The 12-strong team includes five members from the side that won the gold medal for Australia at Glasgow 2014 - captain Caitlin Bassett, Laura Geitz, Kim Ravaillion, Madi Robinson and Caitlin Thwaites.

Geitz’s call-up sees her return to the team for the first time since 2015 after taking the last two seasons off due to the birth of her first child.

Susan Pettit, who missed Glasgow 2014 but won two Commonwealth Games silver medals at Melbourne 2006 and New Dehli 2010, has also been included in the side.

Defensive trio April Brandley, Courtney Bruce, Jo Weston, midcourters Gabi Simpson and Liz Watson, and shooter Stephanie Wood are due to make their Commonwealth Games debuts in Gold Coast.

The team has a combined test caps total of 431, making an average of 36 test appearances per player.

Australia and New Zealand have contested every Commonwealth Games final since netball made its debut in the event at Kuala Lumpur 1998.

They won that title and retained it at Manchester 2002 but were beaten at Melbourne 2006 and New Delhi 2014 before regaining it at Glasgow 2014.

Australia and New Zealand have also contested the last five finals of the Netball World Cup.

Australia won in 1999, 2007, 2011 and 2015.

Overall, they have been crowned World Cup winners 11 times. 

Head coach Lisa Alexander said selecting the squad for Gold Coast 2018 was the toughest decision she and the selectors have ever had to make.

"It was an enormously difficult selection, there’s no other way to say it," she explained.

"What we have done is try to pick a team on form, on who is performing now.

"It’s been tough, as we have had so many great performers for us.

Alexander added: "What made the decision that much more complex is that we’ve also had to consider the ‘what ifs’ that you must be prepared for in a tournament.

"We needed to ensure that we had flexibility within the team, through different combinations and the ability for athletes to play multiple positions if required.

"We have athletes in each area of the court who know what it takes to win a tournament at the highest level.

"We are very happy with the overall balance and versatility of the group,"

Australia are due tol start their Commonwealth Games campaign against Northern Ireland on April 5 before taking on Barbados the following day.

They will then face South Africa on April 8, Fiji on April 9 before their final Pool A match against Jamaica on April 11.