A teary Kate Moloney has opened up on the highs and lows of Diamonds selection, after missing out on World Cup glory only 12 months after her Commonwealth Games gold medal.
The Melbourne Vixens captain was in the starting seven that claimed gold in Birmingham in 2022.
But unfortunately for the star midcourter, she lost her spot in the team to Giant Jamie-Lee Price the following year and watched on as Australia claimed World Cup gold in Cape Town in 2023.
“To get that one in 2022 was really cool – obviously 2023 to get the phone call that I wasn’t selected was really tough. Especially since being a huge part of the Commonwealth Games team that won gold,” she told Fox Netball’s Off the Court.
“You hear that you’re not in and you don’t really hear much after that – you sort of just want to get off the phone as quickly as you possibly can.
“It was really hard to miss out on that team and still when I talk about it, it is really hard.
“I remember speaking to my family after that – I don’t even now why I am getting emotional because it was so long ago! It does mean so much!
“They just said, ‘You know what? Go over there (as a Reserve) and make this the best experience for yourself and the best experience for your team.”
And that’s what Moloney did, with the 2023 World Cup Reserve highly credited for her role supporting the 12 selected athletes in their triumph.
Moloney revealed that after the shattering phone call, the first person she wanted to contact was Price – knowing the Giants midcourter had been in the exact same situation a year earlier, missing Comm Games selection in favour of Moloney.
It’s a heartbreak Price has spoken to Fox Netball previously, and how she dealt with missing out.
“I still remember the first person I wanted to text was Jamie because she’d been such an incredible support for me at the Commonwealth Games. We were playing the Giants that week,” Moloney shared.
“It’s always been the battle of the two of us.
“I wanted to message her … to say congratulations – she’d had an incredible season that year. And one thing I’ve learnt over the years is the players don’t pick themselves – someone else is picking them.
“It’s not me against her.”
So as one of three World Cup Reserves, Moloney made the most of her time within the squad by helping out where she could.
“I wanted to give that back to the group at World Cup,” she said.
“I wanted to play my role the best way I possibly could.
“We’ve got an amazing midcourt group in the Diamonds – we are so close and so competitive against each other.
“Everyone wants to be there and everyone wants to be on the court … we all want the best for each other.”
Debuting for Australia back in 2017, Moloney has been a part of the Diamonds squad since – but not always within that final 12, and that’s what makes her Comm Games gold in 2022 so special.
“It hasn’t been smooth sailing, that’s for sure,” she said.
“I’ve made teams, I’ve missed out on teams. I’ve been training partner for a few teams as well at big tournaments and it’s tough.
“But I’m part of a program that’s number one in the world in what they do. What makes you want it so much is that it so hard.
“I’d actually been the training partner for the 2018 Comm Games and the 2019 World Cup as well – I’d got so close on a few occasions and then missed out.
“To have received the call I was going to Commonwealth Games in 2022 was really special.
“It was the highest of highs for me.”
Now captaining the Melbourne Vixens off the back of last year’s grand final heartbreak, Moloney just wants to enjoy her time on court – and whatever comes from that.
“We are so lucky to do what we do every single day.”
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