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Contax Netball Club

Founded	1952
Based in	Adelaide
Regions	South Australia
Home venue	Netball SA Stadium
Head coach	Leanne Eichler
Captain	Georgia Beaton
Premierships	20
League	Netball South Australia Premier League Esso/Mobil Superleague
Website	www.contax.net.au
Uniform Uniform

Contax Netball Club are an Australian netball team based in Adelaide, South Australia. Their senior team currently plays in the Netball South Australia Premier League. Between 1989 and 1996, Contax represented Netball South Australia in the Esso/Mobil Superleague. They were premiers in 1994. They were originally known as Contax Basketball Club, when netball was known as women's basketball. During the Esso/Mobil Superleague era, they were also referred to as Adelaide Contax. Between 1995 and 2012, when the club was sponsored by ETSA, and then ETSA Utilities, they were known as ETSA Contax.

History

Early years

Contax Basketball Club was formed in 1952 by a group of young girls who had played for the 1951 junior South Australia team. The team was originally based in Woodville. The team was named after the Contax camera. It was suggested by the brother-in-law of the inaugural captain, Margaret Rankin. He was a camera enthusiast and suggested using a short and simple name. Contax won their first South Australia state league premiership in their debut season, defeating Tango in the 1952 grand final. The team was captained by Rankin and included three future Australia internationals – Gaynor Flanagan, Betty Rowe Whelan and Lorraine Wright. Contax initially only organized adult teams. However, from 1966 the club started to introduce junior and youth teams with training taking place in Hectorville. In 1970 Contax won their second premiership, defeating Garville in the grand final. In 1980 Margaret Angove was appointed head coach of the senior Contax team. She remained in the position for sixteen years until 1997, when she was appointed head coach of Adelaide Thunderbirds. In 1986, with a team that included sixteen year old Kathryn Harby and Michelle den Dekker, Contax won their third premiership, defeating Tango in the grand final.

Rivallry with Garville

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 South Australia 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. After finishing as runners-up to Garville for four successive grand finals, a Contax team featuring Jacqui Delaney won the club's seventh premiership in 1996.

National leagues

Esso/Mobil Superleague

Between 1989 and 1996 Contax represented Netball South Australia in the Esso/Mobil Superleague. With teams that included Kathryn Harby, Michelle Fielke and Julie Nykiel, Contax played in three successive grand finals between 1990 and 1992. In 1990 they lost to 52–42 to Melbourne City. Contax then lost out to Sydney Pulsars in both 1991 and 1992. In 1994 Contax won the title after defeating Garville in controversial circumstances. A Contax team captained by Kathryn Harby and featuring Vicki Wilson and Tania Obst, took on a Garville team featuring Natalie Avellino, Jenny Borlase and Fielke. Wilson was the top scorer and the closely fought match finish level at full time. However Garville claimed they had actually won the match 48–46. It was alleged that during the third quarter, the official scorer accidentally gave one of Garville's goals to Contax. Despite protests from Garville, extra time was played and resulted in a 61–58 win for Contax.

Commonwealth Bank Trophy

In 1997 Netball Australia replaced the Mobil Superleague with the Commonwealth Bank Trophy league. Contax applied to join the new league but the application was subsequently denied by Netball South Australia. They instead opted to form two brand new teams, Adelaide Thunderbirds and Adelaide Ravens. Together with Cheerio, Matrics and Oakdale, Contax effectively became a feeder team for Thunderbirds. With a squad coached by former Contax head coach, Margaret Angove, captained by Contax player Kathryn Harby and featuring several Contax players including Jacqui Delaney and Laura von Bertouch, Adelaide Thunderbirds won their first two premierships and grand finals in 1998 and 1999.

ETSA Contax

Between 1995 and 2012 when Contax were sponsored by ETSA, and then ETSA Utilities, the team became known as ETSA Contax. In 2000 with a squad that included Laura and Natalie von Bertouch, Bianca Reddy and Tracey Neville, Contax won their eighth South Australia state league after defeating the Australian Institute of Sport in the grand final. Between 2002 and 2004 Contax won three successive state league premierships. Natalie von Bertouch, Kirby Mutton, Carla Dziwoki and Lauren Nourse were all members of the 2002 winning squad. ETSA Contax subsequently won further premierships in 2006, 2008, 2010 and 2012.

Premier League era

During the 2010s Contax won a further six premierships. During the 2010s their main rivals were Matrics. Between them Contax and Matrics played in every South Australia state league grand final during the decade.

Grand finals

South Australia state league

Source:

Esso/Mobil Superleague

Source:

Home venue

Contax play the majority of their state league home games at the Netball SA Stadium.

Notable players

Internationals

 Australia

Source:

 Australia Fast5

• Emily Beaton
• Carla Dziwoki
• Maddy Proud
• Kate Shimmin
• Maddy Turner

 England

• Tracey Neville
• Kate Shimmin

 Australia women's basketball

• Julie Nykiel

Adelaide Thunderbirds

Source:

State / Premier League Best & Fairest

Source:

Club Captains

Source:

Head coaches

Source:

Main sponsors

Source:

Premierships

• Netball South Australia Premier League
  • Winners: 1952, 1970, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1996, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2018: 19
  • Runners up: 1973, 1984, 1989, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2016, 2019, 2020 : 15
• Mobil Superleague
  • Winners: 1994
  • Runners up: 1990, 1991, 1992

References

1. ^ "Club History". www.contax.net.au. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
2. ^ "60 Years of "Netball at its best!"" (PDF). www.contax.net.au. 5 August 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 November 2020. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
3. ^ "Australian Selections". www.contax.net.au. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
4. ^ "Club holds all the aces". The Advertiser. 17 May 2012. Retrieved 25 November 2020 – via PressReader.
5. ^ "1994 Mobil Superleague Grand Final – Contax v Garville". netballscoop.com. 18 August 2020. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
6. ^ "Esso/Mobil Superleague 1985-1996 (page 1)". netballscoop.com. Archived from the original on 5 February 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
7. ^ "Esso/Mobil Superleague 1985-1996 (page 2)". netballscoop.com. Archived from the original on 30 November 2020. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
8. ^ "Esso/Mobil Superleague 1985-1996 (page 3)". netballscoop.com. Archived from the original on 30 November 2020. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
9. "Adelaide Thunderbirds – History". adelaidethunderbirds.com.au. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
10. ^ "Club History – 1997 to 2002". www.contax.net.au. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
11. "Commonwealth Bank Trophy Team History". www.anz-championship.com. Archived from the original on 23 October 2021. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
12. "Past Players & Support Staff". www.anz-championship.com. Archived from the original on 26 October 2021. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
13. ^ "Club History – 2003 to 2009". www.contax.net.au. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
14. ^ "Contax survives late charge from Matrics to win SA state league grand final". www.news.com.au. 10 August 2013. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
15. ^ "Contax claims fourth premiership in six seasons after grand final win". www.adelaidenow.com.au. 10 July 2015. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
16. ^ "Premier League Grand Final Match Report". sa.netball.com.au. 10 September 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
17. ^ "Club History – 2010 onwards". www.contax.net.au. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
18. "2000 AIS Netball Program". Clearinghouse for Sport. Australian Sports Commission. Archived from the original on 24 March 2019. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
19. "Annual Report 2010 – Netball SA" (PDF). sa.netball.com.au. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
20. "Annual Report 2012 – Netball SA" (PDF). sa.netball.com.au. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
21. "Annual Report 2013 – Netball SA" (PDF). sa.netball.com.au. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
22. "2015 Annual Report – Netball SA" (PDF). sa.netball.com.au. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
23. "2016 Annual Report – Netball SA" (PDF). sa.netball.com.au. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
24. "Matrics avenges last year's grand final defeat in two-goal win over rivals Contax". www.adelaidenow.com.au. 5 August 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
25. "Packard's Matrics 2016 Premier League champions". www.transcontinental.com.au. 8 August 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
26. "2017 Annual Report – Netball SA" (PDF). sa.netball.com.au. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
27. "Finals glory, heartbreak". www.barossaherald.com.au. 4 September 2017. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
28. "Charlee's angel shines on final". Westside Weekly. 6 September 2017. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
29. "2018 Annual Report – Netball SA" (PDF). sa.netball.com.au. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
30. "KI's Georgie Horjus puts on a grand show for Contax". www.theislanderonline.com.au. 14 September 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
31. "2019 Annual Report – Netball SA" (PDF). sa.netball.com.au. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
32. "Matrics win the 2019 Premier League Grand Final". sa.netball.com.au. 17 September 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
33. "Matrics go back-to-back in Reserves and League". sa.netball.com.au. 2 October 2020. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
34. "1991 Netball Mobil Superleague Grand Final SYD PULSARS v ADEL CONTAX". www.youtube.com. 3 October 2014. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
35. "1994 Mobil Netball Grand Final ADEL Contax v ADEL Garville". www.youtube.com. 11 November 2015. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
36. ^ "Honour List". Retrieved 26 October 2020.
37. "State / Premier League Best & Fairest". www.contax.net.au. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
38. "Club Captains". www.contax.net.au. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
39. "Club Coaches". www.contax.net.au. Retrieved 26 October 2020.

External links

• Contax Netball Club on Facebook
• Contax Netball Club on Instagram

• Sports clubs and teams in Adelaide
• Netball teams in South Australia
• Sports clubs and teams established in 1952
• 1952 establishments in Australia
• Esso/Mobil Superleague teams
• South Australia state netball league teams