Wallam produced one of her trademark remarkable lay-up shots to clinch victory over England 55-54 after a hard-fought contest in the opening match of the three-Test series.

The 28-year-old is just the third First Nations player after Marcia Ella-Duncan and Sharon Finnan-White to represent Australia and the first in more than two decades.

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"It's really special and I just hope I am now a role model for the young girls and boys coming through for their turn," she said.

"It was really special, I had Marcia Ella-Duncan present me with my match dress. It was just really special, it's been a long time coming, I hope I made everyone proud out there."

Wallam entered the Test against England with 10 minutes remaining on the clock. Her international debut had been eagerly anticipated after head coach Stacey Marinkovich had started to bring her into the international set-up.

The shooter's rise to the top of the sport has been exceptional and achieved in a short space of time.

Dan Ryan handed Wallam a pivotal opportunity to represent Leeds Rhinos Netball in England's Netball Super League in 2020. At the time, Ryan told Sky Sports Wallam was someone who would be one to watch.

"She's an almighty target, deadly accurate and her ability to pluck the ball out of the air is a sight to be seen," Ryan said. "What is so exciting though is she's still very raw and has so much development ahead of her.

"She is so determined to learn and grow and has her sights set on some big dreams. I truly believe she has the potential to be a world-beater and we are just so thrilled she has chosen Leeds Rhinos as her new netball home."

Wallam's season with Rhinos saw her overcome her fracturing her radius bone early on before returning to court stronger than ever.

The 6ft 2in shooter is a former state basketball player and someone who arrived at netball late in her sporting career. She only started playing the sport at the elite level two years before signing for Leeds Rhinos.

"I was playing locally [in Australia] and one of my coaches played in the state league for the men's team," Wallam said about her early days in netball.

"He said to me that I should try out for a women's side because I was good enough. I replied that I didn't think I was, but ended up going to the try-outs and fell in love with the game."

Her rapid introduction to the sport saw her win back-to-back titles with the West Coast Warriors in the Gold Industry Group West Australian league and be crowned the Jill McIntosh Medallist for two successive years.

She then announced herself further when the WA All-Stars mixed team faced West Coast Fever in an exhibition match. and remembers she did not have any idea about just how well she would play.

"I was so nervous in the warm-up, my coach saw that so she started me on the bench," Wallam recalled. "We had rolling subs, thank goodness, so I was subbed on within five minutes and then I got out there and did what I had to do!

"I was pretty intimidated by Courtney Bruce, she's an Australian Diamond and a great defender. She has that ability to really stop the shooters, so I thought if I could just get one goal, I would be happy!"

Wallam finished the match having scored 50 of her side's 60 goals as they edged Fever 60-59. The experience helped to shape her goals for the future and gained her a training partner contract with Fever the following day.

She then took the Netball Super League by storm when she swapped Australia for England, before returning and signing for the Queensland Firebirds.

Leading into her Test debut, a huge spotlight shone on the Diamonds and Wallam, in particular, due to a new sponsorship agreement in place between Netball Australia and Hancock Prospecting.

Diamonds players and Wallam, as an Indigenous woman, had raised concerns about the partnership, relating to comments made by executive chairman Gina Rinehart's father and Hancock Prospecting founder Lang Hancock about Indigenous Australians.

The reported $15m deal was withdrawn by Hancock Prospecting before the first Test after making headline news and that marked the end of an intense period, as Wallam explained.

"I was relived to finally get my chance on court," Wallam said.

"It's been some of the toughest few weeks of my life, so to finally get out there and just play in this dress was just really special. It makes the last couple of weeks feel like a bit of a blur.

"The outside noise [has been really difficult]," Wallam concluded, while choking back tears.

Wallam and the Diamonds will now travel to Sydney for the second Test against England on Sunday, with the contest being shown live on Sky Sports Mix from 8am.

Prior to the match, England's men's side - The Thorns - will play an inaugural international fixture against Australia Men, coverage is also on Sky Sports Mix from 5.45am.