Netball Australia will welcome three Diamonds greats – Cheryl Sidebottom, Catherine Cox AM and Laura Geitz – into the Australian Netball Hall of Fame in 2026, and recognise Ronda Kimble OAM with a Service Award for her lifelong dedication to the sport.
1971 and 1975 World Tournament gold medallist Cheryl Sidebottom (married name Stevenson) joins recently announced Athlete Members Catherine Cox AM and Laura Geitz in an inductee group spanning multiple eras of Australian netball, alongside Service Award recipient Ronda Kimble OAM, an umpire, administrator and archivist whose contribution has reached every level of the game.
The group will be formally recognised at the Australian Netball Awards in Melbourne on 30 October.
Netball Australia Chair Liz Ellis AO said the 2026 class reflected the breadth of what it takes to build a sport.
“The Hall of Fame celebrates those who have shaped netball, and this year’s inductees each do that in very different ways,” Ellis said.
“Cheryl was part of two World Tournament-winning teams in an era when those tournaments were the only stage there was.
"Catherine and Laura went on to define the Diamonds for generations that followed, and Ronda reminds us that our game is built just as much by the people who umpire, administer and keep our history safe. Each of them has, through their incredible contributions, made netball stronger, and I congratulate them all.”
Netball Australia CEO Mark Falvo said the group represented the very best of the sport’s past and present.
“Cheryl, Catherine and Laura are three of the great Diamonds, and it is wonderful to welcome them into the Hall of Fame,” Falvo said.
“Ronda’s Service Award is richly deserved. She has given more than six decades to netball as a player, umpire, volunteer, staff member and archivist, and the history she has preserved will benefit the sport for generations. We look forward to celebrating all four at the Australian Netball Awards.”
CHERYL SIDEBOTTOM (WA) – HALL OF FAME ATHLETE MEMBER
A tall and agile goal keeper, Sidebottom made her Diamonds debut (Diamond #59) aged just 19 at the 1971 World Tournament in Jamaica, and was a key member of the Australian teams that won world titles in 1971 and 1975.
Her ability to time her jump to deflect and intercept shots became a hallmark of her game, and her presence on court was one opposition shooters learned to fear.
Sidebottom played a major role in Western Australia’s national championship wins in 1969, 1970 and 1971. After a severe ankle injury sidelined her, she fought her way back to the top level and returned to help Australia win gold in Auckland in 1975.
Across her 14 Test caps – all earned at World Tournaments, the only international competition of her era – Sidebottom became one of just two West Australian-developed players to be part of two outright winning Australian world championship teams in the 20th century.
The defender and fierce netball advocate was inducted into the WAIS Hall of Champions in 2018 and the Netball WA Court of Champions in 2022.
RONDA KIMBLE OAM (NSW) – SERVICE AWARD
Kimble’s involvement in netball began in 1960 when she joined the Miranda Magpies, and it has continued, without a break, to this day. Within two years she was coaching, umpiring and representing her club at district meetings, and she was awarded the Magpies’ first Life Membership aged just 21.
She went on to help establish the Greystanes club in Sydney’s west, serving as President for 12 years and Umpires Convener for 14. Both Greystanes and the Parramatta-Auburn District Association awarded her Life Membership.
Arguably Kimble’s greatest contribution has been in umpiring and umpire education. She trained and tested volunteer umpires for almost 25 years, lectured at NSW accreditation courses and umpire training camps, and umpired State Age and State Championships for over two decades.
She earned her All-Australia Umpires Badge in 1991 and went on to umpire at national championships.
Kimble worked for Netball Australia from 1989 to 2007, a period that included the 1991 World Championships in Sydney and the establishment of the national league.
Recognising the importance of preserving the sport’s history, Kimble also played a crucial role in managing and growing Netball Australia’s archive collection.
CATHERINE COX AM – HALL OF FAME ATHLETE MEMBER
Catherine Cox AM (Diamond #119) played 108 Tests over 16 years in the Australian squad, winning World Cup gold in 2007 and 2011 – the latter as vice-captain – and Commonwealth Games gold in 2002.
She captained Australia on seven occasions and played 254 national league matches across the Sydney Swifts, Perth Orioles, NSW Swifts, West Coast Fever and Melbourne Vixens, holding the league’s games record for 12 years.
A Member of the Order of Australia and Sport Australia Hall of Fame inductee, she is now a leading voice in Super Netball and Diamonds broadcasts.
LAURA GEITZ – HALL OF FAME ATHLETE MEMBER
Laura Geitz (Diamond #149) won World Cup gold in 2011 and 2015 and Commonwealth Games gold as captain in 2014, finishing with 71 Tests and a 26-3 win-loss record as Australian captain.
A Queensland Firebirds great, she played 169 National League matches, led the Firebirds to three titles and was the first female athlete to be honoured with a life-sized statue in Queensland.
She is a member of the Queensland Sport Hall of Fame (2022), Netball Queensland Hall of Fame (2024) and the Sport Australia Hall of Fame (2025).
The Australian Netball Awards presented by Visit Victoria will be held in Melbourne on 30 October.
