The ANZ Championship, also known as the Trans-Tasman Netball League, was a netball league featuring teams from both Australia and New Zealand. Between 2008 and 2016, it was the top-level league in both countries. The competition was owned and administered by Trans-Tasman Netball League Ltd (TTNL), a joint venture between Netball Australia and Netball New Zealand. It was effectively a merger of Australia's Commonwealth Bank Trophy and New Zealand's National Bank Cup. Its main sponsor was the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group.
In 2008, New South Wales Swifts were the inaugural ANZ Championship winners. Queensland Firebirds were the most successful team during the ANZ Championship era, playing in five grand finals and winning three premierships in 2011, 2015 and 2016. They were also the only team to win back to back ANZ Championship titles. Both Melbourne Vixens (2009, 2014) and Adelaide Thunderbirds (2010, 2013) won two titles each. The most successful New Zealand team were Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic who were premiers in 2012 and were the only team in the competitions history, to contest the finals series every year.
In May 2016, Netball Australia and Netball New Zealand announced that the ANZ Championship would be discontinued after the 2016 season. In Australia it was replaced by Suncorp Super Netball and in New Zealand it was replaced by the ANZ Premiership.
Teams 2008 The ANZ Championship featured five Australian and five New Zealand teams. Adelaide Thunderbirds and Queensland Firebirds of the Commonwealth Bank Trophy league became founders of the new league. Several other Commonwealth Bank Trophy teams were transformed to form ANZ Championship teams. Sydney Swifts and Hunter Jaegers merged to become New South Wales Swifts, Melbourne Kestrels and Melbourne Phoenix merged to become Melbourne Vixens and Perth Orioles were rebranded as West Coast Fever.
Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic and Canterbury Flames of the National Bank Cup league also became founder members of the new league. Flames were rebranded as Canterbury Tactix. The remaining six National Bank Cup teams were merged into three new teams. Southern Sting and Otago Rebels joined forces to become Southern Steel, Capital Shakers and Western Flyers merged as Central Pulse, while Auckland Diamonds and Northern Force became Northern Mystics.
Team Former league Former names/merged teams Adelaide ThunderbirdsCommonwealth Bank Trophy Canterbury TactixNational Bank CupCanterbury Flames Central Pulse Capital Shakers, Western Flyers Melbourne Vixens Melbourne Kestrels, Melbourne Phoenix New South Wales Swifts Sydney Swifts, Hunter Jaegers Northern Mystics Auckland Diamonds, Northern Force Queensland FirebirdsCommonwealth Bank Trophy Southern Steel Southern Sting, Otago Rebels Waikato Bay of Plenty MagicNational Bank Cup West Coast FeverCommonwealth Bank TrophyPerth Orioles
2016 Australian Conference Team Home venue/base Home city State/Territory Adelaide ThunderbirdsNetball SA StadiumAdelaideSouth Australia Melbourne VixensHisense ArenaMelbourneVictoria New South Wales SwiftsSydney Olympic Park Sports CentreSydneyNew South Wales Queensland FirebirdsBrisbane Convention & Exhibition CentreBrisbaneQueensland West Coast FeverHBF StadiumPerthWestern Australia
New Zealand Conference Team Home venue/base Home city Zone/Region Central PulseTSB Bank ArenaWellingtonCentral Mainland TactixHorncastle ArenaChristchurchMainland (Canterbury) Northern MysticsThe Trusts ArenaAucklandNorthern (Northland, Auckland) Southern SteelILT Stadium SouthlandInvercargillSouth (Southland, Otago) Waikato Bay of Plenty MagicClaudelands Arena HamiltonWaikato/Bay of Plenty
History Formation The ANZ Championship was founded in 2007 and played it inaugural season in 2008. The competition was owned and administered by Trans-Tasman Netball League Ltd (TTNL), a joint venture between Netball Australia and Netball New Zealand. It was effectively a merger of Australia's Commonwealth Bank Trophy and New Zealand's National Bank Cup. Its main sponsor was the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group.
Five seasons, five champions
In 2008, New South Wales Swifts became the inaugural ANZ Championship winners after defeating the minor premiers, Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic 65–56 in the grand final. In 2009, Melbourne Vixens were both minor premiers and overall champions. Swifts went through the entire 2010 regular season home and away undefeated, winning 13 consecutive matches and finishing as minor premiers. However they subsequently lost both the major semi-final and the preliminary final to Adelaide Thunderbirds and Magic respectively and eventually finished the season in third place. After defeating Swifts in the major semi-final, Thunderbirds defeated Magic 52–42 in the grand final.
In 2011, Queensland Firebirds finished the season undefeated. They became the first team in the history of the ANZ Championship to go through the regular season and the playoffs without losing a single match. In the grand final they defeated Northern Mystics. In 2012, Magic became fifth team in as many seasons to win the title. Vixens won the minor premiership after winning 10 of their 13 matches. Meanwhile, Magic lost their first four matches. However, they subsequently won 12 matches in a row to finish third during the regular season and champions overall. In the minor semi-final they defeated Thunderbirds and in the preliminary final they defeated Mystics. In the grand final they defeated Vixens 41–38. As a result, they became the first, and only, New Zealand team to win the ANZ Championship.
Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic The most successful New Zealand team during ANZ Championship era were Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic. In 2008 they were minor premiers and overall runners up. In 2009 they were regular season runners up. In 2010 they were overall runners up and grand finalists for a second time. In 2011 they were again regular season runners up. In 2012 they made their third grand final appearance and, after defeating Melbourne Vixens 41–38 they finished as premiers. As a result, they became the first, and only, New Zealand team to win the ANZ Championship. In both 2015 and 2016, Magic also finished as winners of the New Zealand Conference.
Thunderbirds and Vixens: second titles Having previously won the 2010 title, in 2013 Adelaide Thunderbirds became the first team to win a second championship. Having won their first title in 2009, in 2014 Melbourne Vixens won their second ANZ Championship.
Queensland Firebirds Queensland Firebirds were the most successful team during the ANZ Championship era. In 2009, Roselee Jencke was appointed head coach. Between 2011 and 2016, Jencke guided Firebirds to five grand finals and three premierships in 2011, 2015 and 2016. They were the only team to win back to back ANZ Championship titles. Romelda Aiken, Laura Geitz and Clare McMeniman formed the nucleus of the Firebirds squad and featured in all three Championship winning squads.
Demise In May 2016, Netball Australia and Netball New Zealand announced that the ANZ Championship would be discontinued after the 2016 season. In Australia it was replaced by Suncorp Super Netball and in New Zealand it was replaced by the ANZ Premiership.
Format 2008–2014 Between 2008 and 2014, the regular season saw the five Australian teams play each other twice and the New Zealand teams once. Similarly, the New Zealand teams played each other twice and each of the Australian teams once. The ten teams played 13 games – eight home-and-away matches against teams from their country and five alternating home or away games against teams from the other country. The top four teams from the regular season subsequently qualified for the Finals Series which used a Page–McIntyre system to determine the overall champion.
Conference system The 2015 season saw some major format changes. The league introduced separate Australian and New Zealand conferences, a restructured six-team Finals Series and a new competition, the Challenge Trophy. Teams continued to play 13 games – eight home-and-away matches against teams in their own conference and five alternating home or away games against teams in the other conference. The ANZ Championship also introduced draws for the first time. During the regular season, drawn games would see both teams get a point each. Extra time will only be played during the Finals Series. On 15 March 2015, the Round 3 match between New South Wales Swifts and Queensland Firebirds finished 47–47. It was the first official draw in the eight seasons of the league.
Grand finals Season Winners Score Runners up Venue Attendance2008New South Wales Swifts65–56 Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic Acer Arena 12,9992009Melbourne Vixens54–46Adelaide ThunderbirdsHisense Arena 9,5002010Adelaide Thunderbirds52–42 Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic Adelaide Entertainment Centre 9,3002011Queensland Firebirds57–44Northern Mystics Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre 3,541 2012 Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic 41–38Melbourne VixensHisense Arena 10,5002013Adelaide Thunderbirds50–48Queensland Firebirds Adelaide Entertainment Centre 2014Melbourne Vixens53–42Queensland Firebirds Hisense Arena 9,3452015Queensland Firebirds57–56New South Wales Swifts Brisbane Entertainment Centre 2016Queensland Firebirds69–67New South Wales Swifts Brisbane Entertainment Centre 10,312
Minor premierships Seasons Team2008Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic2009Melbourne Vixens2010New South Wales Swifts2011Queensland Firebirds2012Melbourne Vixens2013Adelaide Thunderbirds2014Melbourne Vixens2015Queensland Firebirds2016Southern Steel
Media coverage Seasons Live broadcasters Highlights/Replays2008Fox Sports (Australia)Sky Sport (New Zealand) 2009Network 10Sky Sport (New Zealand) One HDTVNZ2010Network 10Sky Sport (New Zealand) One HDTVNZ2011Network 10Sky Sport (New Zealand) One HDTVNZ2012Network 10Sky Sport (New Zealand) One HDTVNZ2013Fox Sports (Australia)Sky Sport (New Zealand)SBS 22014Fox Sports (Australia)Sky Sport (New Zealand)SBS 2Te ReoNITV2015Fox Sports (Australia)Sky Sport (New Zealand)OneTe ReoPrime TV2016Fox Sports (Australia)Sky Sport (New Zealand)Network TenOne
Notable players
References