The Commonwealth Bank Trophy, also referred to as the National Netball League, was the top level national Australian netball league between 1997 and 2007. The league was organized by Netball Australia. Its main sponsor was the Commonwealth Bank. Melbourne Phoenix were the competition's most successful team, winning five premierships. Sydney Swifts were the second most successful team, winning four premierships. Between them, Phoenix and Swifts played in every grand final, except in 1999 when Adelaide Thunderbirds won the second of their two premierships. Ahead of the 2008 season, the Commonwealth Bank Trophy league effectively merged with New Zealand's National Bank Cup to form the ANZ Championship.
Teams
The founding members of the Commonwealth Bank Trophy league included Adelaide Ravens, Adelaide Thunderbirds, Melbourne Kestrels, Melbourne Phoenix, Perth Orioles, Sydney Sandpipers, Sydney Swifts and Queensland Firebirds. The majority of the teams were named after native Australian birds including ravens, kestrels, orioles and sandpipers. Adelaide Thunderbirds were initially going to be named Adelaide Falcons but the name was changed at the request of the rugby union team. In 2003 Ravens were replaced by AIS Canberra Darters and in 2004 Sandpipers were replaced by Hunter Jaegers.
In 2008, when the Commonwealth Bank Trophy league was replaced by the ANZ Championship, Thunderbirds and Firebirds became founders of the new league. Several other Commonwealth Bank Trophy teams were transformed to form ANZ Championship teams. Swifts and Jaegers merged to become New South Wales Swifts, Kestrels and Phoenix merged to become Melbourne Vixens and Orioles were rebranded as West Coast Fever. Meanwhile, the Australian Institute of Sport and Canberra Darters ended their partnership and in 2008 entered two separate team in the Australian Netball League.
2007 teams Team Home venue/base State/Territory Adelaide ThunderbirdsNetball SA StadiumSouth Australia AIS Canberra DartersAIS ArenaAustralian Capital Territory Hunter JaegersNewcastle Entertainment CentreNew South Wales Melbourne PhoenixParkville StadiumVictoria Melbourne KestrelsParkville StadiumWaverley Netball CentreVictoria Perth OriolesChallenge StadiumWestern Australia Queensland FirebirdsChandler ArenaQueensland Sydney SwiftsSydney SuperDomeState Sports CentreWollongong Entertainment CentreNew South Wales
Earlier teams Team Region Debut season Final season Replaced by Adelaide RavensSouth Australia19972002AIS Canberra DartersSydney SandpipersNew South Wales19972003Hunter Jaegers
Grand finals Season Winners Score Runners up Venue 1997Melbourne Phoenix58–48Adelaide ThunderbirdsThe Glasshouse 1998Adelaide Thunderbirds48–42Sydney SwiftsNetball SA Stadium 1999Adelaide Thunderbirds62–30Adelaide RavensNetball SA Stadium 2000Melbourne Phoenix52–51Adelaide ThunderbirdsThe Glasshouse 2001Sydney Swifts57–32Adelaide ThunderbirdsState Sports Centre 2002Melbourne Phoenix49–44Adelaide ThunderbirdsJohn Cain Arena 2003Melbourne Phoenix47–44Sydney SwiftsSydney SuperDome 2004Sydney Swifts52–51Melbourne PhoenixSydney SuperDome 2005Melbourne Phoenix61–44Sydney SwiftsJohn Cain Arena 2006Sydney Swifts65–36Adelaide ThunderbirdsState Sports Centre 2007Sydney Swifts45–37Melbourne PhoenixSydney SuperDome
Minor premierships Season Winners 1997Adelaide Thunderbirds 1998Adelaide Thunderbirds 1999 Adelaide Thunderbirds 2000 Adelaide Thunderbirds 2001 Adelaide Thunderbirds 2002 Melbourne Phoenix 2003 Melbourne Phoenix 2004 Sydney Swifts 2005 Sydney Swifts 2006 Sydney Swifts 2007 Melbourne Phoenix
Awards Most Valuable Player Season Player Team 1998Liz EllisSydney Swifts 1999Jacqui DelaneyAdelaide Thunderbirds 2000Sharelle McMahonMelbourne Phoenix 2001Jacqui DelaneyAdelaide Thunderbirds 2002Liz EllisSydney Swifts 2003Sharelle McMahonMelbourne Phoenix2004Cynna NeeleMelbourne Kestrels 2005Sharelle McMahonMelbourne Phoenix 2006Liz Ellis Sydney Swifts 2007Sharelle McMahonMelbourne Phoenix
Players' Player of the Year Season Player Team 2001 Jacqui DelaneyAdelaide Thunderbirds Catherine CoxPerth Orioles 2002 Liz EllisSydney Swifts 2003Cynna NeeleMelbourne Kestrels Natalie Sloane Mo'onia GerrardSydney Sandpipers2004Janine IlitchMelbourne Kestrels Raegan JacksonHunter Jaegers2005Natasha ChokljatMelbourne Phoenix 2006Caitlin Bassett Perth Orioles Caitlin ThwaitesMelbourne Kestrels 2007Leah ShoardAIS Canberra Darters
Grand final MVP Season Player Team 1997 1998Sarah SutterAdelaide Thunderbirds1999Jacqui DelaneyAdelaide Thunderbirds2000Sharelle McMahonMelbourne Phoenix2001Liz EllisSydney Swifts2002Sharelle McMahonMelbourne Phoenix2003 2004Catherine CoxSydney Swifts2005Bianca ChatfieldMelbourne Phoenix2006Liz EllisSydney Swifts2007Selina GilsenanSydney Swifts
Best New Talent Season Player Team 1998Natalie SloaneQueensland Firebirds1999Mo'onia GerrardSydney Sandpipers2000Cynna NeeleMelbourne Kestrels2001Jane AltschwagerSydney Swifts2002Mandy EdwardsAdelaide Thunderbirds2003Carla DziwokiQueensland Firebirds2004Julie PrendergastMelbourne Phoenix2005Clare McMenimanAIS Canberra Darters2006Madison Browne Melbourne Kestrels2007Ashlee Howard Melbourne Kestrels
Coach of the Year Season Player Team 2004Julie FitzgeraldSydney Swifts2005Julie HoornwegMelbourne Phoenix2006Julie FitzgeraldSydney Swifts 2007Julie FitzgeraldSydney Swifts
Margaret Pewtress Team of the Year Season Team of the Year2002 Eloise Southby (Melbourne Phoenix) Sharelle McMahon (Melbourne Phoenix) Laura von Bertouch (Adelaide Thunderbirds) Rebecca Sanders Peta Squire (Adelaide Thunderbirds) Kathryn Harby-Williams (Adelaide Thunderbirds) Liz Ellis (Sydney Swifts)2003 Catherine Cox (Sydney Swifts) Sharelle McMahon (Melbourne Phoenix) Susan Meaney (Melbourne Phoenix) Rebecca Sanders Peta Scholz (Adelaide Thunderbirds) Liz Boniello (Melbourne Phoenix) Bianca Chatfield (Melbourne Phoenix)2004 Catherine Cox (Sydney Swifts) Sharelle McMahon (Melbourne Phoenix); Laura von Bertouch (Adelaide Thunderbirds) Sarah Barrett (Sydney Swifts) Peta Scholz (Adelaide Thunderbirds); Alison Broadbent (Sydney Swifts) Liz Ellis (Sydney Swifts)2005 Catherine Cox (Sydney Swifts) Sharelle McMahon (Melbourne Phoenix); Laura von Bertouch (Adelaide Thunderbirds) Natalie von Bertouch (Adelaide Thunderbirds) Natasha Chokljat (Melbourne Phoenix); Johannah Curran (Melbourne Phoenix) Bianca Chatfield (Melbourne Phoenix)2006 Catherine Cox (Sydney Swifts) Sharelle McMahon (Melbourne Phoenix); Laura von Bertouch (Adelaide Thunderbirds) Natalie von Bertouch (Adelaide Thunderbirds) Natasha Chokljat (Melbourne Phoenix); Mo'onia Gerrard (Sydney Swifts) Liz Ellis (Sydney Swifts)2007 Catherine Cox (Sydney Swifts) Sharelle McMahon (Melbourne Phoenix); Laura von Bertouch (Adelaide Thunderbirds) Natalie von Bertouch (Adelaide Thunderbirds) Peta Scholz (Adelaide Thunderbirds); Julie Prendergast (Melbourne Kestrels) Liz Ellis (Sydney Swifts)
Television ABC were the Commonwealth Bank Trophy league's official broadcast partner.
References