Australian defender Julie Corletto has been named vice-captain for the Diamonds' first Test against England when the 2011 Holden Netball Test Series kicks off at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre on Sunday.
Injuries to captain Natalie von Bertouch and Mo'onia Gerrard have depleted the leadership group, prompting the elevation of Catherine Cox to captain and Corletto to vice-captain for the international fixture by coach Lisa Alexander.
"It's pretty exciting, I certainly didn't expect it," Corletto said.
"Unfortunately it's a shame to lose two of our leaders out of the team but I think with the team we've got, everyone is a leader in the team and it's such a fantastic team to be a part of so to be named a leader is quite an honour."
Von Bertouch is sidelined with a stress reaction to her sesamoid bone in her right foot while Mo'onia Gerrard is expected to miss the three-Test series against England with a calf strain.
With 28 Test caps to her name, the 24-year old Corletto is a senior figure within the Diamonds team having represented Australia at two successful World Netball Championships (2007, 2011) along with the honour of being awarded the Liz Ellis Diamond Award in 2009.
"I wonder if it should make me feel old being named vice-captain," Corletto joked.
"It was a honour to captain the Australian 21/U team at World Youth Cup and now to be named vice-captain of the Diamonds, I guess I do feel like one of the ones that's been around in the senior team for a little bit longer now.
"I'm certainly still learning from the older girls in the team, the captain and would-be vice-captain will be sitting on the sideline watching on."
Corletto paying tribute to the leadership of Cox, who has previously acted as Diamonds captain, and the team for the recent on court success.
"She's a great leader, she's obviously had a lot of experience in the game, she's done it all before so she knows what to do and been captain of ANZ Championship teams as well so she's certainly got the expertise," Corletto said of her acting captain, Cox.
The Australian Diamonds take on England in the first of three Tests in the 2011 Holden Netball Test Series on Sunday at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre which can be seen live on Channel Ten and streaming online through Telstra BigPond Sport.
2011 Holden Netball Test Series Dates: 9 Oct - Australian Diamonds v England, Newcastle Entertainment Centre, Newcastle 12 Oct - Australian Diamonds v England, AIS Arena, Canberra 16 Oct - Australian Diamonds v England, Allphones Arena, Sydney 23 Oct - Australian Diamonds v New Zealand Silver Ferns, Burswood Dome, Perth 26 Oct - Australian Diamonds v New Zealand Silver Ferns, Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide 30 Oct - Australian Diamonds v New Zealand Silver Ferns, Hisense Arena, Melbourne.
