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Verity Anne Simmons (formerly Charles, born 19 May 1991) is an Australian rules footballer and former netball player. [1] She currently plays for West Coast in the AFL Women's (AFLW). In netball, she played 159 national league games for the West Coast Fever and Queensland Firebirds between 2012 and 2023. She also earnt three caps for the Australian national team.
In 2012, Simmons played her first season in the ANZ Championship with West Coast Fever. In 2014, she transferred to the Queensland Firebirds, where was part of a team that made a grand final in 2014 and won a premiership in 2015. [2] [3] In 2016, she transferred back to the Fever. She was appointed vice-captain for the inaugural season of Suncorp Super Netball in 2017, [4] [5] and won a premiership with the Fever in 2022. [6]
In 2021, she played three games for the Australian national team. [6]
At the end of the 2023 Super Netball season, after 159 national league games, she announced her "shock" retirement from the sport. [6]
Ahead of the 2024 AFL Women's season, Simmons signed a rookie contract with West Coast. [7]
In 2019, Simmons was a contestant on the third season of the television series Australian Ninja Warrior . [8]
From 2016 to 2022, she was married to former Wallaby Nathan Charles. [9] [10] During their marriage, she was known as Verity Charles.
The Super Netball League is a professional netball league featuring teams from across Australia. It superseded the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship, which also included teams from New Zealand, as the top-level netball league in Australia in 2017. Since 2019, the league has been governed on behalf of Netball Australia by an independent commission. Its main sponsor is Suncorp Group. Sunshine Coast Lightning were the inaugural Suncorp Super Netball winners.
Queensland Firebirds are an Australian professional netball team based in Brisbane, Queensland. 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. Firebirds were the most successful team during the ANZ Championship era, playing in five grand finals and winning three premierships, in 2011, 2015 and 2016. They were the only team to win back to back ANZ Championship titles.
Melbourne Vixens is an Australian professional netball team based in Melbourne, Victoria. Since 2017 they have represented Netball Victoria in Suncorp Super Netball. Between 2008 and 2016, they played in the ANZ Championship. The team was formed in 2007 when Netball Victoria merged its two former Commonwealth Bank Trophy league teams, Melbourne Phoenix and Melbourne Kestrels. Vixens have won three premierships, in 2009, 2014 and 2020.
New South Wales Swifts are an Australian professional netball team based in Sydney, New South Wales. Since 2017 they have reresented Netball New South Wales in Sun 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.
Sharni Norder is a retired Australian sportsperson, known for her top level careers in netball and Australian rules football. Over fifteen years Norder played for six netball clubs in multiple elite competitions, and was a dual premiership player for the Adelaide Thunderbirds. She earned 46 caps for the Australia national netball team, won two gold medals at the Netball World Cup and one gold medal at the Commonwealth Games, and was captain of the team in 2017.
Chelsea Pitman is an Australian-born netball player who represented the England National Netball Team internationally until 18 September 2023. In 2024 she was contracted as a training partner and temporary replacement player for the GIANTS Netball playing in the Suncorp Super Netball competition in Australia and announced her retirement during round 9 from all levels of competition. She predominantly played wing attack, but also played goal attack.
Ashleigh Brazill is an Australian rules footballer who plays for the Fremantle Football Club in the AFL Women's. She previously played Australian netball for the Collingwood Magpies, and Australian rules football for the Collingwood Football Club, playing both sports concurrently. She has played for the West Coast Fever and New South Wales Swifts previously in her netball career.
Gretel Bueta is an Australian netball player and former basketball player.
Stephanie Fretwell, previously known as Stephanie Wood, is a former Australia netball international, who currently plays for the Sunshine Coast Lightning in the Super Netball competition.
Giants Netball are an Australian professional netball team based in Greater Western Sydney, New South Wales. Since 2017 they have played in Suncorp Super Netball. The team was formed in 2016 as a joint venture between Netball New South Wales and Greater Western Sydney Giants. Giants have played in two grand finals and have won two minor premierships.
Sara Francis-Bayman is a former netball player and coach from Billinge near Wigan, England. She is currently an Assistant Coach for the West Coast Fever in the Suncorp Super Netball.
Kate Walsh is an Australian netball player, most recently in the Suncorp Super Netball league, playing for the Sunshine Coast Lightning. In August 2019, Jess Thirlby the new England Roses Coach announced Shimmin would join the full time England Roses programme.
Jacqui Russell is an Australian netball player in the Suncorp Super Netball league, playing for the Sunshine Coast Lightning.
Shannon Eagland is an Australian netball player in the Suncorp Super Netball league, playing for the Sunshine Coast Lightning.
Tippah Dwan is a professional Australian netball player.
The 2014 Queensland Firebirds season saw the Queensland Firebirds netball team compete in the 2014 ANZ Championship. Firebirds finished second during the regular season and in the overall championship. Firebirds lost both the major semi-final and the grand final to Melbourne Vixens.
The 2015 Queensland Firebirds season saw the Queensland Firebirds netball team compete in the 2015 ANZ Championship. 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, the minor premiership and the overall championship. Firebirds narrowly defeated New South Wales Swifts in both the Australian Conference final and the Grand Final on their way to effectively winning four titles.
The 2022 Suncorp Super Netball season was the sixth season of the premier netball league in Australia. The season commenced on 26 March and concluded with the Grand Final on 3 July. The defending premiers were the New South Wales Swifts, who narrowly missed out on the finals series. The West Coast Fever won their very first premiership in the club's history, after defeating the Melbourne Vixens 70–59 in the Grand Final.
The 2023 Suncorp Super Netball season was the seventh season of the premier netball league in Australia. The season commenced on Saturday 18 March and concluded with the Grand Final on Saturday 8 July at John Cain Arena. The defending premiers were the West Coast Fever, who were eliminated in the Preliminary Final by the New South Wales Swifts. The Adelaide Thunderbirds won their first premiership in 10 years, narrowly defeating the New South Wales Swifts 60-59 after an extra time Grand Final thriller. This season was the last season to feature the Collingwood Magpies, who withdrew from the competition at the end of the season due to financial difficulties.
