Sharelle McMahon
Encyclopedia
Sharelle Jane McMahon (born 12 August 1977 in Bendigo
, Australia) is an Australian netball
player and former captain of the Australian national netball team. McMahon plays in the goal attack and goal shooter positions.
in the ANZ Championship
, having played 11 seasons for the Melbourne Phoenix
(as a captain for four seasons) in the previous Commonwealth Bank Trophy
. McMahon led the Vixens to the ANZ Championship title in 2009, defeating the Adelaide Thunderbirds
in the grand final.
McMahon has captained the Vixens since its inaugural season in 2008, sharing the captaincy with Bianca Chatfield
in 2009. McMahon was best and fairest for the Vixens in 2009 and 2010, having previously been voted best and fairest for Melbourne Phoenix four times between 2000 and 2007.
On 31 March 2011, McMahon ruptured her Achilles tendon in an ANZ Championship game against Queensland Firebirds
. Following surgery, she withdrew from the 2011 Netball World Championships
in Singapore
, and was considering her playing future. Australian coach Norma Plummer
described McMahon as "probably the most athletic player of natural talent" to have played the game.
. She was the youngest member of the Australian team which won the netball gold medal at the 1998 Commonwealth Games
in Kuala Lumpur
.
In September 2009, McMahon made her 100th appearance for the national side, captaining Australia to a 36-33 win against New Zealand. McMahon captained the Australian team at the 2010 Commonwealth Games
in Delhi and was selected as the Australian flagbearer for the opening ceremony.
In 2010 McMahon won the Australia's Favourite Diamond award.
Bendigo, Victoria
Bendigo is a major regional city in the state of Victoria, Australia, located very close to the geographical centre of the state and approximately north west of the state capital Melbourne. It is the second largest inland city and fourth most populous city in the state. The estimated urban...
, Australia) is an Australian 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 ...
player and former captain of the Australian national netball team. McMahon plays in the goal attack and goal shooter positions.
Domestic career
McMahon captains the Melbourne VixensMelbourne 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...
in the 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...
, having played 11 seasons for the Melbourne Phoenix
Melbourne Phoenix
The Melbourne Phoenix were an Australian netball team. They were one of two teams representing the city of Melbourne, Victoria in the national Commonwealth Bank Trophy. They have been replaced by the Melbourne Vixens in the ANZ Championship...
(as a captain for four seasons) in the previous 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...
. McMahon led the Vixens to the ANZ Championship title in 2009, defeating 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...
in the grand final.
McMahon has captained the Vixens since its inaugural season in 2008, sharing the captaincy with Bianca Chatfield
Bianca Chatfield
Bianca Lee Chatfield is an Australian netball player. In 2001, she was selected for the Australian team to tour three-nations test series against England and New Zealand in the UK. Bianca plays in the positions of GK and GD...
in 2009. McMahon was best and fairest for the Vixens in 2009 and 2010, having previously been voted best and fairest for Melbourne Phoenix four times between 2000 and 2007.
On 31 March 2011, McMahon ruptured her Achilles tendon in an ANZ Championship game against Queensland Firebirds
Queensland Firebirds
The Queensland Firebirds are an Australian netball team based in Brisbane that currently compete in the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship. The Firebirds were formed as one of the foundation teams of the Commonwealth Bank Trophy , previously the premier netball league in Australia, which was contested...
. Following surgery, she withdrew from the 2011 Netball World Championships
2011 Netball World Championships
The 2011 World Netball Championships was the 13th edition of the World Netball Championships, a quadrennial event first staged in 1963. The World Netball Championships is the premier event in international netball. The 2011 tournament was held in Singapore from 3–10 July. All 48 matches were played...
in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, and was considering her playing future. Australian coach Norma Plummer
Norma Plummer
Norma Plummer is an Australian netball coach and former player. She was coach of the Australian national netball team from 2003 to 2011, ending her coaching career with the Diamonds on 67 victories from 89 Tests – a success rate of 75 per cent...
described McMahon as "probably the most athletic player of natural talent" to have played the game.
International career
McMahon's international career began when she was selected in the Australian Under 21 team in 1996 following her performances in the Victorian Under 21 team. In 1997, she made her debut for the full national team against the Jamaican national team in JamaicaJamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
. She was the youngest member of the Australian team which won the netball gold medal at the 1998 Commonwealth Games
1998 Commonwealth Games
The 1998 XVI Commonwealth Games were held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 11 September to 21 September 1998 making it the first Asian country to act as host and the last Commonwealth Games for the 20th century. A record 70 nations supplied 3638 athletes...
in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
.
In September 2009, McMahon made her 100th appearance for the national side, captaining Australia to a 36-33 win against New Zealand. McMahon captained the Australian team at the 2010 Commonwealth Games
2010 Commonwealth Games
The 2010 Commonwealth Games, officially known as the XIX Commonwealth Games, were held in Delhi, India, from 3 to 14 October 2010. A total of 6,081 athletes from 71 Commonwealth nations and dependencies competed in 21 sports and 272 events, making it the largest Commonwealth Games till date...
in Delhi and was selected as the Australian flagbearer for the opening ceremony.
In 2010 McMahon won the Australia's Favourite Diamond award.