The Netball South Australia Premier League, also referred to as the Netball SA Premier League is a state netball league, organised by Netball South Australia. On a national level, the league is effectively a third level league, below Suncorp Super Netball and the Australian Netball League. Between 2008 and 2014, when sponsored by Subway the league was known as the Subway Cup. Between 2015 and 2017, when it was sponsored by Nine News, it was known as the Nine News Netball Cup. Previous sponsors include Dairy Farmers and Farmers Union. During the 2010s the league has been dominated by two clubs, Contax and Matrics, who between them have won every Premier Division grand final since 2010.
History Contax and Garville rivalry In 1988, with a team that included Michelle den Dekker and Kathryn Harby, Contax won their fourth premiership, defeating Garville in the grand final. This marked the beginning a rivalry between Contax and Garville. Between 1986 and 1996 Contax and Garville contested every state league grand final. The rivalry saw the two clubs compete in nine consecutive state league grand finals, plus one Mobil Super League final, with both clubs winning five finals each. With a team that included Harby and Julie Nykiel, a former Australia women's basketball international, Contax won their fifth and sixth premierships in 1990 and 1991. Between 1992 and 1995 Garville won four successive state league grand finals before, a Contax team featuring Jacqui Delaney won the club's seventh premiership in 1996.
Premier League era In 2011 the state league was renamed the Premier League. Since this time, Contax main rival has been Matrics. Between them, Contax and Matrics played in every Premier League grand final during the decade winning 5 Premierships each.
Representative team The Australian Netball League team Southern Force are effectively the representative team of the Netball South Australia Premier League. They are one of two teams that represent Netball South Australia in senior or national leagues. Their senior team, Adelaide Thunderbirds, has represented Netball South Australia in both the ANZ Championship and Suncorp Super Netball. Southern Force are also effectively the reserve team of Thunderbirds.
Clubs The 2024 league features eight clubs, entering teams in two divisions – the Premier Division and Reserves Division.
Grand finals Season Winners Score Runners up Venue1951 Tango 1952Contax Tango 1957 Tango 1958 Tango 1962Garville 1963Garville 1964Garville 1965Garville 1966Garville 1967Garville 1968Tango 1969Tango 1970Contax Garville 1972Tango 1973Tango Contax 1981Tango 1982 1983Tango 1984Tango Contax1985Tango 1986Contax Tango1987 1988Contax GarvilleApollo Stadium1989Garville Contax1990Contax GarvilleApollo Stadium1991Contax Garville1992Garville Contax1993Garville Contax1994Garville Contax1995Garville Contax1996Contax Garville1997Matrics Contax1999 Contax2000 Contax Australian Institute of Sport2001Australian Institute of Sport Matrics2002Contax 2003Contax 2004Contax 2005Matrics Contax2006Contax 2007 Contax2008Contax 2009Oakdale Contax2010Contax Matrics2011Matrics Newton Jaguars2012Contax Phoenix2013Contax34–33MatricsNetball SA Stadium2014Matrics54–44GarvilleNetball SA Stadium 2015Contax51–39MatricsNetball SA Stadium2016Matrics49–47ContaxNetball SA Stadium2017Contax59–50MatricsNetball SA Stadium2018Contax73–39Garville2019Matrics55–47ContaxPriceline Stadium2020Matrics60–56ContaxPriceline Stadium
Sponsorship Sponsors SeasonsDairy Farmers2000 Farmers Union2001 Subway2008–2014 Nine News2015–2017
References
External links Netball SA Premier League on Facebook