The QBE Swifts Academy, formerly the Netball New South Wales Waratahs, is an Australian netball team that represents Netball New South Wales in the Super Netball Reserves competition. The Swifts Academy is the reserve team of Suncorp Super Netball club, the New South Wales Swifts. The team is made up of selected stand-out players from Netball NSW Premier League, NSW Swifts training partners and some contracted NSW Swifts players.
In 2008, they were founding members of the ANL. The side has won three premierships and have been grand finalists on a further five occasions, making them the second most successful team in the secondary competition after the Vixens Academy.
History Australian Netball League In 2011, the Waratahs became the first team other than Victorian Fury to win the Australian Netball League title after defeating them 55–46 in a rematch of the previous year's grand final. The winning Waratahs team was coached by Robert Wright and captained by Carla Dziwoki. Other members of the successful squad included Samantha May, Jessica Mansell, April Letton, Ashleigh Brazill, Paige Hadley, Verity Simmons, Amorette Wild and Tiffany Lincoln.
The team reached a further four ANL grand finals, losing three to Victorian Fury and the other to Southern Force.
Australian Netball Championships The Waratahs won the 2024 Australian Netball Championships grand final 58-50 against Capital Darters in Canberra, the club's second premiership coming thirteen years after its inaugural success.
Super Netball Reserves The Swifts Academy were victorious in achieving a third premiership, defeating the Sunshine Coast Lightning Bolts 69-55 in the 2026 Super Netball Reserves grand final in front of a home crowd in Sydney.
Grand finals Season Winners Score Runners up Venue2010Victorian Fury54–47NNSW WaratahsWaverley Netball Centre2011NNSW Waratahs55–46Victorian FuryWaverley Netball Centre2012Southern Force50–36NNSW WaratahsWaverley Netball Centre2013Victorian Fury56–51NNSW WaratahsNetball SA Stadium2016Victorian Fury53–46NNSW WaratahsNetball Central2019Victorian Fury54–53NNSW WaratahsSNHC 2024 NNSW Waratahs58–50Capital DartersSolarHub ACT Netball Centre2026QBE Swifts Academy69–55Sunshine Coast Lightning BoltsNetball Central
Notable players
2026 squad
Source:
Internationals
Ashleigh Brazill Taylah Davies Sophie Dwyer Steph Fretwell (née Wood) Paige Hadley April Letton Kristiana Manu'a
Carla Dziwoki Samantha Poolman Amorette Wild
Kristiana Manu'a
Hayley Mulheron
New South Wales Swifts Nicola Barge Elle Bennetts Kimberley Borger Ashleigh Brazill Kaitlyn Bryce Sophie Craig (née Halpin) Taylah Davies Carla Dziwoki Sophie Fawns Tayla Fraser Steph Fretwell (née Wood) Lili Gorman-Brown Kirstie Guthrie Paige Hadley Maddie Hay Emily Keenan April Letton Tiffany Lincoln Amorangi Malesala Jessica Mansell Samantha May Abbey McCulloch Lauren Moore Claire O'Brien Teigan O'Shannassy Frederika Schneideman Leah Shoard Kelly Singleton Amy Sommerville Nicole Styles Ashlee Weir Grace Whyte Amorette Wild Lauren Woods
ANL MVP The following Waratahs players were awarded competition MVP. Season Player 2010Amorette Wild2012Kristy Guthrie2014Kristina Brice2016Vanessa Mullampy2024Millie Tonkin2025 (joint)Frederika Schneideman
Head coaches Coach YearsRob Wrightc. 2011Sue Hawkins2012Anita Keelan2013-2015Briony Akle2016–2017Colleen Mitchell2018Lenore Blades2019-present
Premierships Australian Netball League Winners: 2011 Runners up: 2010, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2019 Australian Netball Championships Winners: 2024 Super Netball Reserves Winners: 2026
References