# Sapphire Series

The Sapphire Series (also known as the Hart Sapphire Series under naming rights) is a state netball league featuring teams from Queensland. The league is organised by Netball Queensland. The current semi-professional league was first played for during the 2019 season. It replaced earlier state leagues organised by Netball Queensland as the top level netball competition in Queensland. On a national level, the HART Sapphire Series is effectively a third level league. Reserve teams compete in the Ruby Series. The Firebirds Futures are the representative team of the Sapphire Series. They originally played as Queensland Fusion, and then in 2021 were re-branded Queensland Sapphires after the Sapphire Series.

## History
### Earlier state leagues

Between 2001 and 2018, Netball Queensland organised a series of state leagues. These included the Dairy Farmers Cup, the Holden Astra Cup, the Holden Cruze Cup, the Queensland Champions Cup and the Queensland State Netball League.

### 2019

In 2019 the founding members of the Sapphire Series included Bond University Bull Sharks, Brisbane North Cougars, Carina Leagues Club Tigers, Ipswich Jets, Moreton Bay/USC Thunder, Northern Rays and QUT Wildcats. The inaugural season began on 25 June 2019, with a match which saw Thunder defeat Bull Sharks 53–44. QUT Wildcats were the inaugural premiers after defeating Cougars 60–49 in the grand final.

### 2020

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 season took place later then planned. Northern Rays were unable to compete due to travel restrictions, so the second season went ahead with six teams in the Sapphire Series. Cougars, Jets, Wildcats, Tigers, Bullsharks and Thunder also entered the Ruby Series were they joined by a seventh team, Darling Downs Panthers. Cougars finished the season as premiers after defeating Jets 62–47 in the grand final.

### 2021

The 2021 Sapphire Series featured eight teams with the return of Northern Rays and the debut of QUT Netball. Brisbane North Cougars finished the season as premiers after defeating QUT Netball 70–45 in the grand final.

### 2022

In December 2021 it was announced that Gold Coast Titans would enter a team in the 2022 Sapphire Series.

## Teams

| Team | Home venue/base | Home city/town/suburb | Debut season |
| Bond University Bull Sharks | | Bond University | 2019 |
| Brisbane North Cougars | | North Brisbane | 2019 |
| Brisbane South Wildcats | Nissan Arena | South Brisbane | 2019 |
| Carina Leagues Club Tigers | | East Brisbane | 2019 |
| Darling Downs Panthers | Downlands College | Toowoomba | 2020 |
| Gold Coast Titans | | Gold Coast, Queensland | 2022 |
| Northern Mendi Rays | Townsville Stadium | Townsville | 2019 |
| QUT Netball | Nissan Arena | Queensland University of Technology | 2021 |
| USC Thunder | USC Stadium | University of the Sunshine Coast | 2019 |
| USQ Jets Netball Club | | Ipswich, Queensland | 2019 |

### Notes

* ^1 Brisbane South Wildcats were originally partnered with Queensland University of Technology and were known as QUT Wildcats.
* ^2 Darling Downs Panthers only play in the Ruby Series.
* ^3 Gold Coast Titans are the netball team of Gold Coast Titans
* ^4 USC Thunder were originally known as Moreton Bay Thunder. They are partnered with both the University of the Sunshine Coast and Sunshine Coast Lightning.
* ^5 USQ Jets Netball Club were originally known as Ipswich Jets. They are partnered with both the University of Southern Queensland and Ipswich Jets.
Source:

## Venues

The majority of Sapphire Series matches are played at the Queensland State Netball Centre. Northern Rays play their home games in North Queensland, while the remaining teams can play two home games in their own venue each season.

## Representative team

Queensland Sapphires are the representative team of the HART Sapphire Series. They originally played as Queensland Fusion. In 2021 they were re-branded Queensland Sapphires after the Sapphire Series.

## Division 1 grand finals
### Dairy Farmers Cup

| Season | Winners | Runners Up | Venue |
| 2001 | Brisbane North Cougars | Brisbane East Pumas ? | |
| 2002 | Brisbane North Cougars | |
| 2003 | Brisbane North Cougars | Brisbane West Pumas | Mount Gravatt |
| 2004 | Brisbane North Cougars | | |

### Holden Astra Cup

| Season | Winners | Runners Up | Venue |
| 2005 | Brisbane North Cougars | | |
| 2006 | | | |
| 2007 | Brisbane North Cougars | |
| 2008 | ??? Tigers | Brisbane North Kedron Wavell Cougars | Mount Gravatt |
| 2009 | Brisbane South Wildcats | Brisbane North Kedron Wavell Cougars | |
| 2010 | Brisbane North Cougars | | |

### Holden Cruze Cup

| Season | Winners | Score | Runners Up | Venue |
| 2011 | Brisbane North Cougars | 52–44 | Carina Leagues Club Tigers | Logan Metro Indoor Sports Centre |
| 2012 | Carina Leagues Club Tigers | 57–39 | Kedron-Wavell Services Club Cougars | |

### Queensland Champions Cup

| Season | Winners | Score | Runners Up | Venue |
| 2013 | Brisbane North Cougars | 66–53 | Carina Leagues Club Tigers | |
| 2014 | Carina Leagues Club Tigers | 56–44 | Suncoast Lynx | |

### Queensland State Netball League Division 1

| Season | Winners | Score | Runners Up | Venue |
| 2015 | Brisbane North Cougars | | Carina Leagues Club Tigers | |
| 2016 | Brisbane North Cougars | 49–43 | Carina Leagues Club Tigers | |
| 2017 | Brisbane North Cougars | 43–38 | Carina Leagues Club Tigers | |
| 2018 | Brisbane North Cougars | | Goodna Services Brisbane Lions | Logan Metro Indoor Sports Centre |

### Sapphire Series

| Season | Winners | Score | Runners Up | Venue |
| 2019 | QUT Wildcats | 60–49 | Brisbane North Cougars | QSNC |
| 2020 | Brisbane North Cougars | 62–47 | USQ Jets | |
| 2021 | Brisbane North Cougars | 70–45 | QUT Netball | |
Source:

## Awards
### Katie Walker Medal

The Sapphire Series MVP award is named after Katie Walker.
| Season | Winner | Team |
| 2019 | Hulita Veve | QUT Wildcats |
| 2020 | Ava Black | Bond University Bull Sharks |
| 2021 | Leesa Mi Mi | Brisbane North Cougars |

### Sapphire Series Grand Final MVP

| Season | Winner | Team |
| 2019 | Dannielle Taylor | QUT Wildcats |
| 2020 | Ruby Bakewell-Doran | Brisbane North Cougars |
| 2021 | | |

## Ruby Series
### Grand finals

| Season | Winners | Score | Runners Up | Venue |
| 2019 | Carina Leagues Club Tigers | 51–36 | Ipswich Jets | |
| 2020 | Carina Leagues Club Tigers | 56–48 | Brisbane North Cougars | |
| 2021 | Brisbane North Cougars | 58–39 | Carina Leagues Club Tigers | Nissan Arena |

### Awards
#### Ruby Series Season MVP

| Season | Winner | Team |
| 2019 | Martina Reekers | |
| 2020 | Naomi Solomona | Ipswich Jets |
| 2021 | | |

#### Ruby Series Grand Final MVP

| Season | Winner | Team |
| 2019 | Shelley Rosanoff | Carina Leagues Club Tigers |
| 2020 | Reilley Batcheldor | Carina Leagues Club Tigers |
| 2021 | Monique Piuniti | Brisbane North Cougars |

## Main sponsors

| | Years |
| Hart Sport | 2019– |