Since netball became a major code in Australia, there has always been a huge rivalry between New South Wales and Victoria – two of the traditional powerhouse states of the game.
Two of the greatest ever players to take the court were Anne Sargeant OAM (NSW) and Simone MicKinnis OAM (Victoria).
Both shone on the court for their respective States and the Australian Diamonds.
The NSW Swifts, who were founded as the Sydney Swifts in 1997, initially battled against Melbourne Phoenix and Melbourne Kestrels in Australia’s first National Netball League – the Commonwealth Bank Trophy (CBT).
In 2008, when the CBT was replaced by the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship, the rebranded NSW Swifts would a new (but also not so new) rival: the Melbourne Vixens, formed after the merging of the Phonenix and Kestrels.
To coincide with a new era of competition, the Sargeant-McKinnis Cup was introduced and it continues in the Suncorp Super Netball era.
“It is a great honour to see the Swifts contest the Sargeant-McKinnis Cup every year because they mean so much to NSW,” Sargeant said.
“So many of NSW’s best have come through the Club and gone on to play on at World Cups and the Commonwealth Games (with the Diamonds), and the same is true of the Vixens when it comes to Victoria.
“I’m always delighted when I get the chance to present the Cup to the Swifts, as I know Simone is when her Vixens come out on top.
“The Swifts-Vixens rivalry has it’s roots in the many great NSW versus Victoria clashes that have taken place over many decades, and it’s wonderful to see it still going strong in today’s modern game.”
HOW IT WORKS
Since 2008 it has been contested by the Swifts and the Vixens and is decided based on the aggregate score of the teams' regular-season clashes each year.
Should the score be level after two games, the holders of the Cup retain it for another year.
It is always hotly contested, and its heritage and popularity are a mark of the rivalry and respect between two of Australia’s most celebrated teams.
Sargeant-McKinnis Cup History
- 2023 - Swifts win
- 2022 – Vixens win
- 2021 – Swifts win
- 2020 – Vixens win
- 2019 – Swifts win
- 2018- Vixens win
- 2017 – Vixens win
- 2016 – Swifts win
- 2015 – Swifts win
- 2014 – Vixens win
- 2013 - Swifts win
- 2012 – Swifts win
- 2011 – Swifts win
- 2010 – Swifts win
- 2009 – Vixens win
- 2008 – Swifts win
