West Australian Netball League

Early years

The league began in 1989 as the Gold Netball League,^[1] with one division.^{[citation needed]} A reserves division was added the following year, and an under-18 division in 2000.^{[citation needed]} The first-season champions were the Coastal Raiders. The Perth Superdrome Bullets were the dominant team during the early 1990s, winning four consecutive titles from 1991 to 1994 and a fifth title in 1996.^[1][2]

Southside Demons

The WANL's most successful team has been the Demons.^{[citation needed]} Founded in 1989 and originally based in Kenwick, the Demons have played under several names. They won their first senior premiership in 1997 as KAE Sparks and their second in 2004 as the Southside Sparks. In 2004, they were the first WANL team to win all three divisions. Two years later, after forming a partnership with Perth Football Club, they became the South East Demons. From 2007 to 2010, as the Midland Brick Demons, they won four consecutive senior premierships. As the South East Demons, they won a seventh and eighth premiership in 2013 and 2014. In 2018, they became the Southside Demons. Notable Demons players included Australia internationals Caitlin Bassett and Courtney Bruce, and Jill McIntosh Medal winner Lindal Rohde.^[3][2][4][5]

West Coast Warriors

During the 2010s, the most successful WANL team was the West Coast Warriors. Like the Demons, the Warriors have played under several names. They originally played as the West Coast Warriors before becoming the Wanneroo Warriors, the Compact Warriors, the West Coast Falcons and, in 2014, again the West Coast Warriors. The team won their first senior premiership in 1998. Coached by England international Ama Agbeze and featuring Alicia Janz, they won their second premiership in 2012 as the West Coast Falcons. The team won additional premierships in 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020 and 2021. Other notable Warriors players include three-time Jill McIntosh Medal winner Caitlyn Brown, two-time Jill McIntosh Medal winner and Australian Diamond #189 Donnell Wallam, and two-time Jill McIntosh Medal winner Andrea Gilmore.^{[3][6][7][8][9][10][11]}

Men's division

From 2001 to 2004, the West Australian Netball League had a men's division. The Bullets were the inaugural premiers, and the Coastals won the other three titles. The men's division was revived in 2018 with four teams: the West Coast Warriors, the Perth Lions, the South East Demons and the Wheatbelt Flames.^[12] The Warriors won the first two titles before the Lions won four in a row.^[3][13][14] The Rangers fielded a men's side in 2024,^[15] and the Peel Lightning followed suit two years later.^[16]

Revamped competition

Netball WA announced a revamped competition in 2019, initially with seven clubs (Comets, Rangers, Demons, Jets, Warriors and Roar); Peel Lightning joined for the 2020 season.^[17] Now known as GIG WANL and sponsored by the Gold Industry Group,^[18] the new format included open, 20U and men's divisions. Most games were played at the Gold Netball Centre, rather than at local-club venues. Jets and Lightning have three home games per season in Eaton and Mandurah, respectively. The 20U division was reworked to 21U for the 2024 season.

Western Roar has been the dominant club in the GIG WANL, winning two open premierships, five 20U/21U premierships and five men's premierships, including four in a row from 2022 to 2025. West Coast Warriors have won the most open premierships (three).

Internationals

 Australia

 England

• Ama Agbeze

 Malawi

• Mwai Kumwenda

West Coast Fever

Sources:^{[23][26][27][28][29][30]}

Jill McIntosh Medal

The Jill McIntosh Medal is awarded annually to the WANL's Best and fairest player. Between 1989 and 1990, it was called the Classique Player of the Series and between 1991 and 1993, it was known as the Berri Medal.

Source:^[11]