From Schoolyard Courts to Global Arenas; The Ascent of Australian Netball

Played by more than 20 million people in more than 80 countries, netball is Australia’s most popular women’s sport with approximately one million players each year. But where did it come from?

Originally named women’s basketball, netball involves two teams of seven players, on a rectangular court with standing goal rings at each end. Specific positions define the role of each layer on court and their movement within the thirds and goal circle. Such modifications were made to the game of basketball to fit within feminine practices at the time, such as long dresses which were difficult to dribble with.

Netball has transformed over the years to become even more tactical, tough and technical. Originally, the ball was made of 32 panels of hand stitched leather and uniforms were woollen box pleat skirts with a stiff collared shirt. By the 1970s, position bibs became part of the game and in today’s game, players at all levels wear high – tech bodysuits made from durable, light weight lycra.

The world’s first international netball game came in 1938 when New Zealand crossed the Tasman the play the Australian team (now The Diamonds) in Melbourne.

In 1956, Australia sailed to England and won 54 out of 57 games in the Test, but it was in 1960 that the sport officially took over the world with the formation of the Federation of Netball and Women’s Basketball (later the International Netball Federation).

One of the most dominant teams in sporting history, The Diamonds have won 12 out of 16 World Cups (including the inaugural World Championships in 1963.)

Since netball became a Commonwealth Games sport in 1998, Australia has won four gold medals, is the current number one team in the INF World Rankings, and the reigning Commonwealth Games and Netball World Cup champions.

Although recognised by the International Olympic Committee, netball is not an Olympic sport, yet. As host to the 138th Olympic Games in 2032, Netball Australia and World Netball are pushing for the global sport’s inclusion.

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West Coast Fever and Super Netball

The Perth Orioles played in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy from 1997 to 2007, when the name was retired and elite netball was relaunched in WA, revealing the state’s newest team; West Coast Fever.

From 2008 to 2016 the Fever played in the ANZ Championship, consisting of five teams from Australia and five from New Zealand. Their breakthrough season came in 2015, where Ashleigh Brazill captained the side to nine wins and a third-place finish while Natalie Medhurst and Caitlin Bassett were selected in the Australian Diamonds.

In 2017 they joined the Suncorp Super Netball competition and have made finals in five of the last six years.

As the nation’s new netball league, Super Netball is an enhanced game involving a points system whereby teams earn four points for the victory and a bonus point for each quarter won throughout the season, meaning premiership points are not solely decided by victories.

Fast forward to 2018 and Fever’s long-standing dominance began with the arrival of record-breaking Jamaican goal shooter Jhaniele Fowler, who made history before three quarter time for the most goals by an individual in a single game (66). Perth hosted Sunshine Coast Lightning in the grand final at RAC Arena in front of a record National League crowd of 13,772, although Lightning gained momentum in the last quarter to win by three.

Fever also called HBF Stadium home (then Challenge Stadium) from 2008 to 2018, before permanently moving to RAC Arena for the 2019 season.

In 2020 Super Netball introduced rolling substitutions, extra time and a two-goal super shot whereby goal attacks and goal shooters attempt to score two points with one shot from a 1.9m zone which is only active in the final five minutes of each quarter.

The elusive maiden premiership came in July 2022 at RAC Arena where Fever, now coached by Dan Ryan, led every quarter against Melbourne Vixens to win in front of a new record crowd of almost 14,000.