More than 1,000 Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal netballers from across NSW converged on Charlestown Netball Courts last weekend for the Koori Netball Tournament with #4 Voguey (Newcastle) Open Women’s A Division player Sarah Graham named Player of the Tournament.
This year’s tournament featured more than 90 teams competing across six divisions, including women’s and mixed for both adults and juniors.
The full results of the 2023 Koori Netball Tournament:
Division |
Winner |
Runner-up |
Player of the Tournament |
Open Women’s A |
Laperouse |
#4 Voguey |
Sarah Graham (#4 Voguey - Newcastle) |
Open Women’s B |
Kookaburras 1 |
Awabakal Sisters |
Alearah Donovan (Kookaburras 1) |
Opens Mixed |
#4 Voguey Purple |
Awabakal Sisters & Borthers |
Logan Aoake (#4 Voguey Purple) |
13-15 Years Mixed |
Googar Guns |
Wagga Wagga |
Kaleel Goolagong (Wagga Wagga) |
13-15 Years Girls |
Anaiwan Matriachs 15s |
#4 Voguey Girls 15s |
Maddison Ridgeway (Anaiwan Matriachs 15s) |
10-12 Years Mixed |
Tidda Girls |
Laperouse |
Halle McGuire (Tidda Girls) |
The tournament was hosted by Charlestown Netball Association with the support of the NSW Office of Sport and Netball NSW.
Minister for Sport Steve Kamper said:
“Last weekend’s Koori Netball Tournament featured high quality netball.
“I congratulate Laperouse on winning this year’s tournament and also congratulate Sarah Graham on being named Player of the Tournament.
“The Koori Netball Tournament has been enhancing reconciliation through sport for more than 20 years and it was fantastic to provide the opportunity for Aboriginal netballers to again showcase their talent in a competitive and inclusive environment.”
Charlestown Netball Association President Di Pascoe said:
“From the opening ceremony with the magical little Midnight Dreaming dancers to the last whistle on the Sunday the weekend was full of wonderful netball, competitive netball, social netball and communities coming together as one, enjoying the atmosphere, the catching up with friends, relatives and other mobs just like a corroboree.
“The uniforms were colourful, the faces were smiling, the games played in good spirit, the whole weekend was just wonderful. We all can't wait to do it all again in 2024.”
Netball NSW Executive General Manager – Communities & Pathways, Tim Fava said:
“It was a weekend of vibrant colours, talent and an awe-inspiring sense of community across all courts at the Koori Tournament which was brilliantly hosted by Charlestown Netball Association.
“This year’s event once again showcased Netball’s power to connect people of all backgrounds on court and it highlighted the dedication and passion of the community that makes it a staple of the NSW sporting landscape.
“I would like to thank all participants for the energy they brought, as well as Charlestown Netball Association and the NSW Government for their support of this event.”
For further information go to: https://www.sport.nsw.gov.au/koori-netball-tournament