Birmingham: Australian netball greats have labelled star goaler Gretel Bueta as the world’s finest player after the 193 centimetre powerhouse led a rampaging Diamonds to a second crushing victory in their Commonwealth Games campaign.
Bueta, who turned 29 this month, has emerged as the Diamonds’ greatest hope to reclaiming its world netball crown after two brilliant performances in Australia’s 95-18 humbling of Barbados and yesterday’s 83-30 win over Scotland.
Australian netball star Gretel Bueta dominated against Barbados and ScotlandCredit:Getty
After her 44-goal performance in just a half against Barbados, the champion basketballer-turned-Queensland Firebird was again brilliant on Sunday evening, netting 33 from 34 attempts for 97 per cent accuracy in virtually three quarters against the Thistles.
Lisa Alexander, the Diamonds World Cup-winning coach, said after the match Bueta’s game since her return following the birth of her son, Bobby, last year had gone to a new stratosphere.
“She is so defined as an athlete now it’s wonderful to see,” said Alexander, who is in the commentary box for the Games.
“It’s a big call to make but in many ways I think she is the best player in the world. And I say that because of her movement, skill and speed in attack but also because of the defensive side of her game. She is such a matchwinner. It’s her unique playing style that is going to be so hard for the other teams to match up on.”
Bueta, whose maiden name is Tippett and whose brothers Kurt (Sydney) and Joel (North Melbourne) enjoyed success in the AFL, won the WNBL’s reigning rookie-of-the-year in 2010 before taking a break from basketball while ill with glandular fever. She drifted back towards netball after that.
Having made her Diamonds debut in October 2015 against England, she only secured her spot in the Australian squad in the 2018-19 season, after being selected for the Super Netball team of the year and winning the Liz Ellis Diamond Award, as the best player in Australian domestic and international competition.
Alexander praised Scottish defender Sarah MacPhail’s efforts in attempting to neutralise Bueta’s influence on Sunday evening’s match, but said ultimately to stop her you just have to “very disciplined”.