The 2011 ANZ Championship season was the fourth season of the ANZ Championship. The 2011 season began on 13 February and concluded on 22 May. With a team coached by Roselee Jencke, captained by Lauren Nourse and featuring Romelda Aiken, Laura Geitz, Clare McMeniman and Natalie Medhurst, Queensland Firebirds finished the season undefeated. They became the first team in the history of the ANZ Championship to go through the regular season and the playoffs without losing a single match. In the major semi-final, Firebirds defeated Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic and in the grand final they defeated Northern Mystics, winning their first premiership. This marked the beginning of a golden age for Firebirds. Between 2011 and 2016, Jencke guided them to five grand finals and three premierships.
Transfers Player 2010 team 2011 team Bianca GiteauAdelaide Thunderbirds Cody LangeSouthern ForceAdelaide Thunderbirds Maddy ProudContaxAdelaide Thunderbirds Kara RichardsMelbourne VixensAdelaide Thunderbirds Kate BeveridgeAdelaide ThunderbirdsMelbourne Vixens Madison BrowneWest Coast FeverMelbourne Vixens Geva MentorAdelaide ThunderbirdsMelbourne Vixens Sarah WallQueensland FirebirdsMelbourne Vixens Carla DziwokiLeeds CarnegieNew South Wales Swifts Mo'onia GerrardAdelaide ThunderbirdsNew South Wales Swifts Chelsea PitmanCanterbury TactixQueensland Firebirds Ameliaranne WellsQueensland FusionQueensland Firebirds Ama AgbezeCentral PulseWest Coast Fever Courtney BruceWestern StingWest Coast Fever Alicia JanzWestern StingWest Coast Fever Kasey EveringImportCanterbury Tactix Finau PuluNorthern MysticsCanterbury Tactix Donna WilkinsCanterbury Tactix Caitlin ThwaitesMelbourne VixensCentral Pulse Victoria SmithCanterbury TactixCentral Pulse Jade TopiaSouthern SteelCentral Pulse Megan DehnSouthern SteelNorthern Mystics Rachel RasmussenCentral PulseNorthern Mystics Natasha ChokljatMelbourne VixensSouthern Steel Paula GriffinCentral PulseSouthern Steel Jamilah GupwellCentral PulseWaikato Bay of Plenty Magic Julianna NaoupuSouthern SteelWaikato Bay of Plenty Magic Sulu Tone-FitzpatrickNorthern MysticsWaikato Bay of Plenty Magic
Notes In 2009, Bianca Giteau played for West Coast Fever. In 2009, Donna Wilkins played for Southern Steel.
Head coaches and captains Team Head coach Captain Adelaide ThunderbirdsJane Woodlands-ThompsonNatalie von Bertouch Melbourne VixensJulie HoornwegSharelle McMahonBianca Chatfield New South Wales SwiftsJulie FitzgeraldCatherine Cox Queensland FirebirdsRoselee JenckeLauren Nourse West Coast FeverJane SearleJohannah Curran Canterbury TactixHelen Mahon-StroudMaree BowdenDonna Wilkins Central PulseYvette McCausland-DurieKatrina Grant Northern MysticsDebbie FullerTemepara George Southern Steel Robyn BroughtonWendy FrewLiana Leota Waikato Bay of Plenty MagicNoeline TauruaLaura Langman
Pre-season Tournaments Tournament Date Winner Score Runners-up VenueNSW Swifts Tournament22–23 JanuaryNew South Wales SwiftsSydney Olympic Park Sports CentreQueenstown Pre-Season Tournament 28–30 JanuaryQueensland Firebirds50–46Central PulseQueenstown Events Centre
Notes Other participants included Melbourne Vixens, Adelaide Thunderbirds, West Coast Fever Other participants in Queenstown included Canterbury Tactix and Southern Steel
Matches Northern Mystics, New South Wales Swifts and Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic played a series of five-quarter matches.
Regular season In order to be concluded before the 2011 World Netball Championships, the regular season used a more condensed format. It still featured 65 games, but included several new features including three "double rounds" which featured seven or eight matches, rather than the traditional four or five. The "bye" rounds were dropped and Thursday night matches were introduced for five of the regular rounds.
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Round 5
Round 6
Round 7: Rivalry Round Round 7 featured five Australia verses New Zealand matches. Goals scored by Australian and New Zealand teams were added together and the country with the most goals won the Rivalry Round Trophy. Australia won the 2011 Rivalry Round with an aggregate score of 263–239 over New Zealand.
Round 8
Round 9
Round 10
Round 11
Round 12
Notes The Round 3 match between Canterbury Tactix and Northern Mystics was due to be played on 27 February. However it was postponed due to the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. The match was rescheduled for 7 April. The Round 4 match between Canterbury Tactix and Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic was originally scheduled to be played in Christchurch. However following the earthquake, the match was moved to Rotorua. It was still regarded as a "home" match for Tactix.
Final table
Playoffs
Minor semifinal
Major semifinal
Preliminary final
Grand final
Season statistics Top 5 Goals scored Pos. Player Team 1 Romelda Aiken Queensland Firebirds 523 607 86.2 2 Caitlin Bassett West Coast Fever 478 538 88.8 3 Cathrine Latu Northern Mystics 449 482 93.2 4 Irene van Dyk Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic 446 485 92.0 5 Caitlin Thwaites Central Pulse 431 530 81.3 Top 5 Goal assists Pos. Player Team G/A 1 Kimberlee Green New South Wales Swifts 197 2 Temepara George Northern Mystics 195 3 Madison Browne Melbourne Vixens 179 4 Laura Langman Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic 148 5 Natalie Medhurst Queensland Firebirds 141 Top 5 Rebounds Pos. Player Team Reb. 1 Romelda Aiken Queensland Firebirds 63 2 Cathrine Latu Northern Mystics 42 3 Laura Geitz Queensland Firebirds 41 4 Casey Williams Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic 40 5 Irene van Dyk Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic 37 Top 5 Centre-pass receives Pos. Player Team CPR 1 Leah Shoard West Coast Fever 263 2 Natalie Medhurst Queensland Firebirds 256 3 Chelsea Pitman Queensland Firebirds 250 4 Maria Tutaia Northern Mystics 228 5 Emily Beaton Adelaide Thunderbirds 214 Top 5 Intercepts Pos. Player Team Int. 1 Laura Geitz Queensland Firebirds 57 2= Casey Williams Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic 33 2= Anna Scarlett Northern Mystics 33 4= Leana de Bruin Southern Steel 30 4= Sonia Mkoloma New South Wales Swifts 30 Top 5 Deflections Pos. Player Team Defl. 1 Laura Geitz Queensland Firebirds 92 2 Anna Scarlett Northern Mystics 91 3 Leana de Bruin Southern Steel 85 4 Casey Williams Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic 70 5= Bianca Chatfield Melbourne Vixens 53 5= Katrina Grant Central Pulse 53 Top 5 Penalties Pos. Player Team Pen. 1 Laura Geitz Queensland Firebirds 264 2 Anna Scarlett Northern Mystics 245 3 Susan Fuhrmann West Coast Fever 231 4 Casey Williams Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic 222 5 Bianca Chatfield Melbourne Vixens 202 Top 5 Turnovers Pos. Player Team Turn. 1 Cathrine Latu Northern Mystics 81 2 Temepara George Northern Mystics 68 3 Romelda Aiken Queensland Firebirds 59 4 Erin Bell Adelaide Thunderbirds 50 5 Maree Bowden Canterbury Tactix 49
Award winners
ANZ Championship Most Valuable Player Winner Team Points Leana de BruinSouthern Steel18 Natalie MedhurstQueensland Firebirds18 Romelda AikenQueensland Firebirds16 Caitlin BassettWest Coast Fever16 Natalie von BertouchAdelaide Thunderbirds16
Best Young Player Winner Team Votes Kayla CullenNorthern Mystics20 Chelsea PitmanQueensland Firebirds15 Sulu Tone-FitzpatrickWaikato Bay of Plenty Magic12 Ashleigh BrazillNew South Wales Swifts Kate ShimminAdelaide Thunderbirds
All Star Team Position Player Team GS Romelda AikenQueensland FirebirdsGA Sharelle McMahonMelbourne VixensWA Emily BeatonAdelaide ThunderbirdsC Natalie von BertouchAdelaide ThunderbirdsWD Kayla CullenNorthern MysticsGD Anna ScarlettNorthern MysticsGK Leana de BruinSouthern SteelCoach Roselee JenckeQueensland Firebirds
Australian Netball Awards Award Winner TeamAustralian ANZ Championship Player of the Year Laura GeitzQueensland FirebirdsLiz Ellis Diamond Laura GeitzQueensland FirebirdsAustralian ANZ Championship Coach of the Year Roselee JenckeQueensland Firebirds
Gallery
References