This year marks a major milestone for one of New South Wales’ most important netball competitions—Premier League turns 10.
Launched in 2016, Premier League has cemented itself as the pinnacle netball competition in NSW, showcasing the state’s top current and emerging talent every Wednesday night at Netball Central.
Over the past decade, it has become the undisputed breeding ground for future stars of Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) – athletes, umpires, coaches and bench officials - offering a fiercely competitive environment that mirrors the intensity of Australia’s elite domestic league, considered the best in the world.
SSN representatives such as GIANTS Netball players Amy Sligar, Maddie Hay and Erin O’Brien, NSW Swifts Sophie Fawns, Freddie Schneideman and Grace Whyte, Melbourne Mavericks stars Tayla Fraser and Amy Parmenter along with Emily Moore from the Queensland Firebirds are all alumni of Netball NSW’s Premier League.
“The exposure to week in week out competition of Premier League was an amazing stepping stone into the SSN,” former Premier League and current SSN GIANTS Netball player Amy Sligar said.
“I started Premier League as a 15-year-old and continued to play as I moved through Super Netball Reserves and into SSN. I was incredibly lucky to play with and against so many amazing players, including current and former Suncorp Super Netball players."
As a high-performance stepping stone, Premier League provides crucial development opportunities for players, coaches, umpires and administrators, bridging the pathway between community netball and the elite stage of the Super Netball Reserves and Suncorp Super Netball.
“Premier League also provided an opportunity to work with many great coaches. The lessons I learnt on and off court have helped shape my career in Suncorp Super Netball,” Sligar concluded.
NSW Swifts Head Coach Briony Akle reinforced the value of the Premier League in building the next generation of SSN talent.
“I love the Premier League and coached in it early on, and I really think it has helped hugely in the development of talent into SSN," said Akle
“So many past and present Swifts have come through Premier League such as Sophie Craig, Tayla Fraser, Teigan O’Shannassy, Lili Gorman-Brown and Lauren Moore. Some of our players still play in it to get high-quality game-time.
“Today we have the likes of Sophie Fawns, Freddie Schneideman and Grace Whyte who’ve also had huge development in it.
“It’s not just Swifts, many Giants have emerged from being part of it too and I reckon it’s hands down the best league of its kind in Australia.” affirmed Akle
Stacy Harding, General Manager – Competitions at Netball NSW, said the competition is an essential part of the state’s high-performance system.
“Premier League is where NSW’s next generation of stars are tested. It offers the best and most fierce competition to blood athletes for the ferocity of Suncorp Super Netball. Week in, week out, it demands elite intensity and prepares our players for the next level.”
Over the past 10 years, dozens of Premier League athletes, umpires, bench officials and coaches have stepped up to Super Netball contracts, national honours, and even international representation. It’s a track record that reflects both the depth of talent in NSW and the critical role this competition plays in nurturing future stars.
To celebrate the milestone, Netball NSW is launching a fan-led campaign to name the Premier League ‘Team of the Decade’.
Across Netball NSW and Premier League social channels, fans can cast their votes for the best player in every position, as well as the Coach of the Decade—a fun and nostalgic way to honour the standout performers of the past 10 seasons.
The finals series for Premier League commences on Wednesday 23 July, with the Grand Final taking place on Sunday 3 August at Ken Rosewall Arena at Sydney Olympic Park. All matches are available to watch live and on demand at https://netballnsw.tv/
