New South Wales Swifts
Encyclopedia
The New South Wales Swifts are an Australia
n netball
team based in Sydney
that compete in the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship
. The Swifts were formed in 2007 as an amalgamation of two teams from the Commonwealth Bank Trophy
(CBT) – the Sydney Swifts
and the Hunter Jaegers
. During their first three years in the ANZ Championship, the Swifts have had mixed fortunes, winning the inaugural championship in 2008, finishing second-last in 2009, followed by a minor premiership in 2010.
The Swifts are currently coached by Julie Fitzgerald, who coached the Sydney Swifts in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy. In 2011 the Swifts will again be led by veteran shooter Catherine Cox
. Home games in the ANZ Championship are usually played at the Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre in Sydney Olympic Park, NSW; games have also been played at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre
. The team uniform is primarily red with white and light blue. The Swifts' alternate uniform has the red and light blue colours swapped around and is only used when playing the Canterbury Tactix in New Zealand, since both their main uniforms are primarily red.
and Australia. It replaced the Commonwealth Bank Trophy
in Australia and the National Bank Cup
in New Zealand, which both played their final season in 2007. When the new trans-Tasman competition was announced, the competition was reported to feature five teams from each country. For the new competition, five Australian franchises were formed from amalgamations of Commonwealth Bank Trophy teams.
The deadline for expressions of interests for Australian franchises was 10 April 2007. In March 2007, Netball Australia
chief executive Kate Palmer
said that the preferred model was for one team each from New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland and Western Australia. In April this was confirmed as the composition of the league's Australian teams. Netball New South Wales boss Caroline Campbell said that she was disappointed that the Sydney Swifts
and the Hunter Jaegars would have to merge.
Details of the franchise were announced in early December. The New South Wales franchise adopted the name "Swifts", after the Sydney Swifts. Julie Fitzgerald, former coach of the Sydney Swifts, was announced as coach for the new ANZ Championship franchise.
65–56 to win the inaugural season of the ANZ Championship. After the game, the Swifts' veteran midcourt player Selina Gilsenan announced her retirement.
In the ANZ Championship, the Swifts won their first game against the Canterbuty Tactix (the only team the Swifts didn't win in 2008) by seventeen goals and claimed the top spot in the ladder after round one. In round two, after a well fought game against the Adelaide Thunderbirds, the Swifts lost by one goal. In round three, the Swifts lost by 18 goals to the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic. During that game, the Swifts lost Bulley for falling on the ground head first, Cox after a bad landing on Tod's foot and nearly lost Pratley after falling down heavily. Despite Cox missing one shot, Pratley missing three shots and Bell missing two, it wasn't enough to beat van Dyk's perfect accuracy and Tutaia's one miss. In round four, the Swifts are against the Northern Mystics and despite Cox missing three shots in the final quarter and scoring no rebounds against Latu (who shot 38/40), Cookey and Rasmussen, the Swifts won 59-55 to maintain their winning streak at home. However, after that, the Swifts lost the last 9 games in a row and fell down to 9th place.
After their win against the Canterbury Tactix, the NSW Swifts are the first ever team to win against every opposition. Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic was the second team to achieve this after defeating both the Swifts and Vixens in 2009.
In - Ashley Mann, Jessica Mansell, Samantha May and Amy Wild
Out - Selina Gilsenan (retired), Adelaide Johnson
, Tiffany Lincoln and Leah Shoard
(Steel)
to their team. This is the first time that the Swifts have added an international player to their squad. They were the last team in the history of the ANZ Championship to recruit an international player (the Swifts were the only team not to have an import player since the start of the competition). This year, the co-vice captains for the team are Kimberlee Green and Kimberly Smith. In addition, the Swifts have a new assistant coach Robert Wright, current NSW Institute of Sport Development Coach. Wright is officially the first male assistant coach in the ANZ Championship history.
During the off-season, Kimberly Borger from the AIS was added to the squad, but a serious injury meant that she wasn't able to begin her debut for the Swifts. As a result, former Hunter Jaegar member Lara Welham replaced Borger. During the pre-season, Cox was rested due to her ankle injury and wasn't able to take part in both the pre-season training and the SOPA Cup. In the SOPA Cup, the Swifts won five of the seven games, only losing to the West Coast Fever and the eventual pre-season winners Queensland Firebirds.
In the ANZ Championship, many experts believed that the Swifts won't be able to reach the top 4 due to their poor performance last year. As a result, this was the Swifts year of redemption in hopes to return to the top (similar to the Melbourne Vixens in 2009). In round 1, the Swifts upset the Firebirds at Gold Coast by three goals and Cox was named player of the match. In round 2, the Swifts won against the Thunderbirds at their home ground. In round 3, the Swifts played against the Tactix, where the Swifts lost to them at Christchurch in 2008. After the end of regulation time, the game was a draw and extra time had to be played. Cox made a bold move to bench herself due to her poor performance on court for youngster Wild and the Swifts won the match 56-53. In round 4, during the first half, the last place Pulse led the Swifts as much as seven. After trailing by five goals after the first half, the Swifts scored the first ten goals in the second half and won the match 50-36. In round 5, despite conceding the first three goals against the Fever, the Swifts played their best performance after five rounds to win 55-43.
In round 6, the Swifts had a bye after their five match winning streak. It was in this round that the Swifts were the only team not to have a loss when the Vixens had a surprise loss against the Firebirds. In round 7, the Swifts led by one goal at three quarter time, despite trailing by one goal after the first few minutes of the final quarter, the Swifts won the match by 14 goals. In round 8, the Swifts defeated the Thunderbirds and broke their four match winning streak. In round 9, the Swifts defeated the Firebirds and broke their four match winning streak as well. In round 10, the Swifts were comfortable winners against the Fever. In round 11, the Swifts defeated the Mystics and Maria Tutaia was sent off with about a minute and a half of play for persistent breaking on the centre pass. Before round 12, during training, Vanessa Ware suffered a serious knee injury that required reconstruction and not only did it end Ware's season, it also blew away any chance of possible selection into the Diamonds squad. In round 12, the Swifts defeated the Magic despite them having Jade Clarke and not having Vanessa Ware. In round 13, after the scores the tied at half time, the Swifts managed to win by 12 goals against the Vixens in Melbourne. Also during this match, not only was Catherine Cox awarded player of the match, Cox became the second player ever to play 200 games in the domestic league (the first was Sharelle McMahon
) and received a bouquet of flowers from Sharelle McMahon. Also, the Swifts won back the Sargeant McKinnis Cup back from the Vixens. In round 14, the Swifts defeated the Steel. As a result, the Swifts were officially the first ever team to go undefeated in the regular season.
In - Sonia Mkoloma (Tactix), Kimberly Borger (AIS and injured), Courtney Tairi (AIS), Ashleigh Brazill, Lara Welham
Out - Erin Bell (Thunderbirds), Emma Koster, Jessica Mansell, Ashlee Mann
In - Carla Dziwoki (Firebirds 2009), Mo'onia Gerrard (Thunderbirds 2008-2010)
Out - Samantha May, Lara Welham
, the team's captain who has been with the Swifts since The Commonwealth Bank Trophy and will be leaving to the West Coast Fever
after she was stripped off her captaincy role and was told she was 'not needed' at the Swifts by Lisa Beehag, the 2012 Swifts' Coach. Rebecca Bulley
has left to the Adelaide Thunderbirds
, Courtney Tairi has left for the Southern Steel
. Kimberly Smith has announced her retirement earlier in 2011. Joanna Sutton from the Adelaide Thunderbirds has been signed for the Swifts as well as former Swifts Samantha May. The remaining two gains have been recruited from the ANL NSW Warratahs; Kimberly Borger and Kristy Durheim.
red, blue and white. The waratah is the state flower of New South Wales; red is also the main colour of AFL team the Sydney Swans: like the Adelaide Thunderbirds
, the West Coast Fever
and the Melbourne Vixens
, the Swifts have aligned themselves with an AFL
club, in this case the Sydney Swans
. Blue is also the colour of the New South Wales State of Origin
team.
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The Swifts play their home games at three different stadiums throughout the season: Acer Arena
and Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre
, both in Sydney's Olympic Precinct at Homebush Bay, as well as at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre
.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n netball
Netball
Netball is a ball sport played between two teams of seven players. Its development, derived from early versions of basketball, began in England in the 1890s. By 1960 international playing rules had been standardised for the game, and the International Federation of Netball and Women's Basketball ...
team based in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
that compete in the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship
ANZ Championship
The ANZ Championship is the pre-eminent netball league in the world. The competition is held annually between April and July, comprising 69 matches played over 17 weeks. It is contested by ten teams, five from Australia and five from New Zealand...
. The Swifts were formed in 2007 as an amalgamation of two teams from the Commonwealth Bank Trophy
Commonwealth Bank Trophy
The Commonwealth Bank Trophy was the pre-eminent national netball competition in Australia from 1997 to 2007.It was established in 1997 as a true national league to replace the ailing, state club-based Mobil League. Designed from the beginning to be more marketable to the general public, it saw...
(CBT) – the Sydney Swifts
Sydney Swifts
The Sydney Swifts were an Australian netball team, playing in the national Commonwealth Bank Trophy. They were based out of Acer Arena and Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre in the suburb of Homebush. Following the 2003 demise of the Sydney Sandpipers, the Swifts were the only team representing the...
and the Hunter Jaegers
Hunter Jaegers
The Hunter Jaegers were an Australian netball team representing the Hunter Valley of New South Wales in the national Commonwealth Bank Trophy. The team was initially based out of the Newcastle Entertainment Centre, but merged with the Sydney Swifts in 2008 to create the New South Wales Swifts to...
. During their first three years in the ANZ Championship, the Swifts have had mixed fortunes, winning the inaugural championship in 2008, finishing second-last in 2009, followed by a minor premiership in 2010.
The Swifts are currently coached by Julie Fitzgerald, who coached the Sydney Swifts in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy. In 2011 the Swifts will again be led by veteran shooter Catherine Cox
Catherine Cox
Catherine Cox is an Australian netball player. Cox has played regularly for the Australian national team since her first appearance in 1997 and is a member of the ANZ Championship team West Coast Fever....
. Home games in the ANZ Championship are usually played at the Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre in Sydney Olympic Park, NSW; games have also been played at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre
Newcastle Entertainment Centre
Newcastle Entertainment Centre is a multi-purpose Australian arena located within the Newcastle Showgrounds and was opened in 1992 at a cost of A$12m....
. The team uniform is primarily red with white and light blue. The Swifts' alternate uniform has the red and light blue colours swapped around and is only used when playing the Canterbury Tactix in New Zealand, since both their main uniforms are primarily red.
Formation, 2007
The ANZ Championship was founded in 2007 as the new elite domestic netball competition in New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and Australia. It replaced the Commonwealth Bank Trophy
Commonwealth Bank Trophy
The Commonwealth Bank Trophy was the pre-eminent national netball competition in Australia from 1997 to 2007.It was established in 1997 as a true national league to replace the ailing, state club-based Mobil League. Designed from the beginning to be more marketable to the general public, it saw...
in Australia and the National Bank Cup
National Bank Cup
The National Bank Cup was the pre-eminent national netball competition in New Zealand between 1998 and 2007. From 2008, it was replaced by the ANZ Championship.-Format:...
in New Zealand, which both played their final season in 2007. When the new trans-Tasman competition was announced, the competition was reported to feature five teams from each country. For the new competition, five Australian franchises were formed from amalgamations of Commonwealth Bank Trophy teams.
The deadline for expressions of interests for Australian franchises was 10 April 2007. In March 2007, Netball Australia
Netball Australia
Netball Australia is the peak governing body for the sport of netball in Australia. The organisation's stated objectives for Australian netball are to achieve national and international success in competition, encourage greater participation and spectator involvement, and ensure excellence in all...
chief executive Kate Palmer
Kate Palmer
Kate Palmer is the current Chief Executive Officer of Netball Australia. A leading figure in netball and Australian sport since the early 1990s, Palmer was previously the Chief Executive of Netball Victoria...
said that the preferred model was for one team each from New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland and Western Australia. In April this was confirmed as the composition of the league's Australian teams. Netball New South Wales boss Caroline Campbell said that she was disappointed that the Sydney Swifts
Sydney Swifts
The Sydney Swifts were an Australian netball team, playing in the national Commonwealth Bank Trophy. They were based out of Acer Arena and Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre in the suburb of Homebush. Following the 2003 demise of the Sydney Sandpipers, the Swifts were the only team representing the...
and the Hunter Jaegars would have to merge.
Details of the franchise were announced in early December. The New South Wales franchise adopted the name "Swifts", after the Sydney Swifts. Julie Fitzgerald, former coach of the Sydney Swifts, was announced as coach for the new ANZ Championship franchise.
Inaugural season, 2008
The Swifts were one of the first franchises to name their squad for the inaugural season. Australian national players Catherine Cox and Selina Gilsenan were announced as captain and vice-captain, respectively. During the 2008 season, the Swifts finished second at the end of the round-robin stage. They defeated the Magic in the semi-finals in Hamilton to progress directly to the grand final. On 28 July 2008, the Swifts defeated the Waikato/Bay of Plenty MagicWaikato/Bay of Plenty Magic
The Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic are a New Zealand netball team based in Hamilton that currently compete in the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship. The franchise was formed in 1999 during the Coca-Cola Cup as an amalgamation of two teams from the inaugural season, the Waikato Wildcats and the Bay of...
65–56 to win the inaugural season of the ANZ Championship. After the game, the Swifts' veteran midcourt player Selina Gilsenan announced her retirement.
2009
In their preseason tournament, the Sydney Olympic Park Netball Cup, the Swifts won five of their seven games and the other two games ended in a draw. This was enough for the Swifts to win the cup and $10,000.In the ANZ Championship, the Swifts won their first game against the Canterbuty Tactix (the only team the Swifts didn't win in 2008) by seventeen goals and claimed the top spot in the ladder after round one. In round two, after a well fought game against the Adelaide Thunderbirds, the Swifts lost by one goal. In round three, the Swifts lost by 18 goals to the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic. During that game, the Swifts lost Bulley for falling on the ground head first, Cox after a bad landing on Tod's foot and nearly lost Pratley after falling down heavily. Despite Cox missing one shot, Pratley missing three shots and Bell missing two, it wasn't enough to beat van Dyk's perfect accuracy and Tutaia's one miss. In round four, the Swifts are against the Northern Mystics and despite Cox missing three shots in the final quarter and scoring no rebounds against Latu (who shot 38/40), Cookey and Rasmussen, the Swifts won 59-55 to maintain their winning streak at home. However, after that, the Swifts lost the last 9 games in a row and fell down to 9th place.
After their win against the Canterbury Tactix, the NSW Swifts are the first ever team to win against every opposition. Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic was the second team to achieve this after defeating both the Swifts and Vixens in 2009.
In - Ashley Mann, Jessica Mansell, Samantha May and Amy Wild
Out - Selina Gilsenan (retired), Adelaide Johnson
Adelaide Johnson
Adelaide Johnson was an American sculptor whose work is displayed in the U.S. Capitol and a feminist who was devoted to the cause for equality of women....
, Tiffany Lincoln and Leah Shoard
Leah Shoard
Leah Shoard is an Australian netball player in the ANZ Championship, playing for the Southern Steel in New Zealand.She played for the New South Wales Swifts in the 2008 season, having previously been signed for the Sydney Swifts and AIS Canberra Darters in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy...
(Steel)
2010
After a shocking performance in 2009, the Swifts recruited England defender Sonia MkolomaSonia Mkoloma
Sonia Mkoloma is an English international netball player. Mkoloma made her international debut for the English national team in 1999, and during her career has competed at three Netball World Championships, three Commonwealth Games and two World Netball Series...
to their team. This is the first time that the Swifts have added an international player to their squad. They were the last team in the history of the ANZ Championship to recruit an international player (the Swifts were the only team not to have an import player since the start of the competition). This year, the co-vice captains for the team are Kimberlee Green and Kimberly Smith. In addition, the Swifts have a new assistant coach Robert Wright, current NSW Institute of Sport Development Coach. Wright is officially the first male assistant coach in the ANZ Championship history.
During the off-season, Kimberly Borger from the AIS was added to the squad, but a serious injury meant that she wasn't able to begin her debut for the Swifts. As a result, former Hunter Jaegar member Lara Welham replaced Borger. During the pre-season, Cox was rested due to her ankle injury and wasn't able to take part in both the pre-season training and the SOPA Cup. In the SOPA Cup, the Swifts won five of the seven games, only losing to the West Coast Fever and the eventual pre-season winners Queensland Firebirds.
In the ANZ Championship, many experts believed that the Swifts won't be able to reach the top 4 due to their poor performance last year. As a result, this was the Swifts year of redemption in hopes to return to the top (similar to the Melbourne Vixens in 2009). In round 1, the Swifts upset the Firebirds at Gold Coast by three goals and Cox was named player of the match. In round 2, the Swifts won against the Thunderbirds at their home ground. In round 3, the Swifts played against the Tactix, where the Swifts lost to them at Christchurch in 2008. After the end of regulation time, the game was a draw and extra time had to be played. Cox made a bold move to bench herself due to her poor performance on court for youngster Wild and the Swifts won the match 56-53. In round 4, during the first half, the last place Pulse led the Swifts as much as seven. After trailing by five goals after the first half, the Swifts scored the first ten goals in the second half and won the match 50-36. In round 5, despite conceding the first three goals against the Fever, the Swifts played their best performance after five rounds to win 55-43.
In round 6, the Swifts had a bye after their five match winning streak. It was in this round that the Swifts were the only team not to have a loss when the Vixens had a surprise loss against the Firebirds. In round 7, the Swifts led by one goal at three quarter time, despite trailing by one goal after the first few minutes of the final quarter, the Swifts won the match by 14 goals. In round 8, the Swifts defeated the Thunderbirds and broke their four match winning streak. In round 9, the Swifts defeated the Firebirds and broke their four match winning streak as well. In round 10, the Swifts were comfortable winners against the Fever. In round 11, the Swifts defeated the Mystics and Maria Tutaia was sent off with about a minute and a half of play for persistent breaking on the centre pass. Before round 12, during training, Vanessa Ware suffered a serious knee injury that required reconstruction and not only did it end Ware's season, it also blew away any chance of possible selection into the Diamonds squad. In round 12, the Swifts defeated the Magic despite them having Jade Clarke and not having Vanessa Ware. In round 13, after the scores the tied at half time, the Swifts managed to win by 12 goals against the Vixens in Melbourne. Also during this match, not only was Catherine Cox awarded player of the match, Cox became the second player ever to play 200 games in the domestic league (the first was Sharelle McMahon
Sharelle McMahon
Sharelle Jane McMahon is an Australian netball player and former captain of the Australian national netball team...
) and received a bouquet of flowers from Sharelle McMahon. Also, the Swifts won back the Sargeant McKinnis Cup back from the Vixens. In round 14, the Swifts defeated the Steel. As a result, the Swifts were officially the first ever team to go undefeated in the regular season.
In - Sonia Mkoloma (Tactix), Kimberly Borger (AIS and injured), Courtney Tairi (AIS), Ashleigh Brazill, Lara Welham
Out - Erin Bell (Thunderbirds), Emma Koster, Jessica Mansell, Ashlee Mann
2011
After missing out on a spot in last years grand final, the Swifts recruited Mo'onia Gerrard from the Adelaide Thunderbirds. In addition, the Swifts also recruited veteran Carla Dziwoki after making a great impact at both in state league and in the Australian National League as well as forming a great shooting combination with current Swifts player Amy Wild. The Swifts are one of only two teams not to have any new players in their team (the other is the Pulse). However, the Swifts have used players not in the main squad during pre-season matches against the Mystics including April Letton, FastNet Diamonds defender.In - Carla Dziwoki (Firebirds 2009), Mo'onia Gerrard (Thunderbirds 2008-2010)
Out - Samantha May, Lara Welham
2012
The 2012 Season sees many of the NSW Swifts players departing and many players coming in. The major loss is that of Catherine CoxCatherine Cox
Catherine Cox is an Australian netball player. Cox has played regularly for the Australian national team since her first appearance in 1997 and is a member of the ANZ Championship team West Coast Fever....
, the team's captain who has been with the Swifts since The Commonwealth Bank Trophy and will be leaving to the West Coast Fever
West Coast Fever
The West Coast Fever are an Australian netball team based in Perth that currently compete in the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship. The franchise was one of the foundation teams of the Commonwealth Bank Trophy, formerly the premier domestic league in Australia. They contested every year of the...
after she was stripped off her captaincy role and was told she was 'not needed' at the Swifts by Lisa Beehag, the 2012 Swifts' Coach. Rebecca Bulley
Rebecca Bulley
Rebecca Bulley is an Australian international netball player. A defence circle player, Bulley was included in the Australian national squad in 2005 and 2007. Previously, she was the co-captain of the Melbourne Kestrels and of the AIS Canberra Darters during the Commonwealth Bank Trophy...
has left to the Adelaide Thunderbirds
Adelaide Thunderbirds
The Adelaide Thunderbirds are an Australian netball team based in Adelaide that currently compete in the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship. The Thunderbirds were formed as one of the foundation teams of the Commonwealth Bank Trophy , previously the premier netball league in Australia, which was...
, Courtney Tairi has left for the Southern Steel
Southern Steel
The Southern Steel are a New Zealand netball team based in Invercargill that compete in the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship. The franchise was formed as an amalgamation of two teams from the National Bank Cup, the Dunedin-based Otago Rebels and the Invercargill-based Southern Sting...
. Kimberly Smith has announced her retirement earlier in 2011. Joanna Sutton from the Adelaide Thunderbirds has been signed for the Swifts as well as former Swifts Samantha May. The remaining two gains have been recruited from the ANL NSW Warratahs; Kimberly Borger and Kristy Durheim.
Name and colours
The team's name and colours were announced in early December 2007. The New South Wales Swifts take the name of former Commonwealth Bank Trophy team, the Sydney Swifts. The team adopted the official colours waratahWaratah
Waratah is a genus of five species of large shrubs or small trees in the Proteaceae, native to the southeastern parts of Australia...
red, blue and white. The waratah is the state flower of New South Wales; red is also the main colour of AFL team the Sydney Swans: like the Adelaide Thunderbirds
Adelaide Thunderbirds
The Adelaide Thunderbirds are an Australian netball team based in Adelaide that currently compete in the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship. The Thunderbirds were formed as one of the foundation teams of the Commonwealth Bank Trophy , previously the premier netball league in Australia, which was...
, the West Coast Fever
West Coast Fever
The West Coast Fever are an Australian netball team based in Perth that currently compete in the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship. The franchise was one of the foundation teams of the Commonwealth Bank Trophy, formerly the premier domestic league in Australia. They contested every year of the...
and the Melbourne Vixens
Melbourne Vixens
The Melbourne Vixens are an Australian netball team in Melbourne that compete in the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship. The team were formed in 2007 as an amalgamation of the Melbourne Phoenix and Melbourne Kestrels from the previous Commonwealth Bank Trophy. Sharelle McMahon and Bianca Chatfield have...
, the Swifts have aligned themselves with an AFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
club, in this case the Sydney Swans
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
. Blue is also the colour of the New South Wales State of Origin
Rugby League State of Origin
State of Origin is an annual best of three series of rugby league football matches contested by the Maroons and the Blues, who represent the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales respectively...
team.
Venues
Acer Arena
The Allphones Arena is a large entertainment and sporting complex located in Sydney, Australia. It is situated in Sydney Olympic Park, and was completed in 1999 as part of the facilities for the 2000 Summer Olympics....
and Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre
State Sports Centre
The State Sports Centre is a multi-use indoor arena in Sydney, Australia. It hosted the table tennis and taekwondo events for the 2000 Summer Olympics....
, both in Sydney's Olympic Precinct at Homebush Bay, as well as at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre
Newcastle Entertainment Centre
Newcastle Entertainment Centre is a multi-purpose Australian arena located within the Newcastle Showgrounds and was opened in 1992 at a cost of A$12m....
.