Laura Geitz has been inducted into the Australian Netball Hall of Fame, recognising a career built on resilience, leadership and fierce competitiveness.
Diamond #149, Geitz made her debut in the green and gold against England in Newcastle in 2008, having already tasted international success with a bronze medal at the 2005 Netball World Youth Cup at just 17 years of age. She went on to become one of the most respected defenders and leaders in world netball.
A decorated international career
Across 71 Test caps, Geitz represented Australia at two Netball World Cups – 2011 and 2015 – winning gold on both occasions. She competed at three Commonwealth Games, taking silver in Delhi in 2010, gold as captain in Glasgow in 2014, and silver on the Gold Coast in 2018 in her final international test.
With a stunning 26-3 (90%) win-loss record as Australian captain, Geitz established herself as not just a world-class goal keeper, but one of the Diamonds’ great leaders.
A National League great
At domestic level, Geitz turned out for the Canberra Darters (2005–08) before joining the Queensland Firebirds, where she played from 2008 to 2016 and again in 2018, playing 141 matches in the iconic purple dress.
In 2011, Geitz stepped into the Firebirds captaincy after Lauren Nourse's ACL injury and, within the space of a year, led the side to ANZ Championship glory.
Known for her physicality and composure under pressure, Geitz carried that same strength into her leadership of both the Firebirds and the Diamonds.
Fuelled by back-to-back grand final losses in 2013 and 2014, Geitz flipped the script and led her side through one of the great redemption arcs – claiming back-to-back titles in 2015 and 2016.
A true trailblazer
In 2017, Geitz took a season away from the game to give birth to her first son Barney, before returning for one final year in 2018 and retiring at season's end – bowing out on her own terms after 169 National League appearances and three titles.
A bronze statue of the towering defender stands proudly outside the state’s home of netball, Nissan Arena. Standing at 2.6m tall, the statue was first unveiled in 2017 at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, making Geitz the first female athlete to be recognised with a life-sized statue in Queensland.
Geitz's contribution to the sport has been recognised time and again, with honours including the Liz Ellis Diamond (2011), ANZ Championship Player of the Year (2011, 2014), induction into the Queensland Sport Hall of Fame (2022), Netball Queensland Hall of Fame (2024) and the Sport Australia Hall of Fame (2025).
Her induction into the Australian Netball Hall of Fame as an Athlete Member stands as a fitting tribute to a career defined by loyalty, leadership and success on the biggest stages.
The Australian Netball Awards will take place on 30 October in Melbourne. Further Hall of Fame inductees and award recipients will be announced in the coming weeks.
