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.
In 2008, when the Commonwealth Bank Trophy league was replaced by the ANZ Championship, Thunderbirds and Firebirds became founders of the new league.[8] Several other Commonwealth Bank Trophy teams were transformed to form ANZ Championship teams. Swifts and Jaegers merged to become New South Wales Swifts,[9] Kestrels and Phoenix merged to become Melbourne Vixens[10] and Orioles were rebranded as West Coast Fever.[11][12] Meanwhile the Australian Institute of Sport and Canberra Darters ended their partnership and in 2008 entered two separate team in the Australian Netball League.[13][14]
ABC were the Commonwealth Bank Trophy league's official broadcast partner.[26][32]
References
^"Adelaide Thunderbirds - ANZ Championship". www.anz-championship.com. 22 April 2003. Archived from the original on 26 October 2021. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
^"League dumps Ravens for AIS team". The Age. 27 August 2002. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
^"New look for 2003". www.abc.net.au. 22 April 2003. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
^"Sydney Swifts - 1997-2007". nswswifts.com.au. 29 November 2009. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
^ abcdefg"Netball NSW – Annual Report 2007" (PDF). Netball NSW. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 September 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
^"End of the road for Sydney Sandpipers". www.theage.com.au. 19 August 2003. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
^"Sandpipers to leave netball league". www.abc.net.au. 19 August 2003. Retrieved 20 September 2020.