Misplaced Pages

Commonwealth Bank Trophy

Founded	1997
Ceased	2007
Replaced by	ANZ Championship
No. of teams	8
Country	Australia
Last champion(s)	Sydney Swifts (4th title)
Most titles	Melbourne Phoenix (5 titles)
Sponsor(s)	Commonwealth Bank

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

Earlier teams

Grand finals

Minor premierships

Awards

Most Valuable Player

Players' Player of the Year

Grand final MVP

Best New Talent

Coach of the Year

Margaret Pewtress Team of the Year

Television

ABC were the Commonwealth Bank Trophy league's official broadcast partner.

References

1. "Adelaide Thunderbirds - ANZ Championship". www.anz-championship.com. 22 April 2003. Archived from the original on 26 October 2021. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
2. "League dumps Ravens for AIS team". The Age. 27 August 2002. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
3. "New look for 2003". www.abc.net.au. 22 April 2003. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
4. "Sydney Swifts - 1997-2007". nswswifts.com.au. 29 November 2009. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
5. ^ "Netball NSW – Annual Report 2007" (PDF). Netball NSW. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 September 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
6. "End of the road for Sydney Sandpipers". www.theage.com.au. 19 August 2003. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
7. "Sandpipers to leave netball league". www.abc.net.au. 19 August 2003. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
8. "2008 Annual Report - Netball Australia" (PDF). netball.com.au. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
9. "Southern Steel faces plenty of travelling in the early rounds". The Southland Times. 12 December 2007. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
10. "Melbourne Vixens - Our history". melbournevixens.com.au. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
11. "Perth Orioles History". westcoastfever.com.au. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
12. "2007 Netball Western Australia Annual Report" (PDF). Netball Western Australia. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
13. "Australian Netball League 2009". www.netball.org.sg. 22 July 2010. Archived from the original on 23 June 2020. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
14. "New Idea Australian Netball League action fires up tomorrow". www.womensportreport.com. 22 July 2010. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
15. ^ "Commonwealth Bank Trophy 1997-2007 (page 1)". netballscoop.com. Archived from the original on 26 January 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
16. ^ "Adelaide Thunderbirds – History". adelaidethunderbirds.com.au. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
17. ^ "Commonwealth Bank Trophy 1997-2007 (page 2)". netballscoop.com. Archived from the original on 26 January 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
18. ^ "Jacqui Delaney". diamonds.netball.com.au. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
19. ^ "20 years on for the 2000 Melbourne Phoenix Premiership team". vic.netball.com.au. 30 November 2020. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
20. ^ "Commonwealth Bank Trophy 1997-2007 (page 3)". netballscoop.com. Archived from the original on 29 June 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
21. ^ "2005 Netball NSW – Annual Report" (PDF). Netball NSW. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 October 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
22. "Phoenix soar to third title". Sydney Morning Herald. 14 September 2002. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
23. ^ "Commonwealth Bank Trophy 1997-2007 (page 4)". netballscoop.com. Archived from the original on 29 June 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
24. "Phoenix claim title in front of record crowd". www.abc.net.au. 12 September 2003. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
25. "Swifts take title in thriller". www.abc.net.au. 28 August 2004. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
26. ^ "Netball Australia - Annual Report 04" (PDF). Netball Australia. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
27. ^ "Commonwealth Bank Trophy 1997-2007 (page 5)". netballscoop.com. Archived from the original on 29 June 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
28. "Phoenix claim fifth netball title". www.abc.net.au. 3 September 2005. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
29. ^ "Netball Australia - Annual Report 05" (PDF). Netball Australia. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
30. ^ "Commonwealth Bank Trophy 1997-2007 (page 6)". netballscoop.com. Archived from the original on 12 April 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
31. ^ "Netball Australia - Annual Report 06" (PDF). Netball Australia. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
32. ^ "Netball Australia – Annual Report 2007" (PDF). netball.com.au. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
33. "Sydney Swifts win final". www.abc.net.au. 19 August 2007. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
34. "Swifts defend national league title". www.abc.net.au. 19 August 2007. Retrieved 16 September 2020.

• Commonwealth Bank Trophy
• Defunct netball leagues in Australia
• Defunct professional sports leagues in Australia
• 1997 establishments in Australia
• 2007 disestablishments in Australia
• Sports leagues established in 1997
• Sports leagues disestablished in 2007
• Commonwealth Bank