Australian netball coach Lisa Alexander admits she's cut to the core at leaving veteran goal attack Natalie Medhurst out of the Diamonds' 2017/18 squad.
With 86 appearances, triple world championship gold medallist Medhurst has accumulated more caps than any other present day Australian player and is seventh on the Diamonds' all-time list.
The extended squad of 18 contains three uncapped players, including Vixens captain and midcourter Kate Moloney and her teammate, defender Emily Mannix.
The other uncapped player is Fever defender Courtney Bruce, who went on the tour of England and South Africa earlier in the year but didn't get on court.
Alexander named separate squads of 12 for the next Quad Series in August and the Constellation Cup in October.
The only players left out of those squads from the Quad Series party earlier in the year were midcourters Paige Hadley and Caitlyn Nevins, both of whom still made the extended squad.
Shooter Caitlin Bassett and midcourter Madi Robinson, who were rested from the tour, return to the squad for each of the upcoming competitions.
But there was no place for 33-year-old Fever star Medhurst, who was also given a rest from that tour.
"It's absolutely devastating, I'm cut to the core about it," Alexander told AAP.
"She's chosen not to retire and that's very clear she wants to fight her way back, so we're very supportive of that."
Of the goal attacks selected, the Vixens' Tegan Philip, who played all of her nine Tests in 2014 and was part of the Commonwealth Games gold medal winning squad, returns to the fold.
The other goal attacks named in the extended squad were Gretel Tippett, Susan Pettitt and Stephanie Wood.
"The selectors and I were really impressed with our group of goal attacks this year," Alexander said.
"That's obviously had ramifications which have been very hard with regards to Nat Medhurst, but our four goal attacks that are playing, rated very highly"
Alexander will rotate her goal attacks through the upcoming competitions, with the only differences in the two squads coming in that position.
Philip and Tippett have been named in the Quad Series squad while Pettitt and Wood will vie for that bib in the Constellation Cup.
With just five defenders named in her extended squad, Alexander has left room to invite more into camp.
That could include 2015 World Cup-winning captain Laura Geitz, who has yet to announce her return to the game after missing the inaugural Super Netball competition to have her first child.
"We will be adaptable and flexible if she decides to come back," Alexander said.
AUSTRALIAN DIAMONDS SQUAD 2017/18: Caitlin Bassett (Lightning), April Brandley (Magpies), Courtney Bruce (Fever), Paige Hadley (Swifts), Sharni Layton (Magpies), Emily Mannix (Vixens), Kate Moloney (Vixens), Caitlyn Nevins (Firebirds), Susan Pettitt (Giants), Tegan Phillip (Vixens), Kim Ravaillion (Magpies), Madi Robinson (Magpies), Gabi Simpson (Firebirds), Caitlin Thwaites (Magpies), Gretel Tippet (Firebirds), Liz Watson (Vixens), Jo Weston (Vixens), Stephanie Wood (Lightning).
Squad for Quad Series: Bassett, Brandley, Bruce, Layton, Phillip, Ravaillion, Robinson, Simpson, Thwaites, Tippet, Watson, Weston.
Squad for Constellation Cup: Bassett, Brandley, Bruce, Layton, Pettitt, Ravaillion, Robinson, Simpson, Thwaites, Watson, Weston, Wood
