# 2016 Queensland Firebirds season

The 2016 Queensland Firebirds season saw the Queensland Firebirds netball team compete in the 2016 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 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.

## Players
### Player movements

Gains and losses :
| Gains | Losses |
| Hulita Haukinima (Queensland Fusion) Chelsea Lemke (Southern Force) | Rebecca Bulley (Retirement) Laura Scherian Verity Simmons (West Coast Fever) Amorette Wild |
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### 2016 roster

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### Debutants

* Hulita Haukinima made her ANZ Championship and Firebirds debut in the Round 1 match against Mainland Tactix.
* Chelsea Lemke made her ANZ Championship and Firebirds debut in the Round 6 match against Northern Mystics. She came on for the injured Gretel Tippett and subsequently scored 10 from 13.

### Milestones

* Romelda Aiken scored her 5,000th ANZ Championship goal in the grand final.
* Having previously been members of the 2011 and 2015 Queensland Firebirds teams, Romelda Aiken, Laura Geitz and Clare McMeniman all win their third ANZ Championship.

## Pre-season

Between 18 and 20 March 2016, Queensland Firebirds played in a three-day event hosted by Northern Mystics at The Trusts Arena. Other participants included Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic, Southern Steel and Adelaide Thunderbirds.

## Regular season
### Fixtures and results
#### Round 1

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#### Round 2

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#### Round 3

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#### Round 4

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#### Round 5

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#### Round 6

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#### Round 7

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#### Round 8

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#### Round 9

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#### Round 10

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#### Round 11

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#### Round 12

Queensland Firebirds received a bye.

#### Round 13

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#### Round 14

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### 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
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### 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
### 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 |
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### 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 |
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### 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 |
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## Award winners
### Queensland Firebirds Awards

| Award | Winner |
| Player of the Year | Romelda Aiken |
| Firebirds Players' Player | Clare McMeniman |
| Firebirds Spirit Award | Caitlyn Nevins |
| Firebirds Members Award | Gabi Simpson |
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### ANZ Championship awards

| Award | Winner |
| ANZ Championship Finals Series MVP | Kim Ravaillion |

### All Star Team

| Position | Player |
| GS | Romelda Aiken |
| C | Kim Ravaillion |
| GD | Clare McMeniman |
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### Australian Netball Awards

| Award | Winner |
| Australian ANZ Championship Coach of the Year | Roselee Jencke |

## Gallery

* 6 August 2016; Romelda Aiken, 2016 ANZ Championship All Star and Firebirds Player of the Year.
* 6 August 2016; Laura Geitz captained Queensland Firebirds to the 2016 ANZ Championship
* 6 August 2016; Roselee Jencke, the 2016 Australian ANZ Championship Coach of the Year guided Queensland Firebirds to the 2016 ANZ Championship
* 6 August 2016; Clare McMeniman, 2016 ANZ Championship All Star and Firebirds Players' Player
* 6 August 2016; Kim Ravaillion, 2016 ANZ Championship All Star and ANZ Championship Finals Series MVP.