# 2016 ANZ Championship season

The 2016 ANZ Championship season was the ninth and last season of the ANZ Championship. The season began on 1 April 2016 and concluded on 4 July 2016. Southern Steel were minor premiers. However they subsequently lost the New Zealand Conference Final to Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic and were defeated in the semi-finals by Queensland Firebirds. 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 and the overall championship. Firebirds became the first and only team to retain the title. In a repeat of 2015, Firebirds defeated New South Wales Swifts in both the Australian Conference Final and the Grand Final.

## Transfers

| Player | 2015 team | 2016 team |
| Jade Clarke | Loughborough Lightning | Adelaide Thunderbirds |
| Sarah Klau | Southern Force | Adelaide Thunderbirds |
| Hannah Petty | Southern Force | Adelaide Thunderbirds |
| Eboni Beckford-Chambers | Adelaide Thunderbirds | Team Bath |
| Laura Langman | Northern Mystics | New South Wales Swifts |
| Lauren Moore | NNSW Waratahs | New South Wales Swifts |
| Maddy Turner | Southern Force | New South Wales Swifts |
| Verity Simmons | Queensland Firebirds | West Coast Fever |
| Chelsea Pitman | Manchester Thunder | Central Pulse |
| Phoenix Karaka | Southern Steel | Central Pulse |
| Maia Wilson | Mount Albert Grammar School | Central Pulse |
| Ama Agbeze | Central Pulse | Loughborough Lightning |
| Liana Leota | Central Pulse | Manchester Thunder |
| Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit | Central Pulse | Southern Steel |
| Michaela Sokolich-Beatson | | Northern Mystics |
| Keshia Grant | Mainland Tactix | Hertfordshire Mavericks |
Sources:

## Head coaches and captains

| Team | Head coach | Captain |
| Adelaide Thunderbirds | Michelle Den Dekker | Erin Bell |
| Melbourne Vixens | Simone McKinnis | Madison Robinson |
| New South Wales Swifts | Robert Wright | Kimberlee Green |
| Queensland Firebirds | Roselee Jencke | Laura Geitz |
| West Coast Fever | Stacey Rosman | Ashleigh Brazill |
| Central Pulse | Tanya Dearns | Katrina Grant |
| Mainland Tactix | Sue Hawkins | Anna Thompson |
| Northern Mystics | Debbie Fuller | Maria Tutaia |
| Southern Steel | Noeline Taurua | Wendy Frew |
| Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic | Julie Fitzgerald | Leana de Bruin |

### Notes

^1 In June 2016, Michelle Den Dekker was replaced as Adelaide Thunderbirds head coach by Kristy Keppich-Birrell.
Source:

## Pre-season

On 5 March 2016, Melbourne Vixens played Adelaide Thunderbirds in a pre-season practice match at Wanganui Park Secondary College. The match was organised by Netball Victoria and the Greater Shepparton City Council. During the match, Vixens' Tegan Philip suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury which ended her season.
Between 18 and 20 March 2016, two separate three-day events were held simultaneously. Northern Mystics hosted Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic, Southern Steel, Adelaide Thunderbirds and Queensland Firebirds at The Trusts Arena while New South Wales Swifts hosted Melbourne Vixens, West Coast Fever, Central Pulse and Mainland Tactix at Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre. The two events experimented with a three-point scoring zone and rolling interchanges. Vixens defeated Fever in the final of the Sydney tournament.

## Regular season
### Round 1

Source:

### Round 2

Source:

### Round 3

Source:

### Round 4 ANZAC Round

* BYES:  Melbourne Vixens and Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic
Source:

### Round 5

Source:

### Round 6

Source:

### Round 7

* BYES:  Adelaide Thunderbirds and Southern Steel
Source:

### Round 8

Sources:

### Round 9

* BYES:  West Coast Fever and Mainland Tactix
Sources:

### Round 10

* BYES:  New South Wales Swifts and Central Pulse
Source:

### Round 11

Source:

### Round 12

* BYES:  Queensland Firebirds and Northern Mystics

### Round 13

Sources:

### Round 14

Source:

### Final standings

2016 Australian Conferencevte :
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | G% | Pts |
| 1 | Queensland Firebirds | 13 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 796 | 656 | 140 | 121.3% | 22 |
| 2 | New South Wales Swifts | 13 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 828 | 670 | 158 | 123.6% | 21 |
| 3 | Melbourne Vixens | 13 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 731 | 679 | 52 | 107.7% | 16 |
| 4 | West Coast Fever | 13 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 756 | 707 | 49 | 106.9% | 14 |
| 5 | Adelaide Thunderbirds | 13 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 660 | 775 | -115 | 85.2% | 4 |
| 2016 New Zealand Conferencevte |||||||||||
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | G% | Pts |
| 1 | Southern Steel | 13 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 852 | 732 | 120 | 116.4% | 24 |
| 2 | Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic | 13 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 665 | 755 | -90 | 88.1% | 12 |
| 3 | Northern Mystics | 13 | 3 | 9 | 1 | 674 | 743 | -69 | 90.7% | 7 |
| 5 | Mainland Tactix | 13 | 2 | 10 | 1 | 708 | 825 | -117 | 85.8% | 5 |
| 4 | Central Pulse | 13 | 2 | 10 | 1 | 676 | 804 | -128 | 84.1% | 5 |
Qualified for Conference finals Qualified for Elimination finals
* Pld = Games played
* W = Win (2 points)
* D = Draw (1 points)
* L = Loss (0 points)
* GF = Goals For
* GA = Goals Against
* GD = Goals Difference (= GF−GA)
* G% = Goal percentage (= 100 × GF/GA)
* Pts = Points
Source:

### Challenge Trophy

Queensland Firebirds began their defence of the Challenge Trophy in Round 1 against Mainland Tactix. Firebirds were unbeaten at home throughout the season and, as a result, retained the Challenge Trophy.
| Round | Holders | Score | Challengers |
| Round 1 | Queensland Firebirds | 70–55 | Mainland Tactix |
| Round 2 | Queensland Firebirds | 61–45 | Central Pulse |
| Round 5 | Queensland Firebirds | 61–51 | New South Wales Swifts |
| Round 6 | Queensland Firebirds | 70–42 | Northern Mystics |
| Round 8 | Queensland Firebirds | 62–51 | Adelaide Thunderbirds |
| Round 10 | Queensland Firebirds | 56–44 | Melbourne Vixens |
| Round 14 | Queensland Firebirds | 63–52 | West Coast Fever |

## Finals series
### Australian Conference
#### Elimination Final

| 10 July 2016 5.18 pm (AEST) | Stats | New South Wales Swifts | 67–53 | Melbourne Vixens | Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre |
| Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre |||
| 10 July 2016 5.18 pm (AEST) | Stats | Caitlin Thwaites 40/44 (91%) Susan Pettitt 23/24 (96%) Stephanie Wood 4/7 (57%) | | Emma Ryde 37/42 (88%) Alice Teague-Neeld 10/12 (83%) Kimberley Commane 6/6 (100%) | Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre |
Sources:

#### Conference Final

| 18 July 2016 7.18 (AEST) | Stats | Queensland Firebirds | 63–52 | New South Wales Swifts | Brisbane Entertainment Centre |
| Brisbane Entertainment Centre |||
| 18 July 2016 7.18 (AEST) | Stats | Romelda Aiken 49/55 (89%) Gretel Tippett 14 | | Caitlin Thwaites 17 Susan Pettitt 30 Stephanie Wood 5 | Brisbane Entertainment Centre |
Sources:

### New Zealand Conference
#### Elimination Final

| 10 July 2016 4.10 pm (NZST) | Stats | Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic | 63–47 | Northern Mystics | Claudelands Arena |
| Claudelands Arena |||
| 10 July 2016 4.10 pm (NZST) | Stats | Joanne Harten 44/48 (92%) Ellen Halpenny 19/21 (90%) | | Maria Tutaia 19/27 (70%) Cathrine Tuivaiti 22/22 (100%) Megan Craig 6/7 (86%) | Claudelands Arena |
Sources:

#### Conference Final

| 17 July 2016 4.15 pm (NZST) | Stats | Southern Steel | 57–59 | Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic | Stadium Southland |
| Stadium Southland |||
| 17 July 2016 4.15 pm (NZST) | Stats | Jhaniele Fowler-Reid 47/53 (89%) Te Paea Selby-Rickit 10/11 (91%) | | Joanne Harten 46/52 (88%) Ellen Halpenny 13/17 (76%) | Stadium Southland |
Sources:

### Semi-finals

| 24 July 2016 12.18 pm (AEST) | Stats | Queensland Firebirds | 67–64 | Southern Steel | Brisbane Entertainment Centre |
| Brisbane Entertainment Centre |||
| 24 July 2016 12.18 pm (AEST) | Stats | Romelda Aiken 57/68 (84%) Gretel Tippett 10/13 (77%) | | Jhaniele Fowler-Reid 51/52 (98%) Te Paea Selby-Rickit 13/20 (65%) | Brisbane Entertainment Centre |
Sources:
| 25 July 2016 7.45 pm (NZST) | Stats | Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic | 45–64 | New South Wales Swifts | Claudelands Arena |
| Claudelands Arena |||
| 25 July 2016 7.45 pm (NZST) | Stats | Joanne Harten 38/42 (90%) Ellen Halpenny 5/9 (56%) Grace Rasmussen 2/2 (100%) | | Susan Pettitt 15/19 (79%) Caitlin Thwaites 43/46 (93%) Stephanie Wood 6/8 (75%) | Claudelands Arena |
Sources:

### Grand Final

| 31 July 2016 12.10 pm (AEST) | Stats | Queensland Firebirds | New South Wales Swifts | ET | Brisbane Entertainment Centre Attendance: 10,312 | Fox Sports Sky Sport |
| Fox Sports Sky Sport |||
| Fox Sports Sky Sport |||
| 31 July 2016 12.10 pm (AEST) | Stats | Romelda Aiken 63/89 (71%) Gretel Tippett 6/11 (55%) | Susan Pettitt 30/39 (77%) Caitlin Thwaites 34/41 (83%) Stephanie Wood 3/4 (75%) | ET | Brisbane Entertainment Centre Attendance: 10,312 | Fox Sports Sky Sport |
Source:

## Award winners
### ANZ Championship awards

| Award | Winner | Team |
| ANZ Championship MVP | Madison Robinson | Melbourne Vixens |
| ANZ Championship MVP | Jhaniele Fowler-Reid | Southern Steel |
| ANZ Championship Finals Series MVP | Kim Ravaillion | Queensland Firebirds |
| ANZ Championship Best New Talent | Kristina Brice | Adelaide Thunderbirds |

#### Notes

^2 Madison Robinson was the MVP player in the Australian Conference and Jhaniele Fowler-Reid was the MVP player in the New Zealand Conference.

### All Star Team

| Position | Player | Team |
| GS | Romelda Aiken | Queensland Firebirds |
| GA | Susan Pettitt | New South Wales Swifts |
| WA | Kimberlee Green | New South Wales Swifts |
| C | Kim Ravaillion | Queensland Firebirds |
| WD | Laura Langman | New South Wales Swifts |
| GD | Clare McMeniman | Queensland Firebirds |
| GK | Sharni Layton | New South Wales Swifts |
| Coach | Robert Wright | New South Wales Swifts |
Sources:

### Australian Netball Awards

| Award | Winner | Team |
| Australian ANZ Championship Player of the Year | Sharni Layton | New South Wales Swifts |
| Australian ANZ Championship Coach of the Year | Roselee Jencke | Queensland Firebirds |
Source:

### New Zealand Netball Awards

| Award | Winner | Team |
| New Zealand ANZ Championship Player of the Year | Gina Crampton | Southern Steel |
| New Zealand ANZ Championship Coach of the Year | Julie Fitzgerald | Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic |
Source:

## Media coverage

All 72 games were broadcast live on Fox Sports (Australia) and Sky Sport (New Zealand). Sunday 12.00pm (AEST) fixtures were simulcast live on Fox Sports, Network Ten in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide, and by One in Perth. The season had a cumulative broadcast audience of 4.9m.