# Commonwealth Bank Trophy

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.

## Teams

The founding members of the Commonwealth Bank Trophy league included Adelaide Ravens, Adelaide Thunderbirds, Melbourne Kestrels, Melbourne Phoenix, Perth Orioles, Sydney Sandpipers, Sydney Swifts and Queensland Firebirds. The majority of the teams were named after native Australian birds including ravens, kestrels, orioles and sandpipers. Adelaide Thunderbirds were initially going to be named Adelaide Falcons but the name was changed at the request of the rugby union team. In 2003 Ravens were replaced by AIS Canberra Darters and in 2004 Sandpipers were replaced by Hunter Jaegers.
In 2008, when the Commonwealth Bank Trophy league was replaced by the ANZ Championship, Thunderbirds and Firebirds became founders of the new league. Several other Commonwealth Bank Trophy teams were transformed to form ANZ Championship teams. Swifts and Jaegers merged to become New South Wales Swifts, Kestrels and Phoenix merged to become Melbourne Vixens and Orioles were rebranded as West Coast Fever. Meanwhile, the Australian Institute of Sport and Canberra Darters ended their partnership and in 2008 entered two separate team in the Australian Netball League.

### 2007 teams

| Team | Home venue/base | State/Territory |
| Adelaide Thunderbirds | Netball SA Stadium | South Australia |
| AIS Canberra Darters | AIS Arena | Australian Capital Territory |
| Hunter Jaegers | Newcastle Entertainment Centre | New South Wales |
| Melbourne Phoenix | Parkville Stadium | Victoria |
| Melbourne Kestrels | Parkville Stadium Waverley Netball Centre | Victoria |
| Perth Orioles | Challenge Stadium | Western Australia |
| Queensland Firebirds | Chandler Arena | Queensland |
| Sydney Swifts | Sydney SuperDome State Sports Centre Wollongong Entertainment Centre | New South Wales |

### Earlier teams

| Team | Region | Debut season | Final season | Replaced by |
| Adelaide Ravens | South Australia | 1997 | 2002 | AIS Canberra Darters |
| Sydney Sandpipers | New South Wales | 1997 | 2003 | Hunter Jaegers |

## Grand finals

| Season | Winners | Score | Runners Up | Venue |
| 1997 | Melbourne Phoenix | 58–48 | Adelaide Thunderbirds | The Glasshouse |
| 1998 | Adelaide Thunderbirds | 48–42 | Sydney Swifts | Netball SA Stadium |
| 1999 | Adelaide Thunderbirds | 62–30 | Adelaide Ravens | Netball SA Stadium |
| 2000 | Melbourne Phoenix | 52–51 | Adelaide Thunderbirds | The Glasshouse |
| 2001 | Sydney Swifts | 57–32 | Adelaide Thunderbirds | State Sports Centre |
| 2002 | Melbourne Phoenix | 49–44 | Adelaide Thunderbirds | John Cain Arena |
| 2003 | Melbourne Phoenix | 47–44 | Sydney Swifts | Sydney SuperDome |
| 2004 | Sydney Swifts | 52–51 | Melbourne Phoenix | Sydney SuperDome |
| 2005 | Melbourne Phoenix | 61–44 | Sydney Swifts | John Cain Arena |
| 2006 | Sydney Swifts | 65–36 | Adelaide Thunderbirds | State Sports Centre |
| 2007 | Sydney Swifts | 45–37 | Melbourne Phoenix | Sydney SuperDome |

## Minor premierships

| Season | Winners |
| 1997 | Adelaide Thunderbirds |
| 1998 | Adelaide Thunderbirds |
| 1999 | Adelaide Thunderbirds |
| 2000 | Adelaide Thunderbirds |
| 2001 | Adelaide Thunderbirds |
| 2002 | Melbourne Phoenix |
| 2003 | Melbourne Phoenix |
| 2004 | Sydney Swifts |
| 2005 | Sydney Swifts |
| 2006 | Sydney Swifts |
| 2007 | Melbourne Phoenix |

## Awards
### Most Valuable Player

| Season | Player | Team |
| 1998 | Liz Ellis | Sydney Swifts |
| 1999 | Jacqui Delaney | Adelaide Thunderbirds |
| 2000 | Sharelle McMahon | Melbourne Phoenix |
| 2001 | Jacqui Delaney | Adelaide Thunderbirds |
| 2002 | Liz Ellis | Sydney Swifts |
| 2003 | Sharelle McMahon | Melbourne Phoenix |
| 2004 | Cynna Neele | Melbourne Kestrels |
| 2005 | Sharelle McMahon | Melbourne Phoenix |
| 2006 | Liz Ellis | Sydney Swifts |
| 2007 | Sharelle McMahon | Melbourne Phoenix |

### Players' Player of the Year

| Season | Player | Team |
| 2001 | Jacqui Delaney | Adelaide Thunderbirds |
| | Catherine Cox | Perth Orioles |
| 2002 | Liz Ellis | Sydney Swifts |
| 2003 | Cynna Neele | Melbourne Kestrels |
| | Natalie Sloane | |
| | Mo'onia Gerrard | |
| 2004 | Janine Ilitch | Melbourne Kestrels |
| | Raegan Jackson | Hunter Jaegers |
| 2005 | Natasha Chokljat | Melbourne Phoenix |
| 2006 | Caitlin Bassett | Perth Orioles |
| | Caitlin Thwaites | Melbourne Kestrels |
| 2007 | Leah Shoard | AIS Canberra Darters |

### Grand final MVP

| Season | Player | Team |
| 1997 | | |
| 1998 | Sarah Sutter | Adelaide Thunderbirds |
| 1999 | Jacqui Delaney | Adelaide Thunderbirds |
| 2000 | Sharelle McMahon | Melbourne Phoenix |
| 2001 | Liz Ellis | Sydney Swifts |
| 2002 | Sharelle McMahon | Melbourne Phoenix |
| 2003 | | |
| 2004 | Catherine Cox | Sydney Swifts |
| 2005 | Bianca Chatfield | Melbourne Phoenix |
| 2006 | Liz Ellis | Sydney Swifts |
| 2007 | Selina Gilsenan | Sydney Swifts |

### Best New Talent

| Season | Player | Team |
| 1998 | Natalie Sloane | Queensland Firebirds |
| 1999 | Mo'onia Gerrard | Sydney Sandpipers |
| 2000 | Cynna Neele | Melbourne Kestrels |
| 2001 | Jane Altschwager | Sydney Swifts |
| 2002 | Mandy Edwards | Adelaide Thunderbirds |
| 2003 | Carla Dziwoki | Queensland Firebirds |
| 2004 | Julie Prendergast | Melbourne Phoenix |
| 2005 | Clare McMeniman | AIS Canberra Darters |
| 2006 | Madison Browne | Melbourne Kestrels |
| 2007 | Ashlee Howard | Melbourne Kestrels |

### Coach of the Year

| Season | Player | Team |
| 2004 | Julie Fitzgerald | Sydney Swifts |
| 2005 | Julie Hoornweg | Melbourne Phoenix |
| 2006 | Julie Fitzgerald | Sydney Swifts |
| 2007 | Julie Fitzgerald | Sydney Swifts |

### Margaret Pewtress Team of the Year

| Season | Team of the Year |
| 2002 | GS Eloise Southby GA Sharelle McMahon; WA Laura von Bertouch C Rebecca Sanders WD Peta Squire; GD Kathryn Harby-Williams GK Liz Ellis |
| 2003 | GS Catherine Cox GA Sharelle McMahon; WA Susan Meaney C Rebecca Sanders WD Peta Scholz; GD Liz Boniello GK Bianca Chatfield |
| 2004 | GS Catherine Cox (Sydney Swifts) GA Sharelle McMahon (Melbourne Phoenix); WA Laura von Bertouch (Adelaide Thunderbirds) C Sarah Barrett (Sydney Swifts) WD Peta Scholz (Adelaide Thunderbirds); GD Alison Broadbent (Sydney Swifts) GK Liz Ellis (Sydney Swifts) |
| 2005 | GS Catherine Cox (Sydney Swifts) GA Sharelle McMahon (Melbourne Phoenix); WA Laura von Bertouch (Adelaide Thunderbirds) C Natalie von Bertouch (Adelaide Thunderbirds) WD Natasha Chokljat (Melbourne Phoenix); GD Johannah Curran (Melbourne Phoenix) GK Bianca Chatfield (Melbourne Phoenix) |
| 2006 | GS Catherine Cox (Sydney Swifts) GA Sharelle McMahon (Melbourne Phoenix); WA Laura von Bertouch (Adelaide Thunderbirds) C Natalie von Bertouch (Adelaide Thunderbirds) WD Natasha Chokljat (Melbourne Phoenix); GD Mo'onia Gerrard (Sydney Swifts) GK Liz Ellis (Sydney Swifts) |
| 2007 | GS Catherine Cox (Sydney Swifts) GA Sharelle McMahon (Melbourne Phoenix); WA Laura von Bertouch (Adelaide Thunderbirds) C Natalie von Bertouch WD (Adelaide Thunderbirds) Peta Scholz (Adelaide Thunderbirds); GD Julie Prendergast (Melbourne Kestrels) GK Liz Ellis (Sydney Swifts) |

## Television

ABC were the Commonwealth Bank Trophy league's official broadcast partner.