Diamonds to announce Quad Series captain

Australia will name a new netball captain for the Diamonds' Quad Series clash with England in Brisbane next weekend, with Caitlin Bassett the likely candidate.

Caitlin Bassett of the Australian Diamonds

Caitlin Bassett has has been a member of Australia's netball team since 2008. (AAP)

Caitlin Bassett is the front-runner for the top job when the Australian netball team announce their new captain in Brisbane on Friday.

Bassett was last year's vice-captain and shapes as a leading contender to skipper the Diamonds in this month's Quad Series, given incumbent skipper Sharni Layton was ruled out with exhaustion.

A player vote was used to decide this season's leadership group and coach Lisa Alexander indicated internal competition has kept standards high.

"It really is dog eat dog at the top," Alexander told AAP.

"It's a hard team to get into and with leadership positions up for grabs there is total accountability for performance."

The Diamonds will play England in Brisbane next Saturday to commence the Quad Series.

It is the team's first test ahead of their Commonwealth Games gold medal defence on the Gold Coast next April.

Australia hold every major international netball trophy, but it will be a different-looking Diamonds team that take the court given veteran trio Laura Geitz, Natalie Medhurst and Layton are all missing.

Geitz is still in the frame for a return after having her first child earlier this year, while Medhurst was omitted from the squad.

Layton is hopeful of returning for the team's gold medal bid.

Squad members have been training in their respective states in the lead-up to the Quad Series, but will go into camp on the Sunshine Coast from next Tuesday in the lead-up to the England clash.

The Quad Series, which also features South African and New Zealand, will move to Canberra, Auckland and Invercargill after the Brisbane leg.


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Source: AAP



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