamonds captain Sharni Norder (nee Layton) also opposes the sponsorship due to Hancock’s