A secret report shows Australia’s elite netball league is bleeding money and being propped up by the fees paid by junior and club players at a time when competition from rival sports is intensifying.
The Australian Diamonds have now won the netball World Cup 12 times from 16 attempts,but some of the game’s greats say this victory was “more extraordinary” than earlier triumphs because of the turmoil in the sport and rise of other nations.
As always,the Diamonds are the favourites. But what we’ll learn at this netball World Cup is how much Australia’s Super Netball competition has helped strengthen the other nations.
If there is no Commonwealth Games at all in 2026,there will be a gaping hole in Australia’s Olympic preparations. This will have a significant impact on Australia’s medal count.
A new Victorian side,owned by media mogul Craig Hutchison and his Sports Entertainment Network (SEN),will enter the Super Netball competition – replacing the Collingwood Magpies.
The Adelaide Thunderbirds have claimed their maiden super netball championship at John Cain Arena,defeating NSW Swifts 60-59 in extra time in front of a 10,000-strong crowd.
There’s a silver lining to recent back-to-back defeats to the Adelaide Thunderbirds before Saturday’s grand final,according to NSW co-captain Maddy Proud.
West Coast Fever have kept their hopes alive of going back-to-back after defeating the Melbourne Vixens by seven goals in a do-or-die minor semi-final in Perth and book their spot in the preliminary final.
The daunting prospect of netballers potentially having no income in the months ahead as the protracted battle over a new collective player agreement continues has left them in limbo,Melbourne Vixens star defender Jo Weston says.
The Swifts come up against the Thunderbirds,who toppled them last week,with a spot in the 2023 Super Netball grand final up for grabs.
Australian Diamonds coach Stacey Marinkovich said selection for the upcoming World Cup involved hard decisions,including the widely publicised choice of Collingwood’s Sophie Garbin over Queensland’s Donnell Wallam.