The Queensland Firebirds are an Australian netball club based in Brisbane, Queensland. Founded in 1997, they play in Suncorp Super Netball, Australia’s national elite netball competition, and hold their home matches at Nissan Arena. The club enjoyed its most successful era in the ANZ Championship, where it won three titles and completed the competition’s first unbeaten season. This guide sets out where the Firebirds came from, what they have won, who leads and plays for them in 2026, and how they fit into the wider game.
Quick Facts
| Club | Queensland Firebirds |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1997 |
| City | Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Home venue | Nissan Arena (Queensland State Netball Centre), Nathan — approx. 5,000 seats |
| Current league | Suncorp Super Netball (since 2017) |
| Former leagues | Commonwealth Bank Trophy (1997-2007); ANZ Championship (2008-2016) |
| Major titles | 3 x ANZ Championship (2011, 2015, 2016) |
| 2026 head coach | Kiri Wills |
| 2026 captain | Ruby Bakewell-Doran |
| Official website | firebirds.net.au |
From the Commonwealth Bank Trophy to Super Netball
The Firebirds were one of the eight foundation teams of the Commonwealth Bank Trophy, Australia’s first national semi-professional netball league, which ran from 1997 to 2007. The club spent those years establishing itself, reaching its first finals series in 2006.
In 2008 the Australian and New Zealand leagues merged to form the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship, and the Firebirds moved up with them. When that competition split along national lines after 2016, Australia launched Suncorp Super Netball and New Zealand launched the ANZ Premiership. The Firebirds have played in Suncorp Super Netball ever since its first season in 2017.
The ANZ Championship golden era
The Firebirds were the standout club of the ANZ Championship, the trans-Tasman league that ran from 2008 to 2016 and featured five Australian and five New Zealand teams. Across that period the Firebirds reached five grand finals and won three of them.
- 2011: won the title, beating the Northern Mystics 57-44, and became the first team in ANZ Championship history to go through an entire season — regular rounds and finals — unbeaten.
- 2013 and 2014: grand-final runners-up.
- 2015: won the title, edging the NSW Swifts 57-56.
- 2016: won the title again, defeating the Swifts 69-67 after extra time in one of the era’s most dramatic finals.
Those back-to-back championships in 2015 and 2016 made the Firebirds the only club to successfully defend an ANZ Championship crown.
Life in Suncorp Super Netball
Suncorp Super Netball is the elite domestic competition contested by Australia’s leading clubs. Alongside the Firebirds, the 2026 season featured seven other teams: the Adelaide Thunderbirds, GIANTS Netball, Melbourne Mavericks, the Melbourne Vixens, the NSW Swifts, the Sunshine Coast Lightning and the West Coast Fever.
The Firebirds have found this era harder than their ANZ Championship peak. Their best Super Netball run came in 2018, when they reached the finals before being knocked out in the minor semi-final; more recently they finished seventh in 2023, seventh in 2024, eighth in 2025 and seventh in 2026. Rebuilding a title-winning squad has been the club’s central challenge across these seasons.
League Comparison
| League | Years | Scope | Firebirds’ record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commonwealth Bank Trophy | 1997-2007 | National (Australia) | Foundation club; first finals series in 2006 |
| ANZ Championship | 2008-2016 | Trans-Tasman (Australia & New Zealand) | 3 titles (2011, 2015, 2016), 5 grand finals, unbeaten in 2011 |
| Suncorp Super Netball | 2017-present | National (Australia) | Finals in 2018; mid-to-lower table in recent seasons |
The 2026 squad, coach and captain
Kiri Wills coaches the Firebirds, with Ruby Bakewell-Doran captaining the side and midcourters Lara Dunkley and Macy Gardner serving as vice-captains. The 2026 playing group blended Australian internationals with overseas signings, including Ugandan shooter Mary Cholhok, New Zealand recruits Te Paea Selby-Rickit and Kelly Jackson — the latter arriving from ANZ Premiership club Central Pulse — and England midcourter Imogen Allison.
| Player | Area of court | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Mary Cholhok | Shooter | Uganda |
| Te Paea Selby-Rickit | Shooter | New Zealand |
| Emily Moore | Shooter | Australia |
| Lara Dunkley | Midcourt | Australia |
| Macy Gardner | Midcourt | Australia |
| Maddy Gordon | Midcourt | New Zealand |
| Imogen Allison | Midcourt | England |
| Ruby Bakewell-Doran | Defence | Australia |
| Isabelle Shearer | Defence | Australia |
| Kelly Jackson | Defence | New Zealand |
| Elsa Sif Sandholt | Defence (nominated athlete) | Australia |
Squads change between and during seasons through injuries, replacements and new signings, so the official club channels are the place to confirm the current line-up. If terms such as shooter, midcourt and defence are new to you, our explainer on netball positions breaks down what each role does on court.
Home venue: Nissan Arena
The Firebirds play at Nissan Arena in the Brisbane suburb of Nathan. The venue is the naming-rights title of the Queensland State Netball Centre, which is why older references sometimes use both names for the same building. It seats roughly 5,000 spectators and also serves as a training and administration base for netball in the state.
Rivalries and memorable matches
The Firebirds’ fiercest historical rivalry was with the NSW Swifts during the ANZ Championship years. The two clubs met in three grand finals in a row: the Firebirds lost the 2014 decider to the Swifts, then beat them in both 2015 and 2016. The 2016 final — a 69-67 win decided in extra time in front of a home crowd — is frequently cited as one of the greatest games of that era. The rivalry has continued into Super Netball, where the sides regularly produce close contests.
Community and fan engagement
Beyond the court, the Firebirds run a range of supporter and community activities. On match days these can include pre-game entertainment, junior participation and player appearances, while the club also uses its social channels for regular fan content and updates. The organisation has historically hosted community events designed to raise money for local charities and community organisations and to promote physical activity among young Queenslanders.
Community programmes of this kind often rely on partnerships and sponsorship to provide facilities, coaching pathways and financial assistance for grassroots netball. For official news, membership and fixtures, the club’s own website — Queensland Firebirds — is the authoritative source.
Who the Firebirds are for
The Firebirds appeal to netball followers who want to track one of Australia’s foundation clubs, to New Zealand fans watching Kiwi players compete across the Tasman, and to newcomers looking for an easy entry point into Suncorp Super Netball. Their history offers both a proven winning pedigree from the ANZ Championship and an ongoing rebuild in the current league — a mix that makes them a straightforward club to start following.
Sources
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
When were the Queensland Firebirds founded and where are they based?
The Firebirds were founded in 1997 as one of the foundation teams of the Commonwealth Bank Trophy. They are based in Brisbane, Queensland, and play their home games at Nissan Arena in the suburb of Nathan.
How many titles have the Queensland Firebirds won?
The Firebirds won three ANZ Championship titles, in 2011, 2015 and 2016. They reached five ANZ Championship grand finals in total and, in 2011, became the first team to complete an unbeaten season in that competition.
Who coaches and captains the Queensland Firebirds in 2026?
Kiri Wills is the head coach for 2026, with Ruby Bakewell-Doran as captain and Lara Dunkley and Macy Gardner as vice-captains.
How have the Firebirds performed in Suncorp Super Netball?
Their strongest campaign came in 2018, when they made the finals before being eliminated in the minor semi-final. Since then results have been more modest, with seventh-place finishes in 2023, 2024 and 2026 and eighth in 2025.
Which teams play in Suncorp Super Netball?
The 2026 competition featured eight clubs: the Queensland Firebirds, Adelaide Thunderbirds, GIANTS Netball, Melbourne Mavericks, Melbourne Vixens, NSW Swifts, Sunshine Coast Lightning and West Coast Fever.
