Two-time world netball champion and former captain Laura Geitz is back in the Australian Diamonds squad, following a Commonwealth Games camp at the Australian Institute of Sport.
Head coach Lisa Alexander said she was pleased with the 30-year-old's performances at the AIS and that she would continue her preparations with the Queensland Firebirds for the chance to play at the 2018 Gold Coast Games.
"Laura performed well at the camp, with improvement in each match-play outing," Alexander said on Friday.
"She knows what is required of her in this next training block and will keep working hard to reach the level needed."
Geitz participated in the three practise matches during the simulation camp and was fully integrated in the Diamonds environment.
She left the sport in September 2016 announcing she was pregnant with her first child.
She and husband Mark Gilbride welcomed son Barney into the world in February last year.
"I really enjoyed returning back into the high performance environment that the Diamonds provide," Geitz said.
"While it has been 18 months since I have played at that high intensity it was great to be back in the mix and really challenge myself by training against the best.
"I understand the importance of a great preparation leading into a major tournament such as a Commonwealth Games and I am happy to play that supporting role for the girls and help them to be in the best shape for April.
"I also understand that during my absence there have been many girls that have stepped up and showed that they are more than capable to perform on the international stage," Geitz said.
"The Diamonds have always boasted and been lucky to have a great amount of depth to choose from and that's a great position for Lisa and the selectors to be in heading into a major event such as the Commonwealth Games."
The defender has 64 Test caps and captained the Diamonds to Commonwealth Games gold in Glasgow 2014 and to her second world championships gold in Sydney in 2015.
The Diamonds team for the 2018 Commonwealth Games will be announced in February.
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