History
The Queensland Firebirds were one of the founding teams of the Commonwealth Bank Trophy, which played its first season in 1997. The league ran from 1997–2007. In their first nine years of the league, Queensland finished no higher than sixth place. For the 2006 season, former Firebirds player Vicki Wilson was appointed as heach coach for the team. Her appointment saw a sudden improvement in the team's standing in the league, with the Firebirds finishing 4th during Wilson's inaugural coaching year, and 5th in 2007.
After 2007, the Commonwealth Bank Trophy was retired and replaced by a new trans-Tasman netball league, the ANZ Championship. The Firebirds were one of five Australian franchises to join the new league. For the new competition, the Firebirds changed their strip from maroon to purple and orange. They also secured the signing of rising Jamaican shooting star Romelda Aiken. In their three years competing in the ANZ Championship, the Firebirds have finished fifth, narrowly missing out on the finals on each occasion. Wilson was replaced after the 2009 season by Roselee Jencke.
During the 2011 ANZ Championship Season, the Queensland Firebirds went through the regular season undefeated, with 13 wins. Winning their Major Semi Final against the Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic, the Firebirds became the first team to win 14 games straight. Having won this game, the Firebirds went straight through to the 2011 ANZ Championship Grand Final to play the Northern Mystics. The Queensland Firebirds once again prevailed, becoming the first ANZ Championship side to not drop a game in the course of the regular season and the finals series. Their winning streak is currently 15 wins.
Read more about this topic: Queensland Firebirds
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