Netball: Australian Diamonds coach denies telling Caitlin Bassett to sign up to ANZ Premiership

One of Australia's best netballers, Caitlin Bassett, will be taking her talents to New Zealand in 2021. Photo / Photosport

New Australian national netball coach Stacey Marinkovich says she had no influence on the decision of captain Caitlin Bassett to leave the country for New Zealand, despite admitting to being a sounding board for the move.

Bassett confirmed last week she would sever ties with the Sydney-based Giants and the final year of her Super Netball contract to cross the ditch and play with the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic in New Zealand's ANZ Premiership.

The star shooter said she was "frustrated" at being underused by the Giants and needed more court time to press her national claims.

Bassett was open about discussing the issue with Marinkovich, who is chasing her first Super Netball premiership as a coach with the West Coast Fever on Sunday.

But the national coach said it was not her role to help players leave Australia.

"First and foremost Caitlin needed to make that decision for herself, it's certainly not in my scope as the national coach to move or shift any players within leagues," said Marinkovich.

"But our selection policy enables her to be able to go there (to New Zealand) and put her best performances out there and go against the same selection criteria as everyone else to make that Diamonds team."

Bassett severed ties with the Giants to gain greater playing time after spending much of the 2020 season on the bench.

"Caitlin needed to be in a place where she's enjoying her netball, and to get out on court was a key part of her decision making," Marinkovich said.

But she warned the goal shooter would have to be at her best in every interaction with the Australian team to retain her Diamonds place.

"She's going to have to set up that system over in New Zealand to make sure that when she comes back into a Diamonds training camp she's performing at her very best as well," Marinkovich said.

Bassett was named in the Diamonds squad last month and will take part in a training camp with the group on the Sunshine Coast following the completion of the Super Netball season.

Australia's four-Test Constellation Cup series against New Zealand, initially scheduled for October, has been postponed until early 2021 due to travel and quarantine requirements related to the Covid-19 pandemic.