# Contax Netball Club

Contax Netball Club are an Australian netball team based in Adelaide, South Australia. Their senior team currently plays in the Netball South Australia Premier League. Between 1989 and 1996, Contax represented Netball South Australia in the Esso/Mobil Superleague. They were premiers in 1994. They were originally known as Contax Basketball Club, when netball was known as women's basketball. During the Esso/Mobil Superleague era, they were also referred to as Adelaide Contax. Between 1995 and 2012, when the club was sponsored by ETSA, and then ETSA Utilities, they were known as ETSA Contax.

## History
### Early years

Contax Basketball Club was formed in 1952 by a group of young girls who had played for the 1951 junior South Australia team. The team was originally based in Woodville. The team was named after the Contax camera. It was suggested by the brother-in-law of the inaugural captain, Margaret Rankin. He was a camera enthusiast and suggested using a short and simple name. Contax won their first South Australia state league premiership in their debut season, defeating Tango in the 1952 grand final. The team was captained by Rankin and included three future Australia internationals – Gaynor Flanagan, Betty Rowe Whelan and Lorraine Wright. Contax initially only organized adult teams. However, from 1966 the club started to introduce junior and youth teams with training taking place in Hectorville. In 1970 Contax won their second premiership, defeating Garville in the grand final. In 1980 Margaret Angove was appointed head coach of the senior Contax team. She remained in the position for sixteen years until 1997, when she was appointed head coach of Adelaide Thunderbirds. In 1986, with a team that included sixteen year old Kathryn Harby and Michelle den Dekker, Contax won their third premiership, defeating Tango in the grand final.

### Rivallry with Garville

In 1988, with a team that included Michelle den Dekker and Kathryn Harby, Contax won their fourth premiership, defeating Garville in the grand final. This marked the beginning a rivalry between Contax and Garville. Between 1986 and 1996 Contax and Garville contested every South Australia state league grand final. The rivalry saw the two clubs compete in nine consecutive state league grand finals, plus one Mobil Super League final, with both clubs winning five finals each. With a team that included Harby and Julie Nykiel, a former Australia women's basketball international, Contax won their fifth and sixth premierships in 1990 and 1991. After finishing as runners-up to Garville for four successive grand finals, a Contax team featuring Jacqui Delaney won the club's seventh premiership in 1996.

### National leagues
#### Esso/Mobil Superleague

Between 1989 and 1996 Contax represented Netball South Australia in the Esso/Mobil Superleague. With teams that included Kathryn Harby, Michelle Fielke and Julie Nykiel, Contax played in three successive grand finals between 1990 and 1992. In 1990 they lost to 52–42 to Melbourne City. Contax then lost out to Sydney Pulsars in both 1991 and 1992. In 1994 Contax won the title after defeating Garville in controversial circumstances. A Contax team captained by Kathryn Harby and featuring Vicki Wilson and Tania Obst, took on a Garville team featuring Natalie Avellino, Jenny Borlase and Fielke. Wilson was the top scorer and the closely fought match finish level at full time. However Garville claimed they had actually won the match 48–46. It was alleged that during the third quarter, the official scorer accidentally gave one of Garville's goals to Contax. Despite protests from Garville, extra time was played and resulted in a 61–58 win for Contax.

#### Commonwealth Bank Trophy

In 1997 Netball Australia replaced the Mobil Superleague with the Commonwealth Bank Trophy league. Contax applied to join the new league but the application was subsequently denied by Netball South Australia. They instead opted to form two brand new teams, Adelaide Thunderbirds and Adelaide Ravens. Together with Cheerio, Matrics and Oakdale, Contax effectively became a feeder team for Thunderbirds. With a squad coached by former Contax head coach, Margaret Angove, captained by Contax player Kathryn Harby and featuring several Contax players including Jacqui Delaney and Laura von Bertouch, Adelaide Thunderbirds won their first two premierships and grand finals in 1998 and 1999.

### ETSA Contax

Between 1995 and 2012 when Contax were sponsored by ETSA, and then ETSA Utilities, the team became known as ETSA Contax. In 2000 with a squad that included Laura and Natalie von Bertouch, Bianca Reddy and Tracey Neville, Contax won their eighth South Australia state league after defeating the Australian Institute of Sport in the grand final. Between 2002 and 2004 Contax won three successive state league premierships. Natalie von Bertouch, Kirby Mutton, Carla Dziwoki and Lauren Nourse were all members of the 2002 winning squad. ETSA Contax subsequently won further premierships in 2006, 2008, 2010 and 2012.

### Premier League era

During the 2010s Contax won a further six premierships. During the 2010s their main rivals were Matrics. Between them Contax and Matrics played in every South Australia state league grand final during the decade.

## Grand finals
### South Australia state league

| Season | Winners | Score | Runners Up | Venue |
| 1952 | Contax | | Tango | |
| 1970 | Contax | | Garville | |
| 1973 | | | Contax | |
| 1984 | Tango | | Contax | |
| 1986 | Contax | | Tango | |
| 1988 | Contax | | Garville | Apollo Stadium |
| 1989 | Garville | | Contax | |
| 1990 | Contax | | Garville | Apollo Stadium |
| 1991 | Contax | | Garville | |
| 1992 | Garville | | Contax | |
| 1993 | Garville | | Contax | |
| 1994 | Garville | | Contax | |
| 1995 | Garville | | Contax | |
| 1996 | Contax | | Garville | |
| 1997 | Matrics | | Contax | |
| 1999 | | | Contax | |
| 2000 | Contax | | Australian Institute of Sport | |
| 2002 | Contax | | | |
| 2003 | Contax | | | |
| 2004 | Contax | | | |
| 2005 | Matrics | | Contax | |
| 2006 | Contax | | | |
| 2007 | | | Contax | |
| 2008 | Contax | | | |
| 2009 | Oakdale | | Contax | |
| 2010 | Contax | | Matrics | |
| 2012 | Contax | | Phoenix | |
| 2013 | Contax | 34–33 | Matrics | Netball SA Stadium |
| 2015 | Contax | 51–39 | Matrics | Netball SA Stadium |
| 2016 | Matrics | 49–47 | Contax | Netball SA Stadium |
| 2017 | Contax | 59–50 | Matrics | Netball SA Stadium |
| 2018 | Contax | 73–39 | Garville | |
| 2019 | Matrics | 55–47 | Contax | Priceline Stadium |
| 2020 | Matrics | 60–56 | Contax | Priceline Stadium |
Source:

### Esso/Mobil Superleague

| Season | Winners | Score | Runners Up | Venue |
| 1990 | Melbourne City | 52–42 | Adelaide Contax | State Sports Centre |
| 1991 | Sydney Pulsars | 59–36 | Adelaide Contax | Bruce Stadium |
| 1992 | Sydney Pulsars | 59–45 | Adelaide Contax | State Sports Centre |
| 1994 | Adelaide Contax | 61–58 | Adelaide Garville | Adelaide Powerhouse |
Source:

## Home venue

Contax play the majority of their state league home games at the Netball SA Stadium.

## Notable players
### Internationals
#### Australia

| Jane Altschwager Laura von Bertouch Natalie von Bertouch Audine Cobb Jacqui Delaney Michelle den Dekker | Gaynor Flanagan Kristen Heinrich Kathryn Harby Kay Jessen Lauren Nourse Shelley O'Donnell | Margaret Rankine Betty Rowe Whelan Rebecca Sanders Sarah Sutter Vicki Wilson Lorraine Wright |
Source:

#### Australia Fast5

* Emily Beaton
* Carla Dziwoki
* Maddy Proud
* Kate Shimmin
* Maddy Turner

#### England

* Tracey Neville
* Kate Shimmin

#### Australia women's basketball

* Julie Nykiel

### Adelaide Thunderbirds

| Jane Altschwager Laura von Bertouch Natalie von Bertouch Jacqui Delaney Emily Beaton | Georgia Beaton Sasha Glasgow Kristen Heinrich Kathryn Harby Kirby Mutton | Tracey Neville Maddy Proud Bianca Reddy Melissa Rowland Kate Shimmin Georgie Horjus |
Source:

### State / Premier League Best & Fairest

| Season | Players |
| 1974, 1975 | Kay Smerdon |
| 1977 | S. Lehmann |
| 1979 | Kerry Hussey |
| 1983 | Ros Natt |
| 1985 | Rhonda Kraft |
| 1986 | Michelle den Dekker |
| 1987 | Wendy Frost |
| 1988 | Kathryn Harby/Karen Schulz |
| 1989 | Karen Schulz |
| 1990 | Sarah Angove |
| 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996 | Kathryn Harby |
| 1995 | Rebecca Sanders |
| 1997 | Vicki Neale |
| 1998 | Leanne Oats |
| 1999 | Laura von Bertouch |
| 2000 | Natalie von Bertouch |
| 2001 | Leeanne Oats/Laura von Bertouch |
| 2002 | Leanne Oats |
| 2004 | Rebecca Sanders |
| 2005 | Amanda Martin |
| 2006, 2007 | Leanne Eichler |
| 2008, 2009, 2012 | Jane Fitzgerald |
| 2010 | Kirby Mutton |
| 2011 | Kristen Heinrich |
| 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017 | Georgia Beaton |
| 2016 | Gia Abernethy |
| 2018 | Georgie Horjus |
| 2019 | Amehlia Schmidt |
| 2020 | Chelsea Lemke |
Source:

### Club Captains

| Season | Player |
| 1952–1954 | Margaret Rankine |
| 1955–1958 | Gaynor Flanagan |
| 1959–1962 | Jenny Badman |
| 1963–1967 | Moira Clarke |
| 1968 | Margaret Edwards |
| 1969 | Rosemary Cobby |
| 1970 | Gerry Freer |
| 1971 | Margaret Van der Linden |
| 1973 | Gerry Freer |
| 1974–1976 | Kay Smerdon |
| 1978 | Lyn Mulroney |
| 1980 | Jill Dolan |
| 1981–1982 | Ros Natt |
| 1983–1984 | Kay Jessen |
| 1985–1987 | Rhonda Kraft |
| 1988–1992 | Karen Schulz |
| 1993–1996 | Kathryn Harby |
| 1997–1998 | Tania Obst |
| 1999 | Vicki Neale |
| 2000–2007 | Leanne Oats Eichler |
| 2008–2013 | Jane Fitzgerald |
| 2014 | Lauren Hyde |
| 2015–2018 | Gia Abernethy |
| 2015– | Georgia Beaton |
Source:

## Head coaches

| Coach | Years |
| Lena Pomeroy | 1952–1955 |
| Fay Dumont | 1958 |
| Mavis Buckingham | 1961 |
| Merle Oldham | 1962–1963 |
| Joan Horner | 1964–1972 |
| Pauline Fielden | 1973–1976 |
| Daphne Axford | 1977 |
| Jenny Bonnett | 1978–1979 |
| Margaret Angove | 1980–1996 |
| Barney Williams | 1997–2000 |
| Tania Obst | 2001–2006 |
| Fay Walsh | 2007 |
| Tania Obst | 2008–2009 |
| Margaret Angove | 2010–2011 |
| Leanne Eichler | 2012– |
Source:

## Main sponsors

| | Years |
| Class A Jewellers | 1990–1993 |
| Fairmont Homes | 1994 |
| ETSA | 1995–1999 |
| ETSA Utilities | 1999–2012 |
| SA Power Networks | 2012– |
Source:

## Premierships

* Netball South Australia Premier League
** Winners: 1952, 1970, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1996, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2018: 19
** Runners up: 1973, 1984, 1989, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2016, 2019, 2020 : 15
* Mobil Superleague
** Winners: 1994
** Runners up: 1990, 1991, 1992