Sapphire Series
Sport | Netball |
---|---|
Founded | 2019 |
Owner(s) | Netball Queensland |
No. of teams | 10 (2022) |
Country | Australia |
Venue(s) | Queensland State Netball Centre |
Most recent champion(s) | Brisbane North Cougars (2021) |
Most titles | Brisbane North Cougars (2 titles) |
Sponsor(s) | Hart Sport |
Level on pyramid | 3 |
Official website | Sapphire Series |
The Sapphire Series (also known as the Hart Sapphire Series under naming rights) is a state netball league featuring teams from Queensland. The league is organised by Netball Queensland. The current semi-professional league was first played for during the 2019 season. It replaced earlier state leagues organised by Netball Queensland as the top level netball competition in Queensland. On a national level, the HART Sapphire Series is effectively a third level league. Reserve teams compete in the Ruby Series.[1][2] The Firebirds Futures are the representative team of the Sapphire Series. They originally played as Queensland Fusion, and then in 2021 were re-branded Queensland Sapphires after the Sapphire Series.[3]
History
Earlier state leagues
Between 2001 and 2018, Netball Queensland organised a series of state leagues. These included the Dairy Farmers Cup, the Holden Astra Cup, the Holden Cruze Cup, the Queensland Champions Cup and the Queensland State Netball League.[4][5][6][7][8]
2019
In 2019 the founding members of the Sapphire Series included Bond University Bull Sharks, Brisbane North Cougars, Carina Leagues Club Tigers, Ipswich Jets, Moreton Bay/USC Thunder, Northern Rays and QUT Wildcats.[9][10][11] The inaugural season began on 25 June 2019, with a match which saw Thunder defeat Bull Sharks 53–44.[12] QUT Wildcats were the inaugural premiers after defeating Cougars 60–49 in the grand final.[13][14]
2020
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 season took place later then planned. Northern Rays were unable to compete due to travel restrictions, so the second season went ahead with six teams in the Sapphire Series. Cougars, Jets, Wildcats, Tigers, Bullsharks and Thunder also entered the Ruby Series were they joined by a seventh team, Darling Downs Panthers. Cougars finished the season as premiers after defeating Jets 62–47 in the grand final.[15][16][17][18][19]
2021
The 2021 Sapphire Series featured eight teams with the return of Northern Rays and the debut of QUT Netball.[20][21] Brisbane North Cougars finished the season as premiers after defeating QUT Netball 70–45 in the grand final.[22]
2022
In December 2021 it was announced that Gold Coast Titans would enter a team in the 2022 Sapphire Series.[23][24]
Teams
Team | Home venue/base | Home city/town/suburb | Debut season |
---|---|---|---|
Bond University Bull Sharks[25][26] | Bond University | 2019 | |
Brisbane North Cougars[27][28] | North Brisbane | 2019 | |
Brisbane South Wildcats[29][30][31] | Nissan Arena | South Brisbane | 2019 |
Carina Leagues Club Tigers[32][33] | East Brisbane | 2019 | |
Darling Downs Panthers[34][35] | Downlands College | Toowoomba | 2020 |
Gold Coast Titans[23][24] | Gold Coast, Queensland | 2022 | |
Northern Mendi Rays[36][37] | Townsville Stadium | Townsville | 2019 |
QUT Netball[20][38][39] | Nissan Arena | Queensland University of Technology | 2021 |
USC Thunder[40][41][42] | USC Stadium | University of the Sunshine Coast | 2019 |
USQ Jets Netball Club[43][44] | Ipswich, Queensland | 2019 |
- Notes
- ^1 Brisbane South Wildcats were originally partnered with Queensland University of Technology and were known as QUT Wildcats.
- ^2 Darling Downs Panthers only play in the Ruby Series.
- ^3 Gold Coast Titans are the netball team of Gold Coast Titans
- ^4 USC Thunder were originally known as Moreton Bay Thunder. They are partnered with both the University of the Sunshine Coast and Sunshine Coast Lightning.
- ^5 USQ Jets Netball Club were originally known as Ipswich Jets. They are partnered with both the University of Southern Queensland and Ipswich Jets.
Source:[9]
Venues
The majority of Sapphire Series matches are played at the Queensland State Netball Centre. Northern Rays play their home games in North Queensland, while the remaining teams can play two home games in their own venue each season.[9][11]
Representative team
Queensland Sapphires are the representative team of the HART Sapphire Series. They originally played as Queensland Fusion. In 2021 they were re-branded Queensland Sapphires after the Sapphire Series.[3][45][46][47]
Division 1 grand finals
- Dairy Farmers Cup
Season | Winners | Score | Runners Up | Venue |
---|---|---|---|---|
2001[48] | Brisbane North Cougars | Brisbane East Pumas ? | ||
2002 | Brisbane North Cougars | |||
2003[48][49] | Brisbane North Cougars | Brisbane West Pumas | Mount Gravatt | |
2004 | Brisbane North Cougars |
- Holden Astra Cup
Season | Winners | Score | Runners Up | Venue |
---|---|---|---|---|
2005 | Brisbane North Cougars | |||
2006 | ||||
2007[50] | Brisbane North Cougars | |||
2008[50] | ??? Tigers | Brisbane North Kedron Wavell Cougars | Mount Gravatt | |
2009[51] | Brisbane South Wildcats | Brisbane North Kedron Wavell Cougars | ||
2010 | Brisbane North Cougars |
- Holden Cruze Cup
Season | Winners | Score | Runners Up | Venue |
---|---|---|---|---|
2011[5] | Brisbane North Cougars | 52–44 | Carina Leagues Club Tigers | Logan Metro Indoor Sports Centre |
2012[52] | Carina Leagues Club Tigers | 57–39 | Kedron-Wavell Services Club Cougars |
- Queensland Champions Cup
Season | Winners | Score | Runners Up | Venue |
---|---|---|---|---|
2013[6][53] | Brisbane North Cougars | 66–53 | Carina Leagues Club Tigers | |
2014[6] | Carina Leagues Club Tigers | 56–44 | Suncoast Lynx |
- Queensland State Netball League Division 1
Season | Winners | Score | Runners Up | Venue |
---|---|---|---|---|
2015[54] | Brisbane North Cougars | Carina Leagues Club Tigers | ||
2016[55] | Brisbane North Cougars | 49–43 | Carina Leagues Club Tigers | |
2017[56] | Brisbane North Cougars | 43–38 | Carina Leagues Club Tigers | |
2018[8][57] | Brisbane North Cougars | Goodna Services Brisbane Lions | Logan Metro Indoor Sports Centre |
- Sapphire Series
Season | Winners | Score | Runners Up | Venue |
---|---|---|---|---|
2019[13][14] | QUT Wildcats | 60–49 | Brisbane North Cougars | QSNC |
2020[18][19] | Brisbane North Cougars | 62–47 | USQ Jets | |
2021[22][58][59] | Brisbane North Cougars | 70–45 | QUT Netball |
Source:[4]
Awards
- Katie Walker Medal
The Sapphire Series MVP award is named after Katie Walker.[60]
Season | Winner | Team |
---|---|---|
2019[30][60][61] | Hulita Veve | QUT Wildcats |
2020[18][19][62] | Ava Black | Bond University Bull Sharks |
2021[63] | Leesa Mi Mi | Brisbane North Cougars |
- Sapphire Series Grand Final MVP
Season | Winner | Team |
---|---|---|
2019[14] | Dannielle Taylor | QUT Wildcats |
2020[18][19] | Ruby Bakewell-Doran | Brisbane North Cougars |
2021 |
Ruby Series
Grand finals
Season | Winners | Score | Runners Up | Venue |
---|---|---|---|---|
2019[13][64] | Carina Leagues Club Tigers | 51–36 | Ipswich Jets | |
2020[18][65] | Carina Leagues Club Tigers | 56–48 | Brisbane North Cougars | |
2021[66] | Brisbane North Cougars | 58–39 | Carina Leagues Club Tigers | Nissan Arena |
Awards
- Ruby Series Season MVP
Season | Winner | Team |
---|---|---|
2019[60] | Martina Reekers | |
2020[18][65] | Naomi Solomona | Ipswich Jets |
2021 |
- Ruby Series Grand Final MVP
Season | Winner | Team |
---|---|---|
2019[64] | Shelley Rosanoff | Carina Leagues Club Tigers |
2020[18][65] | Reilley Batcheldor | Carina Leagues Club Tigers |
2021 | Monique Piuniti | Brisbane North Cougars |
Main sponsors
Years | |
---|---|
Hart Sport[67][68] | 2019– |
References
- ^ "HART Sapphire Series". sapphireseries.com.au. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
- ^ "HART Sapphire & Ruby Series". qld.netball.com.au. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
- ^ a b "Queensland Sapphires to be introduced to netball world at Championships in September". qld.netball.com.au. 27 July 2021. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
- ^ a b "About Brisbane North Cougars". www.brisbanenorthcougars.com.au. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
- ^ a b "2011 Netball Queensland Annual Report" (PDF). Netball Queensland. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 October 2020. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
- ^ a b c "Netball Queensland – Annual Report 2014" (PDF). Netball Queensland. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 October 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
- ^ "2015 Netball Queensland Annual Report" (PDF). Netball Queensland. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 October 2020. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
- ^ a b "Netball Queensland Game On 2018 Annual Report" (PDF). qld.netball.com.au. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
- ^ a b c "Netball's new next gen competition". thewomensgame.com. 5 October 2018. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
- ^ "Introduction to the HART Sapphire Series". sapphireseries.com.au. 20 May 2019. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
- ^ a b "The Official Launch of the HART Sapphire Series". sapphireseries.com.au. 20 May 2019. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
- ^ "Round 1 Match Report: USC Thunder vs. Bond University Bull Sharks". sapphireseries.com.au. 25 June 2019. Archived from the original on 22 March 2020. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
- ^ a b c "Netball Queensland Game On 2019 Annual Report" (PDF). qld.netball.com.au. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
- ^ a b c "Fairytale ending for QUT Wildcats with first grand final win". sapphireseries.com.au. 14 October 2019. Archived from the original on 15 March 2020. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
- ^ "Northern Rays look to the future". qld.netball.com.au. 12 June 2020. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
- ^ "Northern Rays look to the future as COVID pandemic brings 2020 season hopes to an end". sapphireseries.com.au. 15 June 2020. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
- ^ "Generation Next to shine in HART Sapphire and Ruby Series return". sapphireseries.com.au. 7 August 2020. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Netball Queensland Annual Report 2020" (PDF). qld.netball.com.au. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
- ^ a b c d "Cougars secure championship in dominant display". sapphireseries.com.au. 23 November 2020. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
- ^ a b "QUT set to sparkle in HART Sapphire Series". sapphireseries.com.au. 16 December 2020. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
- ^ "HART Sapphire and Ruby Series set for new heights in 2021". sapphireseries.com.au. 7 April 2021. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
- ^ a b "Brisbane North Cougars 70–45 QUT". sapphireseries.com.au. 31 August 2021. Archived from the original on 10 January 2022. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
- ^ a b "Welcome to Titans Netball". www.titans.com.au. 1 December 2021. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
- ^ a b "Gold Coast Titans' exciting entry to HART Sapphire Series". sapphireseries.com.au. 1 December 2021. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
- ^ "Bond University Netball". bond.edu.au. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
- ^ "Bond University Bull Sharks". sapphireseries.com.au. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
- ^ "Brisbane North Cougars Netball Club". www.brisbanenorthcougars.com.au. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
- ^ "Brisbane North Cougars". sapphireseries.com.au. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
- ^ "Wildcats". sapphireseries.com.au. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
- ^ a b "Brisbane South Netball - Wildcats coaching positions 2020". qld.netball.com.au. 5 February 2020. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
- ^ "So what's the story with the Wildcats bibs?". sapphireseries.com.au. 10 November 2020. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
- ^ "Brisbane East Netball – Home of the Carina Leagues Club Tigers". brisbaneeastnetball.com.au. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
- ^ "CLC Tigers". sapphireseries.com.au. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
- ^ "Darling Downs Panthers". www.panthersnetball.com. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
- ^ "Darling Downs Panthers". sapphireseries.com.au. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
- ^ "Northern Mendi Rays". www.northernrays.com.au. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
- ^ "Northern Mendi Rays". sapphireseries.com.au. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
- ^ "Netball at QUT". www.qut.edu.au. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
- ^ "QUT Netball". sapphireseries.com.au. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
- ^ "USC Thunder". thundernetball.org.au. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
- ^ "USC Thunder". sapphireseries.com.au. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
- ^ "Elite Pathways". sunshinecoastlightning.com.au. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
- ^ "Jets Netball Club". www.ipswichjets.com. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
- ^ "USQ Jets Netball Club". sapphireseries.com.au. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
- ^ "ANC & Qld Sapphire". qld.netball.com.au. Archived from the original on 26 December 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
- ^ "High hopes set for Australian Championships as Queensland Sapphires announce squad". qld.netball.com.au. 29 July 2021. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
- ^ "Queensland Sapphires look at options as Australian Netball Championships remodelled". qld.netball.com.au. 20 August 2021. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
- ^ a b "untitled". The Courier-Mail. 12 September 2003. ProQuest 1419588321. Retrieved 11 January 2022 – via ProQuest.
- ^ "NETBALL". The Courier-Mail. 8 September 2003. ProQuest 1419588321. Retrieved 11 January 2022 – via ProQuest.
- ^ a b "Go". The Courier-Mail. 10 September 2008. ProQuest 353821590. Retrieved 11 January 2022 – via ProQuest.
- ^ "Wishing Wells' netball jackpot". www.couriermail.com.au. 21 January 2010. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
- ^ "Cruze to netball trophy for Carina Leagues Club Tigers". www.couriermail.com.au. 3 July 2012. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
- ^ Brent O'Neill (18 July 2013). "Cougars pounce on rivals for title double". City North News. ProQuest 1419588321. Retrieved 11 January 2022 – via ProQuest.
- ^ "Carina Leagues Tigers motivated by a shot at redemption in the state netball finals". The Courier-Mail. www.couriermail.com.au. 16 April 2016. Archived from the original on 19 April 2016. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
- ^ Brent O'Neill (21 December 2016). "Highs and lows in 2016". Northside Chronicle. ProQuest 1419588321. Retrieved 11 January 2022 – via ProQuest.
- ^ Brent O'Neill (20 December 2017). "The highs and lows of '17". Northside Chronicle. ProQuest 1419588321. Retrieved 11 January 2022 – via ProQuest.
- ^ "Logan to host Queensland's premier netball competition finals this weekend". www.jimboombatimes.com.au. 14 September 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
- ^ "Cougars v QUT in the Sapphire Netball Grand Final". www.couriermail.com.au. 31 August 2021. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
- ^ "HART Sapphire Series: Cougars v QUT Netball (Grand Final: 2021)". www.youtube.com. 31 August 2021. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
- ^ a b c "Queensland Firebirds re-name MV the Laura Geitz Medal". firebirds.net.au. 6 October 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
- ^ "Hulita Veve on balancing mum life with elite netball on QUT team". www.couriermail.com.au. 18 April 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
- ^ "MVP win for young netballer". The Toowoomba Chronicle. 27 November 2020. Retrieved 10 January 2022 – via PressReader.
- ^ "#katiewalkermedal". www.facebook.com. 9 September 2021. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
- ^ a b "Queensland netball: Carina Leagues Tigers win Ruby Series". www.couriermail.com.au. 14 October 2019. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
- ^ a b c "Tigers claim 2020 Ruby Series". sapphireseries.com.au. 23 November 2020. Archived from the original on 23 January 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
- ^ "Queensland Ruby Series: Cougars v Tigers (Grand Final: 2021)". www.youtube.com. 31 August 2021. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
- ^ "HART Sapphire Series Announcement". www.hartsport.com.au. 19 October 2018. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
- ^ "HART Sport secures Naming Rights for Netball Queensland's Inaugural Sapphire Series". www.ausleisure.com.au. 29 October 2018. Retrieved 10 January 2022.