ESSO/MOBIL SUPERLEAGUE 1985-1996

ESSO/MOBIL SUPERLEAGUE 1985-19962020-10-28T21:26:46+10:00
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      Following on from the Esso Superleague (1985-1990), the Australian national league competition had a name change to the Mobil Superleague, but was run along similar lines.

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      1991 MOBIL SUPERLEAGUE

      Division 1:
      Syd Pulsars 46 def Melb Blue 39
      Adel Contax 36 def Melb Blue 35
      Melb Blue 47 def Adel Contax 46
      Syd Pulsars 50 def Adel Contax 42
      Melb Blue 57 def Syd Pulsars 41
      Syd Pulsars 41 def Adel Contax 38

      1. Syd Pulsars
      2. Melb Blue
      3. Adel Contax

      Division 2:
      A.I.S 59 def Brisbane 41
      A.I.S 54 def W.A.I.S Gold 44
      Brisbane 63 def W.A.I.S Gold 57

      1. A.I.S
      2. Brisbane
      3. W.A.I.S Gold

      SEMI FINALS:
      Syd Pulsars 54 def A.I.S 49
      Adel Contax 56 def Melb Blue 48

      GRAND FINAL:
      SYD PULSARS 59 def ADEL CONTAX 36

      Player of the finals: Nicole Cusack (Pulsars)

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        KENNY’S RETURN SETS UP IMPRESSIVE SHOW BY PULSARS
        HEATHER SMITH
        Sydney Morning Herald

        No-one could have beaten the on-fire Sydney Pulsars yesterday, according to Adelaide Contax Quit10 coach Marg Angove, whose side was beaten 59-36 in the Mobil Netball Superleague final at Canberra’s Bruce Stadium. The Pulsars avenged their 1990 third place finish in awesome style, shoving Adelaide out of the final in the third quarter. Further salt was rubbed into the Contax players’ wounds in the fourth quarter as Sydney did as they liked to extend their handsome lead to 23 goals at the final whistle. “I defy anyone to have beaten Sydney today,” Angove said. “They played really well. We couldn’t stop their shooters and Sue Kenny made a big difference.”

        Pulsars’ goal shooter Catriona Wagg hit top form to score 32 goals at an astounding 80 percent accuracy rate, while goal attack Nicole Cusack shot 27 from 39. In defence, Keeley Devery showed why she is the best goal keeper in the country by restricting top-class Adelaide shooter Julie Nykiel to 24 goals from 34 attempts.

        The Sydney side’s spark came from captain and wing attack Sue Kenny, who returned to the team yesterday after four weeks off with a shoulder ligament injury. The experienced international seemed to inspire confidence in the players around her, and Wagg in particular responded well. The 22 year old Wagg shot 100 percent in the first quarter, followed by 86 percent in the second and 85 percent in the third. It was only in the last quarter that tiredness crept in and her accuracy rate dropped to 64 percent.

        Kenny said after the match that she wasn’t sure whether to risk her shoulder at the weekend with the World Championships coming up in July. But her decision to play was obviously appreciated by her teammates and the tender shoulder was “absolutely fine”. “I think our fitness, concentration and experience was the difference,” Kenny said. “We definitely improved from the morning when we played the AIS. We wanted to put all our effort into winning the final and it came together well.”

        Mr Hawke presented the Prime Minister’s Cup to the Pulsars and a $1000 player of the finals series award to Cusack, who, surprisingly has been dropped from the Australian team for the world titles. Pulsars’ coach Carol Sykes was delighted with the way her team played to win the Superleague. “We’ve been having problems at the attacking end, but it came together today,” Sykes said. “Susie Kenny playing gave them a lot more confidence.”

        The Contax players, who had only completed a tough semi final match with Melbourne Adidas Blue, 1 1/2 hours before the final, seemed to suffer far more from tiredness than the Pulsars, who had a four-hour break. Angove commented that the fitness of her side, the top Adelaide club team, was always going to lag behind the Pulsars, made up mostly of Australian or former Australian international players. “Our first aim this weekend was to be competitive, and our next aim was to make the final, so I’m not disappointed in that regard,” she said. “Maybe at another time and on another day, we might have a chance to beat Sydney.”

        The Pulsars defeated the young Australian Institute of Sport side 54-49 in yesterday morning’s first semi-final, while Contax upset Melbourne. Sykes said she had prepared her players for a Melbourne-Sydney final but was only mildly surprised when Adelaide qualified. “I still reckon Melbourne would have been flat-out beating us had they made it, though,’ she said.

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          From NETBALL FAN

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            1992 MOBIL SUPERLEAGUE

            Division 1:
            Melb Pumas 46 def Syd Pulsars 45
            Adel Contax 43 def Melb Pumas 40
            Syd Pulsars ??? def Melb Pumas ???
            Adel Contax 57 def Syd Pulsars 47
            Adel Contax 40 def Melb Pumas 30
            Syd Pulsars 56 def Adel Contax 43

            1. Adel Contax
            2. Syd Pulsars
            3. Melb Blue

            Division 2:
            A.I.S 60 def Brisbane 36
            Bris Chevron 60 def W.A.I.S Gold 42
            A.I.S 63 def W.A.I.S Gold 44
            A.I.S 58 def W.A.I.S Gold 36
            Bris Chevron ??? v W.A.I.S Gold ???
            A.I.S 54 def Bris Chevron 48

            1. A.I.S
            2. Bris Chevron
            3. W.A.I.S Gold

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              ANGOVE NOW SAYS RIVALS AT UNIFORM LEVEL
              HEATHER SMITH
              Sydney Morning Herald

              For more than a month, Adelaide Contax threatened to run away with the Mobil Superleague national netball tournament. But coach Margaret Angove firmly believes the front-runners have come back to the field. The early advantage held by Adelaide has been nullified by six weeks’ competition, and according to Angove all this weekend’s semi-finalists have a good chance of winning the Prime Minister’s Cup.

              “We had a good start due to the fact that we are a team and that we’ve played together for three years,” Angove said. “We didn’t need time to settle in, like other teams did. We just needed our timing and decision-making fine-tuned. Knowing each other’s capabilities gave us a head start. But I don’t think that counts for anything now. The other teams have had time to catch up and I don’t think we have an advantage at all.”

              Adelaide, South Australia’s champion club side, had been criticised for sticking to their normal team line-up despite the Superleague rule which allows a team to “import” up to two players for the duration of the tournament. Rivals Sydney Pulsars and Melbourne Pumas, in particular, have needed time to settle players into their best roles and have lost matches because of it.

              From four games Adelaide lost one-at home to the Pulsars 56-43-during the preliminary rounds. Sydney won two matches and Melbourne only one. The fourth semi-finalists, Australian Institute of Sport, won all of their four matches against Brisbane Chevron and Western Australian Institute of Sport.

              Adelaide have also attracted the most publicity for their ground-breaking Lycra bodysuit uniforms. “The uniforms have created enormous comment,” Angove said. “I think we’ve made more publicity through that than the ability of the players.” The change in uniform was made because the Adelaide players complained that the traditional collared shirt and pleated skirt were uncomfortable.

              “Our captain, Karen Schultz, came up with the idea that aerobic outfits were very comfortable and after lots of discussion we came up with ideas for a uniform made of cotton Lycra,” she said. “We tried lots of combinations over a six-month period and Dynamic Bodywear eventually came up with what they are wearing now. We wanted to make sure everyone felt comfortable in the bodysuits. They have been very happy with them so far. The girls we have played against think they are fantastic, too.”

              Adelaide play AIS in one semi-final at the State Sports Centre, Homebush, tomorrow evening, while Sydney play Melbourne in the other. The final is on Sunday afternoon. Contax, who have never won the Prime Minister’s Cup, are “very confident” after their performances.

              “To win the Superleague competition would probably be our greatest achievement,” she said. “We have received heaps of criticism from the press for staying with our club team and it would be a fantastic feeling, after winning the State championship, to become the best club team in Australia.”

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                SEMI-FINALS:
                Adel Contax 47 def A.I.S 42
                Syd Pulsars 44 def Melb Pumas 42

                3/4 PLAYOFF:
                A.I.S 50 def Melb Pumas 44

                GRAND FINAL:
                SYD PULSARS 59 def ADEL CONTAX 45

                Pulsars (Kaesler 35, Wagg 24)
                Contax (Nykiel 36, Angove 9)

                Player of the finals: Marianne Murphy (Pulsars)

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                  PULSARS BOILOVER SINKS BOOM TEAM ADELAIDE
                  JACQUELIN MAGNAY
                  Sydney Morning Herald

                  The Sydney Pulsars overcame the physically intimidating tactics of the Adelaide Contax to emerge convincing 59-45 winners in the Mobil Superleague series yesterday. Sydney had gone into the series as rank outsiders. The Sutherland-based team made full use of its two imported players, shooter Catriona Wagg and defender Keeley Devery, to deliver the stunning and comprehensive 14-goal win at the State Sports Centre, Homebush.

                  From the opening whistle, Sydney forged ahead, and only during a brief stint near the end of the first quarter did Adelaide get back in touch. The Pulsars, with just one win in the Superleague preliminary games (beating Adelaide in Adelaide by 13 goals) were not expected to match the tight team-oriented game of their opponents, especially after a 44-42 semi-final hard hit-out against Melbourne Blues on Saturday night.

                  Ecstatic Pulsars coach Margaret Corbett said her team had a lot to prove and went out and showed up its detractors. “There were a lot of knockers at the beginning who didn’t think the girls could do it,” Corbett said. “I’m so proud of the girls. There were a lot of faces out there who, once given the chance in this type of competition, have really shown what they are capable of. Karynne Lindwall was a second-grade State League player two seasons ago and Carolyn Digby is another quiet achiever.”

                  Corbett implemented player-on-player strategies for the match, switching wing defence Lisa Wilson to the centre court and player-of-the-series Marianne Murphy to wing attack. With Digby at wing defence, Lindwall at goal defence and import Devery in goal, Adelaide’s notorious short feeds to the shooting circle were effectively stifled.

                  Adelaide goal shooter Julie Nykiel, a former Olympic basketball representative, shot 76 percent, but her partner Sarah Angove was restricted to just nine shots from 16 attempts. The experienced Devery consistently intercepted passes and pressure on the two shooters forced umpires Maureen Boyle and Nola Calnon to award a succession of turnovers to Sydney.

                  Sydney enjoyed a glut of possession, particularly in the vital third and fourth quarters, and were able to dictate the momentum of the game. Clearly frustrated, Adelaide players adopted behind-play elbow and shoulder charges but were unable to disturb Sydney’s concentration. In one 10-minute period, four players hit the court without possession of the ball and in the third quarter Lindwall was flattened by her opposition.

                  Earlier, Adelaide’s tight marking and fast down-court play had Sydney scrambling, yet their inability to convert opportunities meant Sydney were never really worried. “I thought we had it by the start of the fourth quarter,” Corbett said. “Once the third quarter was over and we were ahead by eight goals, I thought we would have it from there.”

                  Sydney goal shooter and former Adelaide player Lyn Kaesler was dynamic in the goal circle, complementing superbly the outstanding skill of Australian shooter Wagg. Both shooters potted 77 percent, Kaesler missing just 10 goals from 45 attempts.

                  Adelaide coach Marg Angove said: “The ball just kept on coming in and coming in to the Sydney circle. Kaesler must have nearly been the player of the finals, she’s a real club girl and all the games I’ve seen her play, she’s played really well. But I’ve never seen the Sydney team play better. I’d like to make excuses for us, but there are none. We simply struggled from the start and we were never on top.”

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                    1993 MOBIL SUPERLEAGUE

                    ADELAIDE CONTAX
                    Sarah Angove
                    Audine Cobb
                    Monica Dinan
                    Julie Halliday
                    Kathryn Harby (captain)
                    Julie Nykiel
                    Vicki Neale
                    Tania Obst
                    Shelley O’Donnell
                    Sharon Purser
                    Karen Schulz
                    Emma Sutter
                    Sarah Sutter
                    Nicky Washington
                    Coach: Marg Angove

                    ADELAIDE GARVILLE
                    Sheridan Abbott
                    Natalie Avellino
                    Jenny Borlase (vice-captain)
                    Julie Brereton
                    Michelle Fielke (captain)
                    Robyn Gill
                    Danielle Grant
                    Michelle Kelso
                    Josie Koch
                    Karen Jemson
                    Karen Johnson
                    Cassie Mogg
                    Leah Torzyn
                    Coach: Pat Mickan

                    A.I.S
                    Vanessa Chapman
                    Karlie Clark
                    Stacey Crane
                    Fiona Doran
                    Lyndall Evans
                    Yvette Fong
                    Emma Ganley
                    Bree Hodges
                    Kerri Holben
                    Janine Lynch
                    Joanne Morgan
                    Victoria Saywell
                    Waveney Seinor
                    Alex Wheeler
                    Robyn Wren
                    Coach: Gaye Teede

                    BRISBANE CANONS
                    Patrice Bourne
                    Liz Ellis
                    Rachel Farnsworth
                    Rhonda Fedrick
                    Nikki Klatt
                    Kerry Leech (vice-captain)
                    Sally Lovell
                    Carmen Mallett
                    Leesa McMahon
                    Kirsten Moore
                    Emma Romagnoli
                    Danielle Taylor
                    Michelle Tollenaere
                    Danielle Wheeler
                    Vicki Wilson (captain)
                    Coach: Jan Maggacis

                    MELBOURNE PUMAS
                    Michelle Benison
                    Leigh Dixon
                    Jennie Fallet
                    Cathy Gillespie
                    Chris Harris
                    Diane Honey
                    Susan Howie
                    Marne James
                    Roselee Jencke (captain)
                    Katrina Latour
                    Nicole Marshall
                    Simone McKinnis (vice-captain)
                    Coach: Norma Plummer

                    PERTH BULLETS
                    Deanne Clarke
                    Carol Davidson (captain)
                    Leith Fradd
                    Sharon Jarrott
                    Jenny Keen
                    Jodie Merralls
                    Karen Mitchell
                    Susan Nicholas
                    Andrea Parker (vice-captain)
                    Lia Pike
                    Deanne Quartermaine
                    Julie-Anne Sloan
                    Michelle Worland
                    Coach: Annette Simper

                    SYDNEY ELECTRICITY
                    Tina Anderson
                    Maxine Brannelly
                    Cathy Cassidy
                    Nicole Cusack
                    Carissa Dalwood
                    Keeley Devery (vice-captain)
                    Sharon Finnan
                    Gillian Hynd
                    Pamela Illidge
                    Sue Kenny (captain)
                    Dimmie Kosyfas
                    Coach: Carole Sykes

                    SYDNEY PULSARS
                    Sue Brown
                    Tracey Evry
                    Nicole Foster
                    Lenore Furze (vice-captain)
                    Lyn Kaesler
                    Karynne Lindwall
                    Lisa Moore
                    Raelene Mullaney
                    Justine Wakeling
                    Jenni Urquhart
                    Catriona Wagg
                    Lisa Wilson (captain)
                    Coach: Marg Corbett

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                      COACH MAKES UNPLANNED COMEBACK TO NETBALL
                      JULIE MURTAGH
                      The Age

                      Longevity in coaching at the elite level of sport demands a total commitment of body and soul. Veteran coach Norma Plummer is returning to the national netball scene after a four-year break in the Quit State League. Her return resumes a 30-year association with Victoria’s reigning premiers, Melbourne.

                      Plummer, 48, has had a colorful netball career, representing Australia in the 1970s and assuming the role as Melbourne’s playing coach. She is delighted with the network of professionals supporting her role as head coach.

                      “My comeback wasn’t planned,” Plummer said. “Coaching used to be a multi-faceted role because you acted as the club administrator, the trainer, the dietitian and the psychologist. Netball at the elite level now demands a structure within the club to split the workload.” Plummer encourages the netballers to be self-disciplined in their approach to training.

                      “Our fitness adviser Lindy Murphy has individualised the pre-season programs for the girls and they are required to do additional fitness work,” she said. You either want it or you don’t – it’s up to the individual to put in the extra work.” Netball Victoria’s programs coordinator, Lindy Murphy, has incorporated Plyometrics into the skills program, to improve court speed.

                      “Plyometrics involves jumping repetitions which become progressively more difficult,” Murphy said.

                      “We focus on a netball-specific program, so the athletes are gaining maximum benefit.” Melbourne have recruited two Victorian Institute of Sport players, Emma Gleeson and Liz Taverner. Goaler Nicole Marshall and centre player Ingrid Dick have also been included in the talented line-up.

                      The Pumas have an abundance of talent, with Australian players Roselee Jencke, Simone McKinnis and Chris Harris in their squad. Plummer believes Melbourne will be competitive for the new State League and Super-league (national league) seasons, but is concerned that the previous recruiting program failed to foster junior development within the club.

                      “We have a shortage of key positional players in the club,” she said. “If we strike a major injury in the shooting area, we may struggle due to the lack of depth.”

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                        Ladder:
                        Syd Electicity
                        Adel Garville
                        Melb Pumas
                        Adel Contax

                        Syd Pulsars
                        Bris Canons
                        A.I.S
                        Perth Bullets

                        .

                        SEMI-FINALS:
                        Syd Electricity 38 def Adel Contax 36
                        Adel Garville 64 def Melb Pumas 35

                        3/4 PLAYOFF:
                        Adel Contax 42 def Melb Pumas 40

                        GRAND FINAL:
                        ADEL GARVILLE 56 def SYD ELECTRICITY 49

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                          ADELAIDE WIN NETBALL TITLE
                          The Sun Herald

                          ADELAIDE Garville won the Netball Superleague, beating Sydney Electricity 56-49 in the final at the State Sports Centre last night.

                          Sydney led by eight goals mid way throught the second quarter and had a two-goal lead going into the final 15 minutes. But Adelaide’s defence forced errors while shooters Jennifer Borlase and Natalie Avellino did not miss. Sydney dominated the centre court with a brilliant game from Test netballer Carissa Dalwood while Keeley Devery was exceptional in defence.

                          Earlier Adelaide Contax won the battle for third beating Melbourne Pumas 42-40.

                          .

                          FINALS HIGHLIGHT VICTORIA’S WEAKNESSES
                          LINDA PEARCE
                          The Age

                          If the capacity Sydney crowd, dramatic netball and gritty triumph by Adelaide Garville distinguished the weekend’s superleague finals, then, more parochially, the climax of the national club competition also served to highlight the apparent Victorian decline.

                          Friday night’s 29-goal pounding of the Melbourne Pumas by Garville was one of the heaviest defeats inflicted on a Victorian team in recent interstate competition, while an improved effort against Adelaide Contax in Saturday’s playoff for third fell two goals short of salvaging some of the lost respect.

                          So, barring another major format change next year, the state with the most registered netballers and one of the proudest competitive histories will again be restricted to a single superleague entry, while New South Wales and South Australia exercise their right to submit their leading two teams for 1994.

                          And, coupled with the poor showing at last year’s nationals, at which Victoria lost to Queensland for the first time on its way to third place and its lowest finish in six years, the short-term picture appears unusually grim.

                          To examine why is to note first that, with the Melbourne club having traditionally provided the bulk of the state team, the two inevitably share common ailments. On the weekend, lack of shooting depth was again shown to be chief among Melbourne’s problems.

                          Then there is the issue of junior and rural development, which has only recently been addressed by beefed-up talent identification programs such as those which have long been in operation north of the border.

                          As well, there has been a failure to translate continuing individuals and team success at under-17, 19 and 21 levels.

                          Melbourne and former Victorian coach Norma Plummer described the shooting situation as “desperate”, admitted to concerns about the present value of the state league and called for a round-table discussion on the continuing failure to convert under-age success to senior level.

                          “I know how the players feel about being the bridesmaid and they know themselves they haven’t had the extra one player that might have been able to put the ball through the hoop or pull that one in,” she said.

                          “They are all working their hearts out but we haven’t had that ability to finish it off. We didn’t penetrate the circle (against Garville), and if you don’t get it in the ring and get the shots up, it kills the rest of the team.” Indeed, a feature of Saturday night’s grand final upset was the performance of Garville’s dynamic shooting duo Jenny Borlase and Natalie Avellino, who helped retrieve what had seemed a lost cause when Sydney Randwick stretched its lead to eight in the third quarter.

                          The SA state league champion’s 56-49 triumph earned it the Prime Minister’s Cup in its first year in the competition. For years Garville has played second fiddle to bitter rival Contax, but with its envied strength in goals, the defensive skills of national captain Michelle Fielke and a talented young midcourt, the Greys are worthy successors to 1992 champion Sydney Sutherland.

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                            Thanks to NETBALL FAN

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                              1994 MOBIL SUPERLEAGUE

                              ADELAIDE CONTAX
                              Sarah Angove
                              Audine Cobb
                              Monica Dinan
                              Kathryn Harby (captain)
                              Vicki Neale
                              Tania Obst
                              Sharon Purser
                              Sarah Sutter (vice-captain)
                              Karen Whelan
                              Vicki Wilson
                              Coach: Marg Angove

                              ADELAIDE GARVILLE
                              Sheridan Abbott
                              Natalie Avellino
                              Jennifer Borlase (vice-captain)
                              Michelle Fielke (captain)
                              Robyn Gill
                              Danielle Grant
                              Karen Jenson
                              Michelle Kelso
                              Simone McKinnis
                              Josie Pearce
                              Cassie Mogg
                              Leah Torzyn
                              Coach: Pat Mickan

                              A.I.S
                              Megan Anderson
                              Kylie Chamberlain
                              Stacey Crane
                              Fiona Doran
                              Lyndall Evans
                              Julie Harrison
                              Rebecca Hayes
                              Bree Hodges
                              Susan Howie
                              Natalie Read
                              Victoria Saywell (captain)
                              Waveney Seinor
                              Peta Squire
                              Kirsten Wheeler
                              Coaches: Gaye Teede and Sue Hawkins-McLeod.

                              BRISBANE DOWNEY PARK
                              Tracey Bruce (vice-captain)
                              Kaylene Carmody
                              Amanda Grassick
                              Anne-Marie Hill
                              Tracey Leaso
                              Marne James
                              Melissa McDonald
                              Patricia McDonald
                              Tracey Chapman
                              Maria Smith (captain)
                              Rosie Sprinkart
                              Paula Stuart
                              Coach: Liz White

                              MELBOURNE KEAS
                              Manda Atta
                              Narelle Eslick
                              Sue Gaudion
                              Peta Kennedy
                              Diane Honey
                              Leanne Mackie
                              Shelley O’Donnell (captain)
                              Nicole Richardson (vice-captain)
                              Liz Taverner
                              Lee Spreadborough
                              Yolanda Wightman
                              Coaches: Leanne Mackie and Robyn English.

                              PERTH BULLETS
                              Leith Fradd
                              Vanessa Hall
                              Sharon Jarrott
                              Karen Mitchell
                              Susan Nicholas
                              Philipa O’Connel
                              Andrea Parker
                              Lori Patterson (captain)
                              Julie-Ann Sloan
                              Amanda Wheeler
                              Michelle Worland
                              Coach: Sue Gerrard

                              SYDNEY ELECTRICITY
                              Tina Anderson
                              Maxine Brannelly
                              Nicole Cusack
                              Carissa Dalwood
                              Keeley Devery (vice-captain)
                              Sharon Finnan
                              Gillian Hynd
                              Sue Kenny (captain)
                              Dimi Kosyfas
                              Rachael Morton
                              Coach: Carole Sykes

                              SYDNEY CENOVIS KU-RING-GAI
                              Joanne Babington
                              Laverne Daniels
                              Liz Ellis
                              Reagan Gilmour
                              Marianne Murphy
                              Jenny O’Keeffe (vice-captain)
                              Tracey Pearce
                              Nerida Spindler
                              Catriona Wagg (captain)
                              Sharn Wheatley
                              Alison Williams
                              Coach: Julie Fitzgerald

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                                SEMI-FINALS:
                                Adel Contax 50 def Syd Cenovis 40
                                Adel Garville 65 def Melb Keas 54

                                3/4 PLAYOFF:
                                Melb Keas ?? def Syd Cenovis ??

                                GRAND FINAL:
                                ADEL CONTAX 61 def ADEL GARVILLE 58 (extra time)

                                Contax (Wilson 45/59, Obst 16/??)
                                Garville (Borlase 35/45, Avellino 23/31)

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                                  CHAOS OVER NETBALL FINAL
                                  LINDA PEARCE
                                  The Sunday Age

                                  ADELAIDE Contax finally claimed the major interstate prize it has sought for so long with a controversial 61-58 overtime win over hometown rival Adelaide Garville in last night’s netball Superleague grand final at the Powerhouse. While Garville officials believe a scoring discrepancy had robbed them of a one-goal victory, the official score sheet had scores tied at 47- 47 after regular time, and play was extended for 14 minutes.

                                  Garville coach Pat Mickan said the team would lodge a protest but had been told already that the result would stand. “We believe in our hearts in the fact that we won the game,” she said. Garville captain Michelle Fielke refused to sign the scorecard.

                                  Garville, the defending champion, grabbed the early overtime break and held a two-goal lead at the final change of ends, Contax having lost goal attack Tania Obst two minutes earlier with a leg injury. But Contax lost nothing with the substitution of regular feeder Sarah Angove who failed to score a goal but, more importantly, channeled the ball to champion import Vicki Wilson.

                                  Wilson’s battle with Fielke, Australia’s captain, was one of the high points of an absorbing and physical match, which ended with emotional scenes and a crowd invasion of the court. It has taken Wilson nearly a decade as one of the netball world’s leading shooters to finally break through for a major domestic win. She had to leave her home state of Queensland to do it, but was the key player in last night’s triumph.

                                  Despite missing the final shot for goal in regular time, Wilson scored a match-high 45 goals at 76 per cent under fierce pressure, including the last three of the match. If the missing ingredient for Contax has been a class shooter, then this has proven to be an inspired recruiting choice.

                                  Yet Garville was also a gallant runner-up and worthy finalist. Shooters Jenny Borlase (35 goals at 77 per cent) and Natalie Avellino (23 goals at 74 per cent) were an exceptional combination at the other end, while the mid-court match-ups were typically tight between these two regular and fierce foes.

                                  It will be a pity if such a fine and desperate exhibition of netball is soured by a scoring controversy but many in the stadium were bewildered when the scoreboard was amended five minutes into the last quarter from a 42-40 Garville lead to 41 goals each.

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