Garville Netball Club


Garville Netball Club is an Australian netball team based in Woodville, Adelaide, South Australia. Their senior team currently plays in the Netball South Australia Premier League. During the 1990s they played at a national level, representing Netball South Australia in the Mobil Superleague. During the Mobil Superleague era, they were also referred to as Adelaide Garville. In 1993 they were Mobil Superleague premiers.

History

Early years

Garville Netball Club was formed in 1952. Its name is derived from Woodville Gardens, the Adelaide suburb where the club was originally based. Between 1962 and 1967, Garville won six successive South Australia state league premierships.

Rivallry with Contax

During the 1980s and 1990s, Garville enjoyed a rivalry with Contax. Between 1986 and 1996 Contax and Garville contested every South Australia state league grand final. The rivalry saw the two clubs compete in nine consecutive state league grand finals, plus one Mobil Superleague final, with both clubs winning five finals each. Between 1992 and 1995 Garville won four successive state league grand finals.

National leagues

;Mobil Superleague
During the 1990s Garville represented Netball South Australia in the Mobil Superleague, the winners of which were awarded the Prime Minister's Cup. Garville were grand finalists in both 1993 and 1994. In the 1993 grand final a Garville team featuring Natalie Avellino, Jenny Borlase and Michelle den Dekker defeated Sydney Electricity and finished as champions. However, in 1994 Garville lost the Prime Minister's Cup after they were defeated by Contax in controversial circumstances. A Contax team captained by Kathryn Harby and featuring Vicki Wilson and Tania Obst, took on a Garville team that again featured Avellino, Borlase and Dekker and now included Simone McKinnis. A closely fought match finished level at full time. However Garville claimed they had actually won the match 48–46. It was alleged that during the third quarter, the official scorer accidentally gave one of Garville's goals to Contax. Despite protests from Garville, extra time was played and resulted in a 61–58 win for Contax.
;Commonwealth Bank Trophy
In 1997 Netball Australia replaced the Mobil Superleague with the Commonwealth Bank Trophy league. Netball South Australia formed two brand new teams, Adelaide Thunderbirds and Adelaide Ravens to represent them in the new league. Garville effectively became a feeder team for Ravens.

Grand finals

;South Australia state league
SeasonWinnersScoreRunners upVenue
1962Garville
1963Garville
1964Garville
1965Garville
1966Garville
1967Garville
1971Garville
1970ContaxGarville
1974Garville
1987Garville
1988ContaxGarvilleApollo Stadium
1989GarvilleContax
1990ContaxGarvilleApollo Stadium
1991ContaxGarville
1992GarvilleContax
1993GarvilleContax
1994GarvilleContax
1995GarvilleContax
1996ContaxGarville
2014Matrics54–44GarvilleNetball SA Stadium
2018Contax73–39Garville

;Mobil Superleague/Prime Minister's Cup
SeasonWinnersScoreRunners upVenue
1993Adelaide Garville56–49Sydney ElectricitySydney
1994Adelaide Contax61–58Adelaide Garville

Home venues

Garville was originally based in the Woodville/Woodville Gardens suburbs. They later moved to the Sam Johnson Sportsground in Renown Park. After 2008 they hired courts near the Anzac Highway/Goodwood Road junction for its junior teams while its senior teams trained at St Aloysius College and played their state league games at the Netball SA Stadium.

Notable players

Internationals

Premierships

  • Netball South Australia Premier League
  • *Winners: 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1971, 1974, 1987, 1989, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995: 14
  • *Runners up: 1970, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1996, 2014, 2018: 7
  • Mobil Superleague
  • *Winners: 1993
  • *Runners up: 1994