Jamaican superstar Romelda Aiken is set to go from teammate to chief adversary as the Australian netballers continue their path toward world title glory.
The Diamonds are in line to meet Aiken's Jamaican side in the semi-finals on Saturday at the world netball championship in Singapore.
Aiken has played in Australia for the past four years with the Queensland Firebirds and as the competition's most prolific shooter, was integral in helping them win the 2011 trophy.
But friendships she shares with the Australian players will be put aside.
Australia's Julie Corletto said they would look to fellow defender Laura Geitz, who plays with Aiken in Queensland, for a game plan to stop the 196cm sharpshooter.
"Geitzy will definitely have some tips on Romelda, training on her week in and week out with the Firebirds," Corletto said.
"They're a great side, they're very tall.
"I think the main thing will be stopping Romelda's teammates from feeding the ball into her because once it gets in the circle, she's such an easy target."
Aiken, 22, said her game had blossomed while playing in Australia.
"It has improved, although I've had a few ups and down throughout this season," she said.
"I think it will help me having played against the Australians."
Jamaica finished third at the last world championships in New Zealand in 2007 but have since beaten the two super powers of world netball, Australia and New Zealand, and also third-ranked England.
Australian coach Norma Plummer was wary of the Sunshine Girls but felt the loss of regular goal attack Simone Forbes and defender Kasey Evering, who missed the titles with a knee injury, could hurt them.
Veteran Forbes was suspended for three months for testing positive for clomiphene which is frequently used by athletes taking steroids but also commonly used in fertility treatments, which she was undergoing.
"We've got the height to combat Aiken and I think our pressure down court, we can match up with anything Jamaica can put on us," Plummer said.
