Vixens shine as Diamonds claim Commonwealth Games bronze

The world No.1 Diamonds opened the tournament in impressive fashion, going unbeaten through the group stage with five consecutive victories. Their disciplined performances and ability to maintain scoreboard pressure saw them comfortably progress to the knockout rounds.

Australia's run towards the gold medal match came to an end in a thrilling semi-final, falling just short against Jamaica, 46-45. The Diamonds responded strongly in the bronze medal playoff, defeating England to finish their Commonwealth Games campaign on the podium.

Kiera Austin reflected on the Diamonds’ bronze medal finish.
“There is an immense sense of pride within the group, obviously we'd love to be going for that gold... but international netball is getting better.

“You never want to walk into a competition and just assume you're going to get into a gold medal match and we certainly didn't... We worked as hard as we could and fell short of getting into that match but came away with a bronze medal its something were really proud of.

“I think everyone went out there today with real determination to really show England and to really solidify that bronze medal.”

The Vixens contingent made a significant impact throughout the tournament. Jo Weston was recognised with Player of the Match in the fourth group match, Sophie Garbin made her Commonwealth Games debut, while Kiera Austin celebrated the milestone of her 50th international appearance in Australian colours.

Here’s how our Vixens performed:

JO WESTON
Minutes played: 250
Key stats: 15 deflections 11 gains | 7 intercepts | 6 pickups
Jo Weston made her mark across both wing defence and goal defence, consistently disrupting opposition attacks with her anticipation and defensive pressure. She collected two gains and a pick-up in Game 2 before shifting to wing defence in Game 3. Weston then produced a standout Game 4 performance, earning Player of the Match after recording three gains and two intercepts, before finishing the tournament with five deflections in Game 5.

KATE MOLONEY
Minutes played: 345
Key stats: 130 feeds into circle | 80 goal assists | 10 gains | 7 intercepts | 9 pickups
Kate Moloney showcased her versatility throughout the series, transitioning from her usual role at centre to wing defence while continuing to influence the game at both ends of the court. She finished with 80 goal assists, including 24 goal assists and 38 feeds in Game 1, before adding 26 feeds and four pick-ups in Game 4, underlining her ability to drive play through the midcourt while making an impact defensively.

KIERA AUSTIN
Minutes played: 250
Key stats: 78/96 (81%) | 76 goal assists | 75 feeds into circle | 7 pickups
Kiera Austin made an immediate impact, combining seamlessly with Sophie Garbin to keep constant scoreboard pressure on opposition defences. Austin shot 20/21 (95%) in the opening match, added 17 goal assists in Game 4, and delivered one of her strongest performances in the semi-final, shooting 22/23 (96%) while also collecting three pick-ups, highlighting her versatility and influence across the court.

SOPHIE GARBIN
Minutes played: 229
Key stats: 187/196 (95%) | 4 pickups
Sophie Garbin made a commanding Commonwealth Games debut, providing a strong and reliable target under the post throughout the tournament. She shot at 95% overall, including 31/34 (91%) in the opening match, 41/42 (98%) in Game 2, 33/34 (97%) in Game 4, a perfect 15/15 (100%) in Game 5, and 41/42 (98%) in the bronze medal match. Combining seamlessly with Kiera Austin, the pair shot 265/292 across the campaign to form one of the tournament's most dangerous attacking combinations.