The Australian Diamonds will take on Northern Ireland in their first match of the 2018 Commonwealth Games, at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre. Join The Roar for live coverage and a blog of the match from 8:30pm (AEST).
This game will merely be a formality for the talented and balanced Australian line-up. They will be far too strong for Northern Ireland, who are playing at the Commonwealth Games for only the second time. Their first appearance was in Glasgow, four years ago.
The Diamonds have a chance to dust off the cobwebs before they take on tougher opponents later in the competition.
It is an exciting opportunity for six players who will make their Commonwealth Games debut in the green and gold. April Brandley, Courtney Bruce, Joanna Weston, Gabrielle Simpson, Elizabeth Watson and Stephanie Wood will all take to the court as Australia gets their campaign underway.
Diamonds fans will be excited to see veteran goalkeeper Laura Geitz back in Aussie colours after she earned a recall into the national squad. Geitz hasn’t played in international competition for a couple of years and missed the 2017 domestic season due to the birth of her son.
While Northern Ireland have qualified for the next World Cup, and are becoming a more frequent player in the international game, they are not yet at the same level as the Quad-Series countries (Australia, South Africa, England and New Zealand).
Captain Caroline O’Hanlon had flag bearing duties at the opening ceremony last night. She is a cross-code star, playing both Gaelic football and netball, and she proudly led her country’s 88 athletes into Carrara Stadium.
The Australians will have a definite home crowd advantage, with the session sold out well in advance. It should be an awesome atmosphere.
Prediction
While the first game of a competition is never easy to predict, the Diamonds are clear favourites to take gold. These early games will be a chance to test combinations, run plays, and find form going into the finals.
Expect Australia to come out strong from the word go, to play hard and not let up until the final whistle sounds.
Australia by 19 goals.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thanks Sarah! Appreciate it. Great call here as well.
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
I was wayyyyyyy off with my margin! Honestly I haven’t seen a lot of Northen Ireland, they’ve only qualified for Commonwealth Games/World Cups a couple of times. With the Diamonds form I should have predicted a bigger margin but I was nervous because there are no sure things! Watching New Zealand earlier in the night, there is a huge opportunity for Australia to take Gold in 10 days time. We’ll have to wait and see though. Great calls today Scott - covering everything! Makes it easy to keep up-to-date while I’m watching other events.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Sarah, you might have got the margin wrong! Huge win.
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
Dominating display to get their Commonwealth Games campaign underway. Australia will certainly be happy with that, Geitz about to speak and the crowd will no doubt go wild for her again!
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
FULL TIME 94-26 Huge first win by Australia!
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
Don’t think 8 goals is likely in 1 minute, but 92 goals is a huge effort by Aus
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
2:45 to go 90-25 NI making basic errors in this last quarter, Aus must keep making them pay.
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
4 minutes to go Aus lead 88-25
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
Another turnover, but Ravaillion gets picked up for stepping on transition.
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
Awesome shooting by Thwaites tonight - short & medium range - action looking smooth and comfortable. 87-24 Aus lead by 63
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
Another couple goals to Australia, 85-23
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
Really impressed with Australia’s performance tonight. Yes it’s against a much weaker opponent, but they haven’t let up. It’s been great to see the ball move smoothly up and down the court. 82-23 8 & 1/2 left on the clock
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
Diamonds defence turning it on, putting huge pressure on NI as they move it down the court creating lots of turnovers 77-21 100 goals is certainly on the cards - that last one took 8 seconds.
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
3 goals to Aus at the start of the last quarter... 74-20
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
Some more changes, Australia mixing things up with Brandley into WD and Weston back into GD. Wood opens the scoring 72-20
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
THREE QUARTER TIME 71-20 Huge lead for the Aussies, they’re just running plays with ease.
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
Almost over in the third.. 71-19
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
Wood & Thwaites are more comfortable shooting from long range. Bassett plays a tall, lob it in game style, whereas Thwaites and Wood cut in front. Interesting combinations. 69-19 - are we heading to a 100 goal effort for the Diamonds?
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
Northern Ireland struggling to move the ball down the court, Australia’s defence with Weston in WD is so tall, their stretch over the ball proving very challenging for NI. 63-19
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
Good rebounding by Wood after missing her first shot. Gets it with the second go 60-18 42 goals the lead now