Alice in Diamonds WONDERLAND! Aussie call-up for Fever ace
Teague-Neeld joins Fever defender Sunday Aryang in the 18-player squad for the Diamonds' series against South Africa and New Zealand, beginning in October.
It is the first time the 29-year-old has been named in a national squad, having been elevated off the back of being an invitee to the training camp for the past two years.
The Fever duo joins West Aussies Courtney Bruce and Sophie Garbin in the powerhouse squad, while WA shooter Donnell Wallam has been invited as a train-on.
Teague-Neeld has been rewarded for an outstanding season for the minor premiers, having led Super Netball for goal assists (315) and centre pass receives (292).
It comes after she made the transition from goal attack, a position she was recruited to Fever from the now-defunct Collingwood back in 2019 before making the transition to the midcourt under coach Dan Ryan.
Australian coach Stacey Marinkovich said Teague-Neeld had developed her game to another level to earn a maiden call-up.
'Alice has had two years as an invitee and she's really come into the environment and evolved those connections,' she told The West Australian. Teague-Neeld in action for the Fever. Credit: James Worsfold / Getty Images
'She's having another consistent year of a really high standard in Super Netball. She's putting up her hand, she's evolving things and she's really coach able.
'We've had some really great conversations as to how to keep growing her game in a Diamonds context as well as what she's doing on a Super Netball court.'
Marinkovich was the coach of Fever when they recruited Teague-Neeld and isn't surprised that she has made the transition from a shooter to a midcourt star.
'Alice has incredible skills, she knows the game, definitely knows how to read the space out on court so it's definitely no surprise that she transitioned into wing attack,' she said.
'We saw potential in her as a young athlete and her coming to West Coast Fever, she's thriving, she's embraced every opportunity that she's got and it's great to see that transferring into a national environment.'
Aryang is a staple of the Australian set up since she debuted in 2022, having been part of the 2023 World Cup gold medal winning side.
Marinkovich said the defender had taken 'accountability for her performance out on court' to become one of the game's elite.
'She's really driving her own personal standard of how she goes about the game,' she said.
'I know she's really driven to the intensity that she brings out on court and I think you're seeing the reward of that.
'Her work-rate, her repeated efforts and her ability to get hand to ball particularly in this later part of the season has been phenomenal so I'm really excited to see how this is going to transition into the Diamonds.'
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