A kaleidoscope of colour will descend on Brisbane next month when six international teams converge to vie for glory at this year's Pacific Netball Series.
The inaugural Australian First Nations Invitational Team will be joined by Tonga, Fiji, Samoa, Singapore and Namibia at Nissan Arena for the six-day tournament which kicks off with an opening ceremony on Sunday June 9.
The international series, which is returning for its fourth instalment, provides the opportunity for teams from the Pacific and beyond to compete for world ranking points, and is supported by the Australian Government’s high performance PacificAus Sports program.
Fiji Pearls, Samoa Tifa Moana, Tonga Tala and Singapore will make their return to the Pacific Netball Series, with reigning champions Tonga looking to secure their fourth straight title. These teams will be joined by Namibia Desert Jewels, as well as the inaugural Australian First Nations Invitational Team who make their debut at the Pacific Netball Series.
Teams will consist of fifteen players and five officials, who will compete in a round robin format with the Grand Final and placing matches played according to World Netball conditions.
Fixture including match times is available here.
Previous instalments have showcased the skills, flair and athleticism of the international athletes, while providing the opportunity for players to experience different styles of play from around world as teams vie for world-ranking points.
For the first time, this year's series features the inclusion of the inaugural Australian First Nations Invitational Team which provides an opportunity for Pacific national teams to improve their performance through exposure to elite state players and some of the best up-and-coming talent in Australia.
The Australian First Nations Invitational Team’s presence will add another layer of significance to the event, as athletes come together to connect and share a platform in which they can represent their culture and communities with pride.
Leona Collins, a proud Mandandanji-Yuwaalaraay woman who has dedicated four decades to netball and is the newly appointed Team Manager of the Australian First Nations Team said the inclusion represents a "groundbreaking shift".
‘"This is the first movement led by our communities that I've seen. It's heartening to witness how this initiative touches various minorities within the sport,” she said.
"This is a change I never thought I'd see in my lifetime, and it speaks volumes about the commitment of Netball Australia and our extraordinary athletes to compete at this level."
The Pacific teams are equally moved by the inclusion of the inaugural Australian First Nations Invitational Team.
Netball Fiji CEO Vivian Koster said Fiji expected the First Nations Team to provide greater competition, but also the opportunity to connect as people with shared cultural values.
“Our athletes and management look forward to learning more about the First Nations peoples of Australia," she said.
With Australia being a leading nation in netball, and with the Netball World Cup in Sydney on the horizon, greater diversity of teams in events such as the Pacific Netball Series aims to improve netball’s global standard whilst signifying the development of international relationships through sport.
The Opening Ceremony will commence on Sunday June 9, with preliminary rounds taking place between Monday June 10 and Friday June 14. The Grand Final is on Saturday June 15.
Teams competing in this year’s tournament and their world rankings:
- Tonga (8th)
- Fiji (15th)
- Samoa (17th)
- Namibia (20th)
- Singapore (24th)
- Australian First Nations Invitational Team (unranked)
*As a domestic invitee, and non-World Netball sanctioned team, the First Nations Black Swans are not eligible to receive World Netball ranking points at the Pacific Netball Series. The Black Swans cannot compete in medal matches and will finish the tournament in sixth place. The Black Swans provides equitable and accelerated opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander netballers.
