SYDNEY - Australian coach Jill McIntosh has backed calls by the sport's international body to establish an elite six-nation annual tournament.
The push for the proposed week-long "Super Six" tournament is being driven by International Federation of Netball Associations director Annette Beckett, of Barbados.
"It would be great to see it happen," McIntosh said at Australia's final Commonwealth Games camp in Sydney.
"We get terrific support when we play the New Zealanders and the sport's other major playing nations. Setting up a professional league is the next step."
The federation wants the tournament to become a reality after the world championships in Jamaica next year.
The defending Commonwealth champions were all passed fit and leave for a pre-Games camp in Wales on July 14.
Australia are favourites to retain the gold medal won at the Silver Ferns' expense in Kuala Lumpur four years ago.
McIntosh said team-work was the key to the 12-member squad's success.
"The team is not a group of individuals. One of the great strengths is every member of the squad is capable of stepping up and doing a job for Australia.
"Our versatility is our great strength."
McIntosh and her fellow selectors have named five survivors from the squad who won in Malaysia - captain and goal defence Kathryn Harby-Williams, goalkeeper Liz Ellis, Janine Ilitch (goal defence), Rebecca Sanders (centre/wing attack) and shooter Sharelle McMahon.
While Australia, New Zealand and Jamaica are likely to share the medals, McIntosh said the gap was closing between the elite and second-tier nations.
"England, while they are ranked fourth, are the big improvers in the sport. The gap in winning scores is getting closer and closer all the time," she said.
McIntosh was pleased with the final training sessions, which focused on fitness tests and simulated matches at the NSW Indoor Netball Centre.
"It was more a case of smoothing away a few rough edges, stressing the need to work as a team and try out a few different combinations," she said.
- NZPA
Netball: Australia's coach gets behind annual 'Super Six' contest
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