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.
Hunter Jaegers were an Australian netball team based in Newcastle, New South Wales. Together with Sydney Swifts and Sydney Sandpipers, they were one of three teams to represent Netball New South Wales in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy league. Hunter Jaegers made their CBT debut in 2004. They continued to play in the competition until its demise in 2007. In 2008, when the Commonwealth Bank Trophy was replaced by the ANZ Championship, Jaegers and Swifts merged to form New South Wales Swifts.
Perth Orioles were an Australian netball team that, between 1997 and 2007, represented Netball Western Australia in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy. Orioles were one of the founding teams of the competition. They never finished higher than sixth in the competition's eleven seasons and finished last four times. In 2008, when the Commonwealth Bank Trophy was replaced by the ANZ Championship, Perth Orioles were rebranded as West Coast Fever.
Melbourne Phoenix were an Australian netball team that represented Netball Victoria in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy. Between 1997 and 2007, together with Melbourne Kestrels, they were one of two teams to represent Netball Victoria in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy era. Phoenix were the inaugural CBT champions and went on to become the competition's most successful team, winning five premierships. In 2008, when the Commonwealth Bank Trophy was replaced by the ANZ Championship, Phoenix and Kestrels merged to form Melbourne Vixens.
Canberra Darters are a former Australian netball team based in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. The team was originally formed as a partnership between the Australian Institute of Sport and Netball ACT. Between 2003 and 2007 they played in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy as AIS Canberra Darters. The AIS and Netball ACT subsequently entered separate teams in the Australian Netball League. Canberra Darters were the Netball ACT team in the ANL between 2008 and 2016. In 2017 they were replaced in the ANL by Canberra Giants.
Sydney Swifts were an Australian netball team based in Sydney. Between 1997 and 2007, they represented Netball New South Wales in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy league. Together with Sydney Sandpipers and Hunter Jaegers, they were one of three teams to represent NNSW in the competition. After Melbourne Phoenix, Swifts were the league's second most successful team, winning four premierships and three minor premierships. In 2008, when the Commonwealth Bank Trophy was replaced by the ANZ Championship, Swifts and Jaegers merged to form New South Wales Swifts.
Adelaide Thunderbirds are an Australian 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 four premierships. They won their first two premierships in 1998 and 1999 during the Commonwealth Bank Trophy era and their third and fourth in 2010 and 2013 during ANZ Championship 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.
Samantha May, also known as Sam May, is a former Australian netball player who played for Hertfordshire Mavericks, Wasps and Loughborough Lightning in the Netball Superleague, featuring in five grand finals in 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021, winning three times. In Australia, May played for Sydney Swifts and AIS Canberra Darters in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy and for New South Wales Swifts in the ANZ Championship.
Catherine Anne Cox is an Australian former netball international and current netball commentator. Between 1997 and 2013, she made 108 senior appearances for Australia. She was a prominent member of the Australia teams that won gold medals at the 2002 Commonwealth Games and the 2007 and 2011 World Netball Championships. She was also a member of the Australia teams that won silver medals at the 2003 World Netball Championships and the 2006 and 2010 Commonwealth Games. Cox captained Australia on seven occasions, including when they won the 2011 Constellation Cup.
New South Wales Swifts are an Australian netball team based in Sydney, New South Wales. Since 2017 they have represented Netball New South Wales in Suncorp Super Netball. Between 2008 and 2016, they played in the ANZ Championship. The team was formed in 2007 when Netball New South Wales merged its two former Commonwealth Bank Trophy league teams, Sydney Swifts and Hunter Jaegers. In 2008, Swifts were the inaugural ANZ Championship winners. Swifts were also grand finalists in 2015 and 2016. They won their second and third premierships in 2019 and 2021.
Megan Anderson, also known as Megan McWilliams and previously known as Megan Dehn, is a former Australia netball international and current netball coach. Between 2000 and 2006 she made 20 senior appearances for Australia. She was a member of the Australia team that won the silver medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games. During the Commonwealth Bank Trophy era, Anderson was a member of Sydney Swifts teams that won premierships in 2001, 2004, 2006 and 2007. During the ANZ Championship era, she played for Southern Steel and Northern Mystics. After retiring as a player in 2011, she became a coach. In 2020 Anderson was appointed head coach of Queensland Firebirds.
Jane Altschwager is a former Australia netball international. During the Commonwealth Bank Trophy era, Altschwager made 81 senior appearances for Adelaide Thunderbirds, Sydney Swifts and Hunter Jaegers. Between 1999 and 2004, she was a member of three premiership winning squads – 1999 with Thunderbirds and 2001 and 2004 with Swifts. During the ANZ Championship era she re-joined Thunderbirds and also played for Central Pulse. Altschwager captained both Jaegers and Pulse. After retiring as a netball player, Altschwager went on to play women's Australian rules football for North Adelaide in the SANFL Women's League.
Emma Koster is an Australian former netball player. Between 2003 and 2007, Koster played for Hunter Jaegers and AIS Canberra Darters in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy league. She later played for New South Wales Swifts in the ANZ Championship during the 2008 and 2009 seasons. She was a member of the Swifts team that won inaugural 2008 ANZ Championship. She also represented Australia at under-21 level.
Vanessa Ware is a former Australian netball player. Between 2003 and 2007 she played for Sydney Swifts in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy league. She was a member of the Sydney Swifts teams that won premierships in 2004, 2006, 2007. Between 2008 and 2013 she played for New South Wales Swifts in the ANZ Championship. She was a member of the Swifts team that won the 2008 ANZ Championship. She also represented Australia at under-19, under-21 and Fast5 levels.
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.
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.
Netball New South Wales is the governing body for netball in New South Wales. It is affiliated to Netball Australia. It is responsible for organizing and managing two elite level teams, New South Wales Swifts and Giants Netball, who compete in Suncorp Super Netball. It is also responsible for organizing and managing the Netball NSW Premier League as well as numerous other leagues and competitions for junior and youth teams. Its headquarters are based at Netball Central, Sydney Olympic Park.
Briony Akle is a former Australia netball player and current netball coach. Between 1999 and 2004, Akle played for Sydney Swifts in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy league. Akle was a member of the Sydney Swifts teams that won premierships in 2001 and 2004. Since 2017 she has been head coach of New South Wales Swifts, guiding them to the 2019 and 2021 Suncorp Super Netball titles.
Julie Fitzgerald is a veteran Australian netball coach. Between 1997 and 2007, Fitzgerald served as head coach of Sydney Swifts in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy league. She guided Swifts to premierships in 2001, 2004, 2006 and 2007. Between 2008 and 2011, she served as head coach of New South Wales Swifts in the ANZ Championship. In 2008, she guided Swifts to the inaugural ANZ Championship title. Between 2014 and 2016, she guided Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic to the Finals Series every year in the ANZ Championship. Since 2017, Fitzgerald has served as head coach of Giants Netball in Suncorp Super Netball, guiding them to two grand finals and two minor championships. In 2020, Fitzgerald was made a Member of the Order of Australia.
