The Diamonds are enjoying being “the hunted” as they target a 2-0 lead and a shot at a clean sweep in the Constellation Cup against New Zealand, in-form goal shooter Cara Koenen says.
The 27-year-old, who hails from Magnetic Island in Queensland's far north, will play in front of her parents at Brisbane Entertainment Centre on Sunday night in the second Test - Australia's 500th in total - having enjoyed a starring role in the 50-40 win over the Silver Ferns in Melbourne on Thursday.
Koenen, who scored with 27 of her 31 efforts, and goal attack Kiera Austin (22/27) were both in hot form.
The Diamonds fly to New Zealand on Monday for the final two Tests of the series in Invercargill and Auckland but Brisbane is first on the agenda for Koenen, who said she expected a more desperate opponent.
“They are going to come out even more intense but we have been able to do a bit of homework on them and hopefully we have a few more things in our toolkit to whip out,” Koenen told AAP.
“In this cycle, we haven’t beaten New Zealand on New Zealand soil in a Constellation Cup so that is a good challenge for us.
“We want to put ourselves in the best possible position to get that clean sweep and make sure we are putting out four consistent quarters of netball.
“Being world No.1, we have a target on our backs. We are the hunted.
"It is a good challenge for us and we want to make sure we keep building on what we were able to do at the last Commonwealth Games and World Cup.”
Koenen was a member of Australia's winning sides at each of those events, but the international retirement of Diamonds goal attack and vice-captain Steph Wood has given the front line a different dimension.
“Steph is a leader and someone I work with at club level (for Sunshine Coast Lightning) so there definitely was that level of comfort with her on court,” Coenen said.
“She is one of the smartest players in the game, and ran our attack end and goal circle.
"It has been a really good challenge in the training block leading up to this Constellation Cup to share the circle with Kip (Austin) and see what we can create.
“There is so much more growth that we can make.”
Last year, Koenen’s parents made the long trip to Brisbane to watch their daughter against England but she did not get on the court.
This time it will be different.
“It definitely does mean the world,” Koenen said.
“My parents, living in a regional part of Queensland, had to make a lot of sacrifices financial and time wise … putting me on ferries and trains.
"We clocked up quite a few kilometres, so for them to see me with my last name on my back wearing the green and gold is pretty special.”
