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'Bronze better than no medal': Diamonds rue semi shock
Joanna Guelas, AAP • August 2nd, 2026 11:20 pm
Liz Watson helped Australia cruise to victory over England in an anticlimactic bronze medal match | Photo: Lukas Coch/AAP
Australia's netball team have left the Commonwealth Games with a "bittersweet" bronze medal, with the heartbroken Diamonds recapturing their devastating best to demolish England 68-50 for a consolation prize.
Having dominated world netball since playing the first international against New Zealand in 1938, this year's third-placed finish is Australia's worst result at the Games thanks to a nightmare 46-45 semi-final loss to Jamaica in Glasgow.
Australia rallied to cut down the Roses and while bronze is far from adequate consolation, the world No.1 powerhouse at least avoid the horror of missing the podium.
It is the first time the Diamonds have failed to reach the gold medal match since the sport joined the Games program in 1998.
Bitter rivals New Zealand will vie to end their 16-year gold medal drought, while Jamaica are hunting a maiden title after finishing runners-up at the 2022 Birmingham Games.
Jo Weston in action against England | Photo: Lukas Coch/AAP
Long-time Diamonds defender Jo Weston lamented the lost opportunity to claim Australia's fifth Games gold medal.
"We're proud of that performance we've just put out on court, but it is bittersweet," Weston said.
"It's a pretty challenging environment, not even 24 hours later to come back out again.
"It's a lost opportunity for us in a way, but international netball is as competitive as it's ever been.
"It's a bronze medal and, you know, a medal is better than no medal."
Goal shooter Sophie Garbin (46 goals/50 attempts) made amends for a sub-par one-quarter outing against Jamaica's Shamera Sterling-Humphrey, while Sophie Dwyer went unused on the bench.
Dwyer had a chance to push the semi-final game against the Sunshine Girls to overtime, but her after-the-siren shot bounced off the ring and missed.
Sophie Dwyer cheered from the bench, a day after the Diamonds vowed to rally around the young gun | Photo: Lukas Coch/AAP
Goal shooter Cara Koenen was also left on the bench after her heroics against Jamaica, alongside defenders Matilda Garrett and Sarah Klau.
Goal attack Kiera Austin also rarely missed a beat against the Roses, shooting 22 goals from 24 attempts.
"We really just wanted to show that we were the better team," Weston said of their England win.
"A few of us were probably still in a bit of shock."
England looked poised to cause further trouble for Australia after building a two-goal lead in a tight opening.
But it was a false dawn for the Roses, and centre Kate Moloney upped the ante with wing attack Liz Watson to help Australia pull away 19-11 at the first break.
Rediscovering their groove, the Diamonds punished England's unforced errors to fire off two four-goal bursts as they soared to a 35-24 halftime lead en route to victory.
Eleanor Cardwell joined the fray in the third quarter to thunderous applause from the near-capacity crowd at the Hydro, but the star Roses shooter couldn't inspire a comeback.
It was the second time Australia had bulldozed England in Glasgow, after a 66-47 triumph in the pool stage.
