COMMONWEALTH BANK TROPHY 1997-2007

[Ian Harkin]

#1317824

1999 COMMONWEALTH BANK TROPHY

Round 1
Thunderbirds 58 v Firebirds 48
Orioles 36 v Ravens 59
Swifts 59 v Kestrels 45
Sandpipers 58 v Phoenix 52

Round 2
Sandpipers 44 v Swifts 54
Firebirds 58 v Orioles 42
Ravens 57 v Phoenix 49
Kestrels 48 v Thunderbirds 47

Round 3
Swifts 49 v Ravens 53
Firebirds 48 v Kestrels 50
Phoenix 57 v Orioles 49
Thunderbirds 63 v Sandpipers 41

Round 4
Ravens 40 v Thunderbirds 51
Orioles 53 v Swifts 72
Phoenix 65 v Firebirds 56
Sandpipers 44 v Kestrels 55

Round 5
Swifts 61 v Phoenix 51
Firebirds 47 v Sandpipers 54
Thunderbirds 74 v Orioles 25
Kestrels 62 v Ravens 58

Round 6
Phoenix 60 v Thunderbirds 56
Orioles 42 v Kestrels 46
Swifts 61 v Firebirds 51
Ravens 53 v Sandpipers 51

Round 7
Sandpipers 63 v Orioles 45
Kestrels 74 v Phoenix 57
Thunderbirds 57 v Swifts 45
Firebirds 49 v Ravens 55

Round 8
Phoenix 58 v Ravens 52
Swifts 71 v Sandpipers 46
Thunderbirds 52 v Kestrels 44
Orioles 42 v Firebirds 40

Round 9
Sandpipers 47 v Thunderbirds 58
Kestrels 66 v Firebirds 49
Ravens 56 v Swifts 60
Orioles 58 v Phoenix 47

Round 10
Firebirds 33 v Thunderbirds 77
Ravens 63 v Orioles 34
Kestrels 47 v Swifts 57
Sandpipers 56 v Phoenix 59

Round 11
Thunderbirds 49 v Ravens 49
Kestrels 64 v Sandpipers 52
Firebirds 61 v Phoenix 73
Swifts 54 v Orioles 42

Round 12
Phoenix 59 v Swifts 70
Sandpipers 59 v Firebirds 65
Orioles 33 v Thunderbirds 70
Ravens 58 v Kestrels 51

Round 13
Thunderbirds 79 v Phoenix 43
Kestrels 56 v Orioles 37
Sandpipers 56 v Ravens 61
Firebirds 43 v Swifts 62

Round 14
Swifts 38 v Thunderbirds 63
Phoenix 59 v Kestrels 62
Orioles 47 v Sandpipers 46
Ravens 61 v Firebirds 58

.

LADDER

TEAM . . . . . P . . W . . L . . D . . . F . . . A . . . .+/- . . . . % . . . . Pts
T’BIRDS .. .. 14 . .11 . . 2 . . 1 . . 854 . . 594 . .+260 . . 143.77 . . 23
SWIFTS .. .. 14 . .11 . . 3 . . 0 . . 813 . . 710 . .+103 . . 114.51 . . 22
KESTRELS . 14 . .10 . . 4 . . 0 . . 770 . . 719 . . .+51 . . 107.09 . . 20
RAVENS .. . 14 . .. 9 . . 4 . . 1 . . 775 . . 713 . . .+62 . . 108.70 . . 19
—
PHOENIX .. 14 . .. 6 . . 8 . . 0 . . 789 . . 849 . . .-60 . . ..92.93 . . 12
S’PIPERS … 14 . .. 3 . .11 . . 0 . . 717 . . 794 . . .-77 . . ..90.30 . . .6
ORIOLES … 14 . .. 3 . .11 . . 0 . . 585 . . 805 . . -220 . . .72.67 . . .6
FIREBIRDS. 14 . .. 2 . .12 . . 0 . . 706 . . 825 . . -119 . . .85.58 . . .4

[Ian Harkin]

#1317828

MAJOR SEMI FINAL – THUNDERBIRDS v SWIFTS
State Sports Centre, Sydney

THUNDERBIRDS WON 54-36

THUNDERBIRDS:
GS . Mogg
GA . Delaney
WA . Hodge
C .. Sanders
WD . Squire
GD . Harby
GK . Sutter

Shooting:
Delaney 30, Mogg 24

SWIFTS:
GS . Cox
GA . Adamson
WA . Wagg
C .. Miller
WD . Gilmour
GD . Williams
GK . Ellis

Shooting:
Cox 21, Adamson 15

Umpires: Janelle Derrington, Nola Calnon

[Ian Harkin]

#1317829

MINOR SEMI FINAL – RAVENS v KESTRELS
ETSA Park, Adelaide

RAVENS WON 61-53

RAVENS:
GS . Huppatz
GA . Anderson
WA . Cobb
C .. Grant
WD . Gardner
GD . den Dekker
GK . Tucker

Shooting:
Anderson 39, Huppatz 22

KESTRELS:
GS . Borlase
GA . Teare
WA . O’Donnell
C .. Richardson
WD . Vivian
GD . Illitch
GK . Meade

Shooting:
Borlase 33, Teare 13, ???

Umpires: Maureen Boyle, Jan Cross

[Ian Harkin]

#1317830

PRELIMINARY FINAL – SWIFTS v RAVENS
State Sports Centre, Sydney

RAVENS WON 56-54

SWIFTS:
GS . Cox
GA . Adamson
WA . Wagg
C .. Miller
WD . Gilsenen
GD . Gilmour
GK . Ellis

Shooting stats unknown.

RAVENS:
GS . Huppatz
GA . Anderson
WA . Cobb
C .. Grant
WD . Gardner
GD . den Dekker
GK . Tucker

Shooting stats unknown.

Umpires: Maureen Boyle, Jan Cross

[Ian Harkin]

#1317831

FIRST GOAL IS GETTING A DERBY TICKET
Linda Pearce
The Age

There are two places where netball really matters: New Zealand and Adelaide. Hence the situation, difficult to imagine elsewhere, of a community protest in Adelaide when tickets for tonight’s grand final sold out in just eight minutes.

The match is a local derby between the high-profile, defending champion Adelaide Thunderbirds, and the improved, coming-from-fourth-and-on-a-roll Ravens. The match will be played at the 3100-seat netball venue rather than switched to the 8000-capacity basketball stadium, and several days of controversy – including a radio station campaign, and formal complaints from T-Birds Kath Harby and Sarah Sutter – have resulted.

But the Netball Australia decision stands, and the fact also remains that the Commonwealth Bank Trophy will stay in Adelaide for another year. Whether it returns to the Thunderbirds’ cabinet or is claimed by the Ravens shall be seen tonight. The Ravens are yet to beat their hometown rivals in six tries, although this seventh encounter will be spiced by the round 11 draw, 49-all, when last they met. We can walk taller in Adelaide,” Ravens coach Pat Mickan said afterwards. “They have been the definite underdogs in this state.”

Indeed, the Thunderbirds are preparing for their third grand final in the national league’s three seasons, with the benefit of a week’s rest after defeating the Sydney Swifts in the major semi-final, and they are packed with Australian players including Harby, centre Rebecca Sanders and prolific shooter Jacqui Delaney.

The Ravens, although lacking some of their opponents’ star qualities, have been boosted by the return of champion defender Michelle Den Dekker from Queensland and the recruitment of a trimmed-down and much-improved goal attack Megan Anderson from Sydney.

Significantly, they have not lost a match since June and are fresh from sudden-death finals wins over the Melbourne Kestrels and, narrowly, the Swifts. “Upmarket streetfighters”, Mickan calls her players, citing a depth of character and fierce will to win evident in their regular ability to withstand late changes of momentum in tightly fought games.

Still, it is hard to go past the Thunderbirds, with their supreme confidence, settled defence complemented by wing Peta Squire, pacy midcourt including Sanders and Delaney up front.

[Ian Harkin]

#1317832

GRAND FINAL – THUNDERBIRDS v RAVENS
ETSA Park, Adelaide

THUNDERBIRDS WON 62-30
(18-6, 30-13, 44-26, 62-30)

THUNDERBIRDS:
GS . Mogg
GA . Delaney
WA . Hodge
C .. Sanders
WD . Squire
GD . Harby
GK . Sutter

Changes:
During 4th Q – Sloane GS (Mogg), Colbeck GA (Delaney), Neale C (Sanders), Andrews (Squire).

Shooting:
Delaney 38/45 (84%)
Mogg 17/20 (85%)
Colbeck 4/5 (80%)
Sloane 3/4 (75%)
TOTAL 62/74 (84%)

RAVENS:
GS . Huppatz
GA . Anderson
WA . Cobb
C .. Gardner
WD . Grant
GD . den Dekker
GK . Tucker

Changes:
2nd Q – Gardner to WD, Grant to C.

Shooting:
Anderson 17/30 (57%)
Huppatz 13/24 (54%)
TOTAL 30/54 (56%)

Umpires: Maureen Boyle, Jan Cross

[Ian Harkin]

#1317833

HIGH-FLYING T-BIRDS SET TO CONTINUE
Illawarra Mercury

The Adelaide Thunderbirds holding aloft the Commonwealth Bank Trophy is a scene that appears certain to be repeated for years to come.

The T-birds followed the lead of neighbouring AFL team the Adelaide Crows and the men’s and women’s basketball sides the 36ers and Lightning by claiming back-to-back national titles with a crushing 62-30 grand final win over hometown rivals the Adelaide Ravens on Friday night.

Thunderbirds coach Marg Angove described it as the best display of netball she had ever seen. And the seemingly unstoppable T-birds unit looks destined to continue its dominance. Angove has another year of her contract to run.

.

T-BIRDS AT THE DOUBLE
AAP

The Adelaide Thunderbirds upheld a hometown tradition of back-to-back national titles with a crushing 32-goal win over the Adelaide Ravens in the national league grand final last night.

The T-Birds followed in the footsteps of their AFL and NBL neighbours by defending their premiership. The last time these two teams met, they drew 49-49, but last night in Adelaide, the Thunderbirds won out in every area.

Ravens coach Pat Mickan changed her team’s lineup seconds before play, switching centre Danielle Grant with wing defence Trudy Gardner. But the moves did nothing to unsettle the Thunderbirds, with goal attack Jacqui Delaney never looking like missing the target, sinking 14 from 15 attempts in the first quarter.

Mickan reversed her changes at quarter-time, but again the T-birds were too strong, blazing away to hold a 30-13 lead at half-time, and they went further ahead in the second half.

With six minutes to go, T-birds coach Marg Angove brought Natalie Sloane into goal shooter, Anna Colbeck to goal attack and Sam Andrews to wing defence, to share in the win.

Angove described her team’s performance as amazing. “I’ve coached for a long time and it’s the best display I’ve ever seen in my life,” she said.

Her captain, Kathryn Harby, said the T-birds stuck to their game plan to start well. “It was just great to be a part of,” she said.

[Ian Harkin]

#1317834

ONE GOAL REACHED, SHARPSHOOTER DELANEY SETS HER SIHTS ON GLORY AT WORLD TITLES
Charlotte Harper
Sydney Morning Herald

Jacqui Delaney has been playing for three prizes in 1999. After her national league side’s 62-30 grand final victory on Friday night, it’s one down, two to go.

Delaney, the Australian and Adelaide Thunderbirds’ goal attack, led the defending champions against the Adelaide Ravens, shooting 38 goals from 45 attempts, an 84 per cent success rate.

“I thought it would be a tougher game,” Delaney said. “Last time [when the Thunderbirds drew with the Ravens] we didn’t have one player who won their position.”

Performances like the one on Friday have seen Delaney rise to the top three in the player-of-the-year stakes: potential win No 2.

The third target? The greatest prize of all: playing for Australia as they win their eighth world title in Christchurch in October. If Australia play as well as the Thunderbirds have in this year’s Commonwealth Bank Trophy competition, they’ll romp it in.

On Friday night, Delaney’s main rival for player of the year, Ravens goal attack Megan Anderson, missed her shots time and again. She was marked out of the action and her success rate was only 57 per cent.

Sydney Swifts goal keeper Liz Ellis and Delaney were only a few points behind Anderson when the player-of-the-year points were last made public. Ellis has had a week less to earn points, so Delaney is the new favourite.

“I haven’t really thought about it that much,” she said. She’s equally humble when it comes to playing for her country.

“I don’t think I’ve expected to start in the Australian team,” she said. “I’ll just be happy to be playing at all.”

The South Australian shares the national goal attack position with Sharelle McMahon, whose Melbourne Phoenix missed out on the national league finals. McMahon’s national league goal percentage was 83, while Delaney’s, before the finals, was 78.

Thunderbirds coach Marg Angove described Friday night’s win as the best team performance she’d ever seen. Even in the period late in the final quarter when Angove replaced her top players, the Thunderbirds still came out on top by several goals.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been taken off in a game before,” Delaney said. But under the circumstances she was “quite happy” to give the others a go.

With four members of the Thunderbirds to play for Australia, national coach Jill McIntosh will be feeling positive about her world title defence.

The Australian team heads to Brisbane on Friday for a series of matches against the Netball Australia President’s 12. Melbourne Kestrels centre Nicole Richardson, who played her first game for Australia earlier in the year, will lead the second Australian side. She will be joined by other former national representatives including Cath Cox (Swifts), Alex Hodge (Thunderbirds) and Joanne Morgan (Sandpipers).

The combination will provide the world’s top team with the toughest competition it will meet before a likely October 2 grand final clash with New Zealand at the world championships.

The President’s 12 games will also give youngsters like Sandpipers defender Mo’onia Gerrard the opportunity to show national selectors what they can do. The Australian squad for 2000 will be named in October, after the world championships.

“Most of the girls are just a hair away from getting into the team,” Delaney said. “Everyone’s still watching them.”

The national side will play a further two training matches this month, against Victoria in Melbourne and NSW in Sydney, before final training sessions in Melbourne in mid-September. The world championships start on September 21.

[Ian Harkin]

#1317836

2000 COMMONWEALTH BANK TROPHY

Round 1
Firebirds 43 v Phoenix 66
Ravens 49 v Swifts 63
Orioles 46 v Kestrels 44
Sandpipers 33 Thunderbirds 57

Round 2
Thunderbirds 57 v Orioles 21
Firebirds 35 v Swifts 66
Sandpipers 72 v Ravens 44
Phoenix 57 v Kestrels 42

Round 3
Kestrels 48 v Sandpipers 52
Swifts 55 v Phoenix 51
Thunderbirds 65 v Firebirds 29
Orioles 63 v Ravens 47

Round 4
Sandpipers 67 v Orioles 46
Ravens 52 v Phoenix 70
Swifts 44 v Thunderbirds 46
Kestrels 64 v Firebirds 40

Round 5
Phoenix 58 v Thunderbirds 56
Firebirds 62 v Orioles 53
Sandpipers 54 v Swifts 56
Ravens 37 v Kestrels 65

Round 6
Firebirds 59 v Ravens 50
Swifts 51 v Orioles 66
Thunderbirds 67 v Kestrels 40
Phoenix 67 v Sandpipers 67

Round 7
Kestrels 51 v Swifts 42
Sandpipers 66 v Firebirds 46
Ravens 36 v Thunderbirds 67
Orioles 42 v Phoenix 57

Round 8
Thunderbirds 63 v Sandpipers 41
Swifts 71 v Ravens 45
Kestrels 56 v Orioles 47
Phoenix 69 v Firebirds 46

Round 9
Ravens 52 v Sandpipers 73
Kestrels 50 v Phoenix 56
Orioles 35 v Thunderbirds 61
Swifts 62 v Firebirds 44

Round 10
Sandpipers 63 v Kestrels 56
Ravens 59 v Orioles 66
Firebirds 42 v Thunderbirds 59
Phoenix 52 v Swifts 56

Round 11
Thunderbirds 38 v Phoenix 75
Orioles 60 v Firebirds 51
Swifts 61 v Sandpipers 62
Kestrels 67 v Ravens 48

Round 12
Firebirds 41 v Kestrels 54
Thunderbirds 47 v Swifts 46
Orioles 58 v Sandpipers 68
Phoenix 70 v Ravens 51

Round 13
Sandpipers 66 v Phoenix 73
Kestrels 42 v Thunderbirds 47
Orioles 46 v Swifts 58
Ravens 57 v Firebirds 57

Round 14
Swifts 60 v Kestrels 35
Thunderbirds 67 v Ravens 36
Firebirds 45 v Sandpipers 50
Phoenix 65 v Orioles 57

.

LADDER

TEAM . . . . . P . . W . . L . . D . . . F . . . A . . . .+/- . . . . % . . . . Pts
T’BIRDS .. .. 14 . .12 . . 2 . . 0 . . 797 . . 588 . .+209 . . 135.54 . . 24
PHOENIX .. 14 . .11 . . 2 . . 1 . . 886 . . 721 . .+165 . . 122.88 . . 23
S’PIPERS … 14 . .. 9 . . 4 . . 1 . . 835 . . 772 . . .+63 . . 108.76 . . 19
SWIFTS .. .. 14 . .. 9 . . 5 . . 0 . . 791 . . 683 . .+108 . . 115.81 . . 18
—
KESTRELS . 14 . .. 6 . . 8 . . 0 . . 714 . . 703 . . .+11 . . 101.56 . . 12
ORIOLES … 14 . .. 5 . . 9 . . 0 . . 706 . . 803 . . .-97 . . ..87.92 . . 10
FIREBIRDS. 14 . .. 2 . 11 . . 1 . . 640 . . 841 . . -201 . . .76.10 . . . 5
RAVENS .. . 14 . .. 0 . 13 . . 1 . . 663 . . 934 . . -271 . . .70.99 . . . 1

[Ian Harkin]

#1317837

MAJOR SEMI FINAL – THUNDERBIRDS v PHOENIX
ETSA Park, Adelaide

PHOENIX WON 61-52
(13-17, 29-30, 38-47, 52-61)

THUNDERBIRDS:
GS . Mogg
GA . Colbeck
WA . Hodge
C .. Sanders
WD . Squire
GD . Harby
GK . Sutter

Shooting:
Mogg 28/41 (68%)
Colbeck 24/30 (80%)
TOTAL 52/71 (73%)

PHOENIX:
GS . McMahon
GA . Southby
WA . Meaney
C .. Vennus
WD . Chokljat
GD . Taverner
GK . Browning

Shooting:
McMahon 45/48 (94%)
Southby 16/20 (80%)
TOTAL 61/68 (90%)

Umpires: Kate Wright, Annette Smith

[Ian Harkin]

#1317838

MINOR SEMI FINAL – SANDPIPERS v SWIFTS
Penrith Sports Stadium

SWIFTS WON 64-58
(15-20, 29-37, 44-48, 58-64)

SANDPIPERS:
GS . Morgan
GA . Avellino
WA . Cramsie
C .. McCaffrey
WD . McMahon
GD . Harvey
GK . Neville

Shooting:
Morgan 43/53 (81%)
Avellino 15/19 (78%)
TOTAL 58/77 (80%)

SWIFTS:
GS . Sloane
GA . Anderson
WA . Adamson
C .. Jackson
WD . Gilsenan
GD . Williams
GK . Ellis

Shooting:
Sloane 34/44 (77%)
Anderson 30/35 (85%)
TOTAL 64/79 (81%)

Umpires: Stacey Campton, Nola Calnon

[Ian Harkin]

#1317839

PRELIMINARY FINAL – THUNDERBIRDS v SWIFTS
ETSA Park, Adelaide

THUNDERBIRDS WON 51-49 (extra time)
(13-13, 22-20, 34-29, 43-43 / 51-49)

THUNDERBIRDS:
GS . Mogg
GA . Colbeck
WA . Hodge
C .. Sanders
WD . Squire
GD . Harby
GK . Sutter

Shooting:
Mogg 27/41 (66%)
Roberts 15/24 (63%)
Colbeck 9/13 (69%)
TOTAL 51/78 (65%)

SWIFTS:
GS . Sloane
GA . Anderson
WA . Adamson
C .. Jackson
WD . Gilsenan
GD . Williams
GK . Ellis

Shooting:
Anderson 28/40 (70%)
Sloane 16/23 (69%)
Adamson 5/10 (50%)
TOTAL 49/73 (67%)

Umpires: Prue Plummer, Kate Wright

[Ian Harkin]

#1317840

PHOENIX TO STEAL T-BIRDS’ THUNDER
Ted Simmons

IF confidence is a winner, then Melbourne Phoenix are poised to complete a 4-0 unbeaten sweep over the defending champions Adelaide Thunderbirds in the national netball league grand final tonight. `We’ve already beaten them three times this season, and if we have to make it four to win the Cup, then we’ll do it,’ Melbourne coach Joyce Brown said.

Adelaide, winners of the past two netball titles, meet Phoenix, who won the first championship in 1997, at the Melbourne Glasshouse. Both sides are at full strength but Phoenix hold the confidence advantage after their resounding wins this season.

Finals form matters and to beat the T-Birds by nine in the major semi-final is a good statement of where we are,’ Brown said. It’s also a great advantage to have shooters Sharelle McMahon and Eloise Southby in form as well as a boost to the team.

Co-captain Liz Taverner also adds great experience in defence. In fact, it’s a pretty solid team all the way down.’ That is not the type of news that Adelaide coach Marg Angove wants to hear.

Angove has already stated it is almost impossible to stop McMahon, and the T-Birds will have to improve their accuracy to record three consecutive titles. `Errors have caught up with us in the past few weeks but we’ve exceeded expectations in getting to the grand final after the loss of international Jacqui Delaney,’ she said.

‘We’ve been in every grand final but the Phoenix will have extra confidence with their wins this season. Adelaide has never been the most accurate side in the league but we get more shots. Our shooters Cassie Mogg and Anna Coldbeck have worked so hard to get moves going, and we just have to find a way to cut down the opportunities for McMahon and Southby.’

Thunderbirds defenders Kathryn Harby and Sarah Sutter will again have to be on song to stop McMahon, who is the second-highest scorer in the league behind Joanne Morgan. She has an average of 83% for the season and has scored 40, 50 and 45 against Adelaide.

McMahon also plays a key role in stopping Angove’s hopes of equalling the record of Adelaide basketball coach Jan Stirling, who guided Adelaide Lightning to a hat-trick of wins in the Women’s National Basketball League.

In what should be a close struggle, Australian coach Jill McIntosh predicts Phoenix will go all the way. However, the Sydney Swifts’ Julie Fitzgerald says Adelaide are used to winning and have the winning mentality.

[Ian Harkin]

#1317841

GRAND FINAL – PHOENIX v THUNDERBIRDS
The Glasshouse, Melbourne

PHOENIX WON 52-51
(13-18, 25-30, 39-40, 52-51)

PHOENIX:
GS . McMahon
GA . Southby
WA . Meaney
C .. Dick
WD . Chokljat
GD . Taverner
GK . Browning

Changes:
3rd Q – Chatfield GK (Browning).

Shooting:
McMahon 32/35 (91%)
Southby 20/26 (77%)
TOTAL 52/61 (85%)

THUNDERBIRDS:
GS . Colbeck
GA . Roberts
WA . Hodge
C .. Sanders
WD . Squire
GD . Harby
GK . Sutter

Changes:
3rd Q – Altschwager GA (Roberts).
4th Q – Roberts GA (Altschwager).

Shooting:
Colbeck 33/40 (83%)
Roberts 14/20 (70%)
Altschwager 4/6 (67%)
TOTAL 51/66 (77%)

Player Of The Match: Sharelle McMahon (Phoenix)

Umpires: Prue Plummer, Kate Wright
Crowd: 5 700

[Ian Harkin]

#1317842

COMMITMENT AND UNITY LIFT PHOENIX TO VICTORY
Jackie Epstein
The Age
14/8/2000

When speaking in the lead-up to Friday night’s grand final against the Adelaide Thunderbirds, Melbourne Phoenix co-captain Eloise Southby quoted her coach who claimed she would make a fortune if the camaraderie of her players were bottled and sold. Having called on all their unity and commitment to win a second title in an epic encounter at the Glasshouse, the players could make Joyce Brown a multi-millionaire.

The side snatched a 52-51 win after coming back from seven goals down to arrest the lead with only two minutes remaining on the clock. The brilliance of Sharelle McMahon in scoring the goals and Liz Taverner in defending them, dominated conversation as the close-knit group celebrated all weekend before leaving this morning on their end-of-season trip to Bali.

The team emulated its triumph of the 1997 season, but this title is undoubtedly of extra significance since it ended Thunderbirds’ two year reign at the top of the netballing world. Phoenix now has the stocks to stamp its authority on the rest of the competition, but the Thunderbirds were by no means disgraced in defeat.

The side that has played in the past four grand finals will no doubt bounce back from the heart-breaking loss after holding the lead from the eight-minute mark of the first quarter. And while the Thunderbirds were shattered as the returned to Adelaide on Saturday, the bruised and weary Phoenix players continued festivities at the MCG yesterday.

All players, particularly co-captain Taverner, were still emotionally charged when reflecting on the win. “It’s unbelievable to wake up and know that you’re the champions,” Taverner said. “We’ve been having a ball and it’s just an amazing feeling.”

McMahon won the player-of-the-match award and received the best possible birthday present on Saturday when she turned 23. She said it was a tough encounter but one that was different to the win of ’97 in her first year at the club.

Brown, who coached her first premiership, admitted feeling the strain of the close contest on the sidelines. “I lost it with one minute to go, but I felt I was quite in control because there were still decisions to be made,” she said.

South Australian Sally Browning said the win was extra special with her family travelling across the border to watch her play. “It feels fantastic. I was sitting on the sidelines, watching that last two minutes, which was heart-in-your-throat stuff. I just couldn’t believe it. I was just so glad it was us and not them,” she said.

The only dampener of the night may be a possible serious knee injury to Southby, who will have an MRI scan to find out the extent of damage to her posterior cruciate ligament. But she is confident she will be fit to rejoin the group when pre-season training begins in October.

[Author]

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