Commonwealth Bank Trophy

The Commonwealth Bank Trophy, also referred to as the National Netball League, was the top level national Australian netball league between 1997 and 2007. The league was organized by Netball Australia. Its main sponsor was the Commonwealth Bank. Melbourne Phoenix were the competition's most successful team, winning five premierships. Sydney Swifts were the second most successful team, winning four premierships. Between them, Phoenix and Swifts played in every grand final, except in 1999 when Adelaide Thunderbirds won the second of their two premierships. Ahead of the 2008 season, the Commonwealth Bank Trophy league effectively merged with New Zealand's National Bank Cup to form the ANZ Championship.

Teams

File:Australia Netball teams.PNG

Locations of teams

The founding members of the Commonwealth Bank Trophy league included Adelaide Ravens, Adelaide Thunderbirds, Melbourne Kestrels, Melbourne Phoenix, Perth Orioles, Sydney Sandpipers, Sydney Swifts and Queensland Firebirds. The majority of the teams were named after native Australian birds including ravens, kestrels, orioles and sandpipers. Adelaide Thunderbirds were initially going to be named Adelaide Falcons but the name was changed at the request of the rugby union team.<ref name="anzthunderbirds">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2003 Ravens were replaced by AIS Canberra Darters<ref name=theage270802>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="abc220403">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and in 2004 Sandpipers were replaced by Hunter Jaegers.<ref name="nswswifts291109a">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="netballnsw2007">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=theage190803>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="abc190803">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 2008, when the Commonwealth Bank Trophy league was replaced by the ANZ Championship, Thunderbirds and Firebirds became founders of the new league.<ref name="netballau2008">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Several other Commonwealth Bank Trophy teams were transformed to form ANZ Championship teams. Swifts and Jaegers merged to become New South Wales Swifts,<ref name="pressreader121207">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Kestrels and Phoenix merged to become Melbourne Vixens<ref name="vixenshistory">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and Orioles were rebranded as West Coast Fever.<ref name="wcforioles">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=nwa2007>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Meanwhile, the Australian Institute of Sport and Canberra Darters ended their partnership and in 2008 entered two separate team in the Australian Netball League.<ref name="netballsg2009">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="wsr1220710">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Earlier teams

Team	Region	Debut season	Final season	Replaced by
Adelaide Ravens	South Australia	1997	2002	AIS Canberra Darters
Sydney Sandpipers	New South Wales	1997	2003	Hunter Jaegers

Minor premierships

Season	Winners
1997	Adelaide Thunderbirds<ref name="netballscoop1997071"/>
1998	Adelaide Thunderbirds<ref name="netballscoop1997071"/>
1999	Adelaide Thunderbirds<ref name="netballscoop1997072"/>
2000	Adelaide Thunderbirds<ref name="netballscoop1997072"/>
2001	Adelaide Thunderbirds<ref name="netballscoop1997073"/>
2002	Melbourne Phoenix<ref name="netballscoop1997073"/>
2003	Melbourne Phoenix<ref name="netballscoop1997074"/>
2004	Sydney Swifts<ref name="netballscoop1997074"/>
2005	Sydney Swifts<ref name="netballscoop1997075"/>
2006	Sydney Swifts<ref name="netballscoop1997075"/>
2007	Melbourne Phoenix<ref name="netballscoop1997076"/>

Awards

Most Valuable Player

Season	Player	Team
1998 <ref name="netballnsw2007"/>	Liz Ellis	Sydney Swifts
1999 <ref name="diamondsdelaney"/>	Jacqui Delaney	Adelaide Thunderbirds
2000 <ref name="vicnetball301120"/>	Sharelle McMahon	Melbourne Phoenix
2001 <ref name="diamondsdelaney"/>	Jacqui Delaney	Adelaide Thunderbirds
2002 <ref name="netballnsw2007"/>	Liz Ellis	Sydney Swifts
2003	Sharelle McMahon	Melbourne Phoenix
2004 <ref name="netballau2004"/>	Cynna Neele	Melbourne Kestrels
2005 <ref name="netballau2005"/>	Sharelle McMahon	Melbourne Phoenix
2006 <ref name="netballnsw2007"/><ref name="netballau2006"/>	Liz Ellis	Sydney Swifts
2007 <ref name="netballau2007"/>	Sharelle McMahon	Melbourne Phoenix

Players' Player of the Year

Season	Player	Team
2001	Jacqui Delaney	Adelaide Thunderbirds
	Catherine Cox	Perth Orioles
2002	Liz Ellis	Sydney Swifts
2003	Cynna Neele	Melbourne Kestrels
	Natalie Sloane
	Mo'onia Gerrard	Sydney Sandpipers
2004 <ref name="netballau2004"/>	Janine Ilitch	Melbourne Kestrels
	Raegan Jackson	Hunter Jaegers
2005	Natasha Chokljat	Melbourne Phoenix
2006 <ref name="netballau2006"/>	Caitlin Bassett	Perth Orioles
	Caitlin Thwaites	Melbourne Kestrels
2007 <ref name="netballau2007"/>	Leah Shoard	AIS Canberra Darters

Grand final MVP

Season	Player	Team
1997
1998<ref name="netballscoop1997071"/>	Sarah Sutter	Adelaide Thunderbirds
1999<ref name="diamondsdelaney"/>	Jacqui Delaney	Adelaide Thunderbirds
2000<ref name="netballscoop1997072"/><ref name="vicnetball301120"/>	Sharelle McMahon	Melbourne Phoenix
2001<ref name="netballscoop1997073"/>	Liz Ellis	Sydney Swifts
2002<ref name="netballscoop1997073"/>	Sharelle McMahon	Melbourne Phoenix
2003
2004	Catherine Cox	Sydney Swifts
2005	Bianca Chatfield	Melbourne Phoenix
2006	Liz Ellis	Sydney Swifts
2007	Selina Gilsenan	Sydney Swifts

Best New Talent

Season	Player	Team
1998	Natalie Sloane	Queensland Firebirds
1999	Mo'onia Gerrard	Sydney Sandpipers
2000	Cynna Neele	Melbourne Kestrels
2001	Jane Altschwager	Sydney Swifts
2002	Mandy Edwards	Adelaide Thunderbirds
2003	Carla Dziwoki	Queensland Firebirds
2004 <ref name="netballau2004"/>	Julie Prendergast	Melbourne Phoenix
2005 <ref name="netballau2005"/>	Clare McMeniman	AIS Canberra Darters
2006 <ref name="netballau2006"/>	Madison Browne	Melbourne Kestrels
2007 <ref name="netballau2007"/>	Ashlee Howard	Melbourne Kestrels

Coach of the Year

Season	Player	Team
2004 <ref name="netballau2004"/>	Julie Fitzgerald	Sydney Swifts
2005 <ref name="netballau2005"/>	Julie Hoornweg	Melbourne Phoenix
2006 <ref name="netballau2006"/>	Julie Fitzgerald	Sydney Swifts
2007 <ref name="netballau2007"/>	Julie Fitzgerald	Sydney Swifts

Television

ABC were the Commonwealth Bank Trophy league's official broadcast partner.<ref name="netballau2004"/><ref name="netballau2007"/>