2025 Netball Australia First Nations Tournament: Watch Day 4 of the carnival LIVE
The defending First Nations Netball champions have the chance to secure a second-straight crown on Sunday after two dominating wins on the penultimate day of play. Watch Saturday’s REPLAYS here.
Queensland will start as overriding favourites for the Netball Australia First Nations gold medal following a comprehensive win over grand final opponent NSW Waradas on Saturday.
In what is now a grand final preview due to other results on the penultimate day of action, the Maroons produced their best four-quarter showing of the tournament to knock off their highly fancied opponents 51-35.
A 16-goal performance from captain Lily Cubby in the circle proved to be the difference between the two sides, with the performance even more impressive given she didn’t score her first goal until late in the second-quarter.
They then followed up the victory with a 40-21 win over Lutruwita (Tasmania), with Cubby backing it up with 12 goals.
It was a defensive masterclass that got them across the line against Lutruwita, holding them to their lowest score of the tournament.
Defensive duo Charlie Duke and Brook Lacey were key in the victory.
In other major results on Saturday, NSW Waradas ensured they wouldn’t be knocked out of second spot with a 37-23 win over the ACT and Victoria defeated Yakanarna (South Australia) by a single goal in one of the games of the tournament.
After breaking out to a 11-4 lead at quarter-time, Victoria were then outscored in every term (8-6, 9-6 and 6-5) with Yakanarna locking the scores with 2.26 remaining after a Kamaya Wyatt goal.
But some slick play allowed Victoria’s Holly Stephens to put away a winner seconds later and ensured Victoria would face Lutruwita in Sunday’s bronze medal clash.
REPLAYS
Victoria v NT
NSW v ACT
Tasmania v Queensland
WA v NT
Victoria v SA
NSW v Queensland
ACT v Tasmania
Preview
An afternoon off the courts immersed in culture and connection might have been a blessing in disguise for Sharon Finnan-White and her dominant Queensland outfit.
The reigning champions capped off an unbeaten run through the first half of the tournament on Friday morning, holding off a plucky Northern Territory.
But with games against fellow top three sides NSW Waradas and Lutruwita (Tasmania) ahead of them on Saturday, Finnan-White said Friday’s cultural immersion session had come at the right time.
All eight games from Saturday’s action will be exclusively live streamed on KommunityTV. Check out the schedule below.
“We are excited to have that break from the court, recharge the batteries and engage in a different part of the week’s activities,” she said.
“That is why these girls want to be part of this tournament, to connect with other indigenous athletes not only from our state but from other states.
“Each athlete is on a different journey with their cultural background and beliefs. This is an exciting part of the week where we can come together, connect and learn from each other.”
The defending champions are flying in Frankston, as one of only two sides to go through the tournament undefeated alongside rivals NSW Waradas.
But the Queensland coach believes her side played its worst game of the week on Friday, only narrowly surviving an onslaught from a Territory side which features young guns Ruby Mack and Sonnyanne Raggett, who are part of Finnan-White’s First Nations Academy of Excellence in Townsville.
“I think they did their homework against us and we didn’t play the game that we would have liked to,” Finnan White said.
“We didn’t play our best game, but it was good that we can grind it out and adapt to different styles of play.
“I think we have so much belief and confidence in our ability and trust in each other. We are confident we will be right up there and at our best for finals.”
The Waradas will be determined to close out the pool stages undefeated as well, clashing with Queensland in Saturday’s morning session before taking on a tough ACT side in the afternoon.
Lutruwita will take on the ACT in the morning, needing a win to keep their dream of playing in the gold medal match alive. They will also need to beat Queensland in the afternoon session to leapfrog the Waradas into second place.
The race for fourth spot has been blown wide open after Yakanarna (SA) pulled off a last ditch win over the ACT on Friday, while Lutruwita heaped the pressure on Victoria with a strong win.
There are three teams tied on two wins each heading into the final day of pool games.
Originally published as 2025 Netball Australia First Nations Tournament: Watch Day 4 of the carnival LIVE
