The ANZ Championship, also known as the Trans-Tasman Netball League, is a former netball league featuring teams from both Australia and New Zealand. Between 2008 and 2016, it was the top-level league in both countries. The competition was owned and administered by Trans-Tasman Netball League Ltd (TTNL), a joint venture between Netball Australia and Netball New Zealand. It was effectively a merger of Australia's Commonwealth Bank Trophy and New Zealand's National Bank Cup. Its main sponsor was the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group.
Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic are a New Zealand netball team based in Hamilton. The team were formed in 1998, following the merger of Waikato Wildcats and Bay of Plenty Magic. In 1997, Wildcats and Magic had been founder members of the Coca-Cola Cup/National Bank Cup league. Between 1999 and 2007, the new team continued to play in the league. Magic are the only team from the Coca-Cola Cup/National Bank Cup era to have retained their original name. Between 2008 and 2016, they played in the ANZ Championship. Since 2017, Magic have represented Netball Waikato Bay of Plenty in the ANZ Premiership. Netball Waikato Bay of Plenty is the governing body that represents the North Island regions of Waikato and Bay of Plenty. During the National Bank Cup era, Magic were premiers in 2005 and 2006. During the ANZ Championship era, Magic were the most successful New Zealand team. In 2008 they were minor premiers and they were grand finalists in 2008 and 2010 before winning the overall title in 2012. They were the only New Zealand team to win the ANZ Championship.
The 2008 ANZ Championship season was the inaugural season of the ANZ Championship. The 2008 season began on 5 April and concluded on 28 July. Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic were minor premiers after finishing top of the table following the regular season. New South Wales Swifts, with a team coached by Julie Fitzgerald and captained by Catherine Cox, won 10 of their 13 matches and finished second behind Magic. Swifts subsequently defeated Magic in both the major semi–final and the grand final to become the inaugural ANZ Championship winners. The grand final was played on 28 July at Acer Arena. Overall, 6792 goals were scored during the season, averaging 98.44 per match. Fox Sports (Australia) and Sky Sport attracted an average audience per match of 56,581.
The 2009 ANZ Championship season was the second season of the ANZ Championship. The 2009 season began on 4 April and concluded on 26 July. Melbourne Vixens were minor premiers. With a team co-captained by Bianca Chatfield and Sharelle McMahon, Vixens subsequently defeated Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic 58–43 in the major semi-final and Adelaide Thunderbirds 54–46 in the grand final to finish as overall premiers. The grand final was played on Sunday 26 July at Hisense Arena.
The 2010 ANZ Championship season was the third season of the ANZ Championship. The 2010 season began on 20 March and concluded on 11 July. New South Wales Swifts went through the entire regular season home and away undefeated, winning 13 consecutive matches and finishing as minor premiers. They were the first team in the history of the ANZ Championship to do this. However they subsequently lost both the major semi-final and the preliminary final to Adelaide Thunderbirds and Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic respectively and eventually finished the season in third place. After defeating Swifts in the major semi-final, Thunderbirds defeated Magic 52–42 in the grand final, winning their third premiership.
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.
The 2011 Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic season saw Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic compete in the 2011 ANZ Championship. With a team coached by Noeline Taurua and captained by Laura Langman, Magic finished the regular season second behind Queensland Firebirds. They subsequently lost to Firebirds in the major semi-final and to Northern Mystics in the preliminary final. Magic finished the season third overall.
The 2012 ANZ Championship season was the fifth season of the ANZ Championship. The 2012 season began on 31 March and concluded on 22 July. With a team coached by Noeline Taurua, captained by Laura Langman and featuring Leana de Bruin, Irene van Dyk, Julianna Naoupu and Casey Williams, Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic eventually won the premiership. They became fifth team in as many seasons to win the title. Melbourne Vixens won the minor premiership after winning 10 of their 13 matches. Meanwhile, Magic lost their first four matches. However, they subsequently won 12 matches in a row to finish third during the regular season and champions overall. In the minor semi-final they defeated Adelaide Thunderbirds and in the preliminary final they defeated Northern Mystics after extra time. In the grand final they defeated Vixens 41–38. As a result, they became the first, and only, New Zealand team to win the Championship. They were also the first and only team to start the season with four defeats and win the title and the first and only team to finish third in the regular season and win the title.
The 2012 New South Wales Swifts season saw New South Wales Swifts compete in the 2012 ANZ Championship. They were coached by Lisa Beehag, a former Australia international. During the 2011 season, Beehag had served as head coach of NNSW Blues in the Australian Netball League. During the regular season, Swifts finished in fifth place and failed to qualify for the playoffs. They narrowly missed out on the playoffs after a 50–49 defeat to Northern Mystics in their final regular season match.
The 2012 Melbourne Vixens season saw Melbourne Vixens compete in the 2012 ANZ Championship. With a team captained by Bianca Chatfield and featuring Madison Browne, Julie Corletto and Geva Mentor, Vixens finished the season as minor premiers. In the major semi-final they defeated Northern Mystics 56–50. This was the first ever netball match held at Rod Laver Arena. However they lost the grand final 41–38 to Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic and finished the season as runners-up. After five years as head coach of Vixens, Julie Hoornweg announced her retirement at the end of the 2012 season.
The 2012 Adelaide Thunderbirds season saw Adelaide Thunderbirds compete in the 2012 ANZ Championship. After winning nine games doing the regular season, Thunderbirds finished fourth and qualified for the play-offs. However they subsequently lost the minor semi-final 49–48 to the eventual overall champions, Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic.
The 2008 New South Wales Swifts season was the inaugural season for both New South Wales Swifts and the ANZ Championship. Swifts were formed in late 2007 when Netball New South Wales merged its two former Commonwealth Bank Trophy league teams, Sydney Swifts and Hunter Jaegers, in order to enter a single team in the 2008 ANZ Championship. With a team coached by Julie Fitzgerald and captained by Catherine Cox, Swifts won 10 of their 13 matches during the regular season and finished second behind Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic. Swifts subsequently defeated Magic in both the major semi–final and the grand final to become the inaugural ANZ Championship winners.
The 2016 ANZ Championship season was the ninth and last season of the ANZ Championship. The season began on 1 April 2016 and concluded on 4 July 2016. Southern Steel were minor premiers. However they subsequently lost the New Zealand Conference Final to Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic and were defeated in the semi-finals by Queensland Firebirds. With a team coached by Roselee Jencke, captained by Laura Geitz and featuring Romelda Aiken, Clare McMeniman and Kim Ravaillion, Firebirds won the Australian Conference, the Challenge Trophy and the overall championship. Firebirds became the first and only team to retain the title. In a repeat of 2015, Firebirds defeated New South Wales Swifts in both the Australian Conference Final and the Grand Final.
The 2010 New South Wales Swifts season saw New South Wales Swifts compete in the 2010 ANZ Championship. Swifts went through the entire regular season home and away undefeated, winning 13 consecutive matches and finishing as minor premiers. They were the first team in the history of the ANZ Championship to do this. However they subsequently lost both the major semi-final and the preliminary final to Adelaide Thunderbirds and Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic respectively and finished the season in third place.
The 2015 New South Wales Swifts season saw New South Wales Swifts compete in the 2015 ANZ Championship. Swifts finished the regular season in second place in the Australian Conference. In the play-offs, they defeated West Coast Fever and Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic but twice lost narrowly to Queensland Firebirds in both the Australian Conference final and the Grand Final. It was Swifts' first appearance in the title decider since their successful 2008 campaign.
The 2010 Adelaide Thunderbirds season saw Adelaide Thunderbirds compete in the 2010 ANZ Championship. After winning nine games, Thunderbirds finished second, behind New South Wales Swifts, during the regular season. However, after defeating Swifts in the major semi-final, Thunderbirds defeated Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic 52–42 in the grand final to win their third premiership. The 2010 season was the last season that Thunderbirds played in black, white, teal and silver, the colours of their sponsors, Port Adelaide Football Club. Ahead of the 2011 season, Thunderbirds announced they were changing their team colours to pink.
The 2012 Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic season saw Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic compete in the 2012 ANZ Championship. With a team coached by Noeline Taurua, captained by Laura Langman and featuring Leana de Bruin, Irene van Dyk, Julianna Naoupu and Casey Williams, Magic eventually won the premiership. They became the fifth team in as many seasons to win the title. Magic lost their first four matches. However, they subsequently won 12 matches in a row to finish third during the regular season and champions overall. In the minor semi-final they defeated Adelaide Thunderbirds and in the preliminary final they defeated Northern Mystics after extra time. In the grand final they defeated Melbourne Vixens 41–38. As a result, they became the first, and only, New Zealand team to win the Championship. They were also the first and only team to start the season with four defeats and win the title and the first and only team to finish third in the regular season and win the title.
The 2009 Adelaide Thunderbirds season saw Adelaide Thunderbirds compete in the 2009 ANZ Championship. After winning ten games, Thunderbirds finished third, behind Melbourne Vixens and Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic, during the regular season. They subsequently defeated Southern Steel in the minor semi-final and Magic in the preliminary final before losing to Vixens in the grand final.
The 2009 Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic season saw Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic compete in the 2009 ANZ Championship. With a team coached by Noeline Taurua and co-captained by Joline Henry and Irene van Dyk, Magic finished the regular season as runners-up to Melbourne Vixens. They subsequently lost the major semi-final to Vixens and the preliminary final to Adelaide Thunderbirds.
The 2010 Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic season saw Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic compete in the 2010 ANZ Championship. With a team coached by Noeline Taurua and captained by Laura Langman, Magic finished the regular season third behind New South Wales Swifts and Adelaide Thunderbirds. They subsequently defeated Southern Steel in the minor semi-final and Swifts in the preliminary final but lost to Thunderbirds in the grand final.
