The ACT might not yet have a team in Super Netball, but the talent on display at Lyneham on Sunday proved there's plenty of potential in the territory.
The best players in the ACT strutted their stuff on grand final day over multiple divisions, with the State League decider between Tuggeranong and Arawang the main event.
In front of a packed - and loud - stadium, Tuggeranong raced away to a 69-48 win, with a super-shot securing their history-making fourth-straight state title triumph.
"This is huge," Tuggeranong captain Carly Sharp told The Canberra Times.
"We just love playing with each other and off the court get along really well too, and that is really reflected with how we play.
"The crowd was so good. To have all these supporters it's like having our eighth player out there."
Tuggeranong boasted a solid mix of young, promising netballers, and experienced players like Sharp. Standout defender and Capital Darters Academy product Favour Lokodu earned MVP honours.
"I've been playing in this team for 12 years now and with the club since I was 10, so this is really special," Sharp said.
"When we got the trophy we said we have to go one more now and get five-straight. I hope we have the same team next season, so hopefully we can do that."
Earlier on Sunday, Queanbeyan defeated South Canberra 36-24 in the under-19s grand final, and Canberra beat Tuggeranong 50-49 in a thriller in division two.
In the men's league grand final Queanbeyan and Arawang were going blow for blow but the game was still tied after the fourth quarter. Forced into over-time, it was Arawang that edged ahead to claim victory, 62-59.
Nail-biters were the order of the day, with the under-17 division also decided in the final minute as two goals from South Canberra sealed a memorable 44-42 win over Canberra.
"It has been an awesome day of five grand finals and it shows the depth of talent across the ACT," Netball ACT chief executive Katrina Roff said.
Coaches keen to find the next generation of future Canberra netball stars didn't have to look far, with courts on Saturday stacked with youngsters playing the sport they love.
The North Canberra Netball competition is the largest in the capital, combining the Canberra and Belconnen associations. It welcomes thousands of kids to Lyneham's outdoor courts every weekend.
Last Saturday, The Canberra Times photographer Keegan Carroll went down to capture the passion, passing and point-scoring over five divisions in the Juniors age group featuring 10 to 12-year-olds, and three divisions within the Intermediates competition for 13 to 14-year-olds.
"It's the biggest competition in Canberra," competitions manager, Helen Arnold, said.
"We estimate there's around 5000 people through every Saturday, with players, umpires and spectators.
"The two netball associations decided to merge into a joint competition, partly for sustainability of growth of the sport, but also partly because the competition was a bit stronger by combining.
"Netball has such a great spirit of community. It really keeps people connected."
