Adelaide Thunderbirds are an Australian professional netball team based in Adelaide, South Australia. Since 2017 they have played in Suncorp Super Netball. Between 2008 and 2016, they played in the ANZ Championship and between 1997 and 2007, they played in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy league. Thunderbirds have won five premierships. They won their first two premierships in 1998 and 1999 during the Commonwealth Bank Trophy era, their third and fourth in 2010 and 2013 during ANZ Championship era, and their fifth in 2023 during the suncorp netball era. Historically, Thunderbirds are one of Australia's most successful netball teams. Between 1997 and 2010 they finished in the top three of every regular season, and are the first and only team to win a Trophy at all 3 eras.
Shelley O'Donnell is a former Australia netball international. Between 1990 and 1999, O'Donnell made 84 senior appearances for Australia. She was a member of the Australia teams that won gold medals at the 1991, 1995 and 1999 World Netball Championships, the 1993 World Games and the 1998 Commonwealth Games. During the Esso/Mobil Superleague era, O'Donnell played for several teams, including the Australian Institute of Sport and Contax. Between 1997 and 2005, O'Donnell played for Melbourne Kestrels in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy league. In 1992, she was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia.
Natalie von BertouchBUR-toh;, also known as Natalie Bode, is a former Australia netball international. Between 2004 and 2012 she made 76 senior appearances for Australia. Bertouch was a member of the Australia teams that won the gold medals at the 2007 and 2011 World Netball Championships. She captained Australia at the latter tournament. She was also a member of the Australia teams that won the silver medals at the 2006 and 2010 Commonwealth Games. At club level, Bertouch captained Adelaide Thunderbirds to two ANZ Championship titles in 2010 and 2013. Her older sister Laura von Bertouch is also a former netball player. The two sisters were team mates with both Thunderbirds and Australia.
Geofrey Peter Motley was an Australian rules footballer and coach who played for South Australian National Football League (SANFL) side Port Adelaide. Motley was born near Alberton Oval, the home ground of the Port Adelaide Football Club, and grew up supporting Port Adelaide.
Netball South Australia is the governing body for netball in South Australia. It is affiliated to Netball Australia. It is responsible for organizing and managing the Netball South Australia Premier League as well as numerous other leagues and competitions for junior and youth teams. It is also responsible for organizing and managing two elite level representatives teams, Adelaide Thunderbirds, who compete in the Suncorp Super Netball, and Southern Force who compete in the Australian Netball League. Its headquarters are based at Netball SA Stadium.
Natalie Avellino is a former Australian netball international and current netball coach. Between 1994 and 2006 she made 20 senior appearances for Australia. Avellino was a member of the Australia teams that won the gold medal at the 1995 World Netball Championships and the silver medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
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.
Joyce Alice Brown is a former Australia netball international and national team head coach. Brown captained Australia at the inaugural 1963 World Netball Championships, winning a gold medal. She later coached Australia at the 1975, 1983 and 1991 World Netball Championships and at the 1993 World Games, guiding the team to four gold medals. Brown never lost a World Netball Championship match, either as a player or coach. In 1992 she was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia. Between 1999 and 2002, Brown served as head coach of Melbourne Phoenix in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy league, leading them to the premiership in 2000 and 2002. Brown also served as a netball umpire and sports administrator.
Jenny Borlase, also known as Jenny Kennett, is a former Australia netball international. Between 1989 and 1999 she made 70 senior appearances for Australia. She was a member of the Australia teams that won gold medals at the 1991, 1995 and 1999 World Netball Championships, the 1993 World Games and the 1998 Commonwealth Games. At club level, Borlase played for Garville in both the South Australia state league and the Mobil Superleague and for Adelaide Ravens and Melbourne Kestrels in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy league. She also represented South Australia. Borlase was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 1992. After retiring as a player, Borlase has remained involved in netball as both an administrator and coach.
Simone McKinnis is a former Australia netball international and the current head coach of Melbourne Vixens in Suncorp Super Netball. As a player she was a member of the Australia teams that won gold medals at the 1991 and 1995 World Netball Championships, the 1993 World Games and the 1998 Commonwealth Games. She also captained the Melbourne Phoenix team that won the 1997 Commonwealth Bank Trophy. She was head coach when Vixens won the 2014 ANZ Championship and the 2020 Suncorp Super Netball titles. In 1992, McKinnis was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia and in 2010 was inducted into the Australian Netball Hall of Fame.
Wilma Joyce Shakespear, previously known as Wilma Ritchie, is a former Australia netball international, Australia head coach and sports administrator. As a player, she represented Australia at the 1963 World Netball Championships, winning a gold medal. Shakespear coached Australia at the 1971, 1979 and 1987 World Netball Championships and at the 1989 World Games. Shakespear also served as head netball coach at the Australian Institute of Sport. Shakespear is married to Peter Shakespear, a former Australian rower.
Samantha Poolman, also known as Sam Poolman, is a former Australian netball player. Between 2010 and 2015, Poolman played for NNSW Blues, NNSW Waratahs and Southern Force in the Australian Netball League. Between 2013 and 2016, she played for Adelaide Thunderbirds in the ANZ Championship. She was a member of the Thunderbirds team that won the 2013 ANZ Championship. Between 2017 and 2021, Poolman has played for Giants in Suncorp Super Netball.
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.
Garville Netball Club is an Australian netball team based in Woodville, Adelaide, South Australia. Their senior team currently plays in the Netball South Australia Premier League. During the 1990s they played at a national level, representing Netball South Australia in the Mobil Superleague. During the Mobil Superleague era, they were also referred to as Adelaide Garville. In 1993 they were Mobil Superleague premiers.
Adelaide Ravens were an Australian netball team that, together with Adelaide Thunderbirds, represented Netball South Australia in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy league. In 1997 Ravens were founder members of the league. In 1999 they were grand finalists. They continued to play in the competition until 2002, when they were replaced by AIS Canberra Darters.
Roselee Jencke is a former Australia netball international and netball coach. As a player, Jencke was a member of the Australia teams that won the gold medal at the 1991 World Netball Championships and the silver medals at the 1985 World Games and the 1987 World Netball Championships. In 1992 she was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia. Between 2009 and 2020, Jencke served as head coach of Queensland Firebirds. Between 2011 and 2016 she guided Firebirds to five ANZ Championship grand finals, winning three premierships in 2011, 2015 and 2016.
The Mobil Superleague, originally known as the Esso Superleague, was the top level national Australian netball league between 1985 and 1996. The league was Australia's first national netball league. It was organized by the All Australia Netball Association and featured the state league champions from New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland and Western Australia plus a team from the Australian Institute of Sport. Between 1990 and 1996, the winners of the league were also awarded the Prime Minister's Cup and this is sometimes used as an alternative name for the competition. Its main sponsors were Esso and Mobil. In 1997 it was replaced by the Commonwealth Bank Trophy.
Margaret Elaine Caldow, also known as Marg Caldow, is a former Australia netball international and a former England head coach. She represented Australia at the 1963, 1975 and the 1979 World Netball Championships, winning three gold medals. She captained Australia at the 1975 and 1979 tournaments. Between 2004 and 2007, Caldow served as head coach of England. She was the England head coach at both the 2006 Commonwealth Games and the 2007 World Netball Championships. Between 2013 and 2018, Caldow served as Lisa Alexander's assistant with Australia. In 1978 Caldow was awarded the British Empire Medal and in 2009 she was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia.
The Australian Netball Hall of Fame was established by Netball Australia in 2008. The inaugural inductees included Margaret Caldow, Anne Sargeant, Vicki Wilson and Joyce Brown.
