2008 ANZ Championship season
| 2008 ANZ Championship season | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| League | ANZ Championship |
| Sport | Netball |
| Duration | 5 April 2008 - 28 July 2008 |
| Number of teams | 10 |
| TV partner(s) | Fox Sports (Australia) |
| Champions | New South Wales Swifts |
| Runners-up | Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic |
| Minor premiers | Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic |
| Season MVP |
Romelda Aiken (Firebirds) Sonia Mkoloma (Pulse) |
The 2008 ANZ Championship season was the inaugural season of the ANZ Championship, a new trans-Tasman netball competition replacing Australia's Commonwealth Bank Trophy and New Zealand's National Bank Cup. The 2008 season began on 5 April, with competing franchises playing each other once, and playing each franchise from their home country a second time. Four teams progressed to the finals stage, played over three weeks. The grand final was played on 28 July at Acer Arena in Sydney, with the New South Wales Swifts emerging victorious over minor premiers the Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic. Overall, 6792 goals were scored during the season, averaging 98.44 per match.
The inaugural season featured five teams from both Australia and New Zealand. In Australia, one team represented each participating state. In New Zealand, each team represented one or more regions.
The Central Pulse, Northern Mystics, Southern Steel, Melbourne Vixens and NSW Swifts were formed as amalgamations of previous teams in their respective national competitions. The West Coast Fever were the renamed Perth Orioles and the Tactix were the renamed Canterbury Flames. The Firebirds, Thunderbirds and Magic retained their names from the national competitions.
See the 2008 Transfer Season
The top four teams from the round-robin stages qualified for the finals series, played over a three-week period. These teams were (in descending order) the Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic (minor premiers), New South Wales Swifts, Adelaide Thunderbirds and Melbourne Vixens.
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