Diamonds newcomers Cara Koenen and Kiera Austin are raising questions about the future of Australia’s attack

There’s been a lot of excitement about the pairing of debutants Cara Koenen and Kiera Austin, after their early performances in the Constellation Cup.

Many fans have already dubbed the youngsters the future of the Diamonds shooting circle, enjoying the dynamic movement they bring together up front.

Austin — as the only specialist goal attack in the squad — got her first match in Australian colours on Tuesday night, originally pairing with former captain Caitlin Bassett for game one.

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But even though Bassett’s accuracy sat above 90 per cent (19/21) and she showed some of her vintage brilliance in the second quarter, there were some handling errors and miscommunications on the feed that led head coach Stacy Marinkovich to switch Koenen into GS for the final quarter.

With the change, the Aussies forged a bit of a comeback, losing the match 49-44 but winning the final period of play by four goals — the only quarter the Diamonds won.

So when it came time to announce the starting seven for game two, it came as no surprise to see Koenen named at goal shooter.

Australia won that match on Tuesday night 45-36 to level the series, while Koenen’s dominance saw her awarded player of the match (29/34 at 85 per cent).

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Former Australian shooter Nat Medhurst has been watching the Constellation Cup with interest and has been impressed by the 25-year-old Queenslander in particular.

“I think in the first Test you could certainly tell there were a few nerves and that they were new combinations… but in that second Test they certainly found their groove,” Medhurst told the ABC.

“That combination between Cara and Kiera works really nicely, they compliment each other and I think the player that had the most impact there was Cara because she gave the defenders something different to think about.

“The Silver Ferns are probably so used to playing against someone like (Bassett) who holds, whereas Cara (Koenen) uses that baseline so well and her movement enables Kiera to come through.”

Despite her praise, Medhurst was quick to emphasise that it is still early days and players like Bassett, as well as tour omissions Gretel Buerta and Steph Wood should still be counted in the mix.

“I think it’s too early to say that Koenen and Austin are the best combination for Australia moving forward,” she said.

“It was Cara’s first full game starting and although Kiera stepped up a lot in her second game, there’s still plenty for the new players to prove.

“They need to make it as hard as possible for Gretel or Steph to be able to come back into the team if they want to cement their spots… and that competition is healthy.”

When quizzed on the form of Bassett, Medhurst backed her old shooting partner to keep her position in the team, suggesting the high turnover count in the first match was a lack of communication from all players, rather than just being Bassett’s fault.

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“I still think 100 per cent that (Bassett) is there,” Medhurst said.

“She obviously had a bit of a disjointed 2020 and injuries… but the beauty with (Bassett) is that we know what she can deliver.

“She’s stood up in big games before and you need that experience. It’s just about how the other players fit in around that.”

As the goal attack that fed her for years at the West Coast Fever and in the Diamonds setup, Medhurst says Bassett needs someone that will have the confidence to give her the ball, rather than hesitating on the feed.

“You know she can shoot 40-50 goals a game. It’s just about having someone around her that plays to her strengths when she’s holding,” she said.

“Because we had so much time together, I was able to understand exactly where she was and where she wanted the ball, and then I’d time my movement around that.

“But you also need to make sure that she is doing her job and keep that talk up on court because she’s someone that is particularly confidence driven.”

Could Caitlin Bassett become an impact player?

For a long time now, Bassett has typically played the role as the Diamonds’ preferred starting shooter, but if Marinkovich continues to stick with a moving circle for the last two Constellation Cup matches, she may have to force her way back onto the court in a different role.

Medhurst believes Bassett could definitely play the role of a super sub if required and the game plan just needs to be tweaked to ensure her skills are utilised.

“Oh gosh yeah, with her height she would definitely be able to have an impact,” Medhurst said.

“When she holds well and you place the ball in the right position, she’s actually unbeatable.

“Often during games, if things aren’t going well, Caitlin will increase her movement and that’s when that confusion happens.

“But when you’re out there on court you need to be able to support each other and get people’s heads back in the game, so she needs someone like Liz Watson as the most experienced player in that attacking line, to get her back holding.”