Format The league initially featured the state league champions from
New South Wales,
Victoria,
South Australia,
Queensland and
Western Australia plus an
Australian Institute of Sport team. However on several occasions composite teams, including Sydney Tigers and Melbourne City were entered. Teams were permitted to "import" up to two players for the duration of the tournaments. This saw
Shelley O'Donnell and
Vicki Wilson play for
Adelaide Contax and
Simone McKinnis play for
Adelaide Garville. During the history of the league, several formats were used. The 1985 and 1986 tournaments featured eight teams, divided into two groups or zones. Two teams from each group then qualified for semi-finals. The 1989 and 1990 seasons both featured six teams playing a single round of matches. The top two then qualified for the final. The 1991 and 1992 seasons each featured two divisions with three teams, both playing two rounds of matches. The three teams from Division 1 and the winners from Division 2 qualified for the semi-finals. By 1993 the competition had evolved into an eight team league with the top four qualifying for the semi-finals. This format remained in place for the final three seasons.
Esso Superleague The Esso Superleague was formed in
1985 as a partnership between the
All Australia Netball Association and the
Australian Institute of Sport. The league was
Australia's first national netball league. With a team coached by
Wilma Shakespear and featuring
Shelley Oates-Wilding and
Vicki Wilson, AIS subsequently won the first two tournaments in 1985 and 1986. AIS also played in the 1987 and 1989 finals, losing to Melbourne Blues and Sydney Tigers respectively. Other AIS players from this era included
Natalie Avellino,
Sharon Finnan and
Shelley O'Donnell.
Contax Garville rivalry During the early 1990s, two of the most prominent teams in the league were
Adelaide Contax and
Adelaide Garville. Between 1986 and 1996, Contax and Garville contested every
South Australia state league grand final. The rivalry saw the two clubs compete in nine consecutive state league grand finals, plus one controversial Mobil Super League grand final. With teams that included
Kathryn Harby,
Michelle Fielke and
Julie Nykiel, a former
Australia women's basketball international, Contax played in three successive grand finals between 1990 and 1992. In 1990 they lost to 52–42 to Melbourne City. Contax then lost out to Sydney Pulsars in both 1991 and 1992. Then in 1993 Garville, in their debut season, with a team coached by
Patricia Mickan and featuring
Natalie Avellino,
Jenny Borlase and Michelle Fielke defeated Sydney Electricity 56–49 in the grand final and finished as champions. In 1994 the two South Australia rivals met in the Mobil Super League grand final, with Contax winning the title after defeating Garville in controversial circumstances. A Contax team captained by Kathryn Harby and featuring
Vicki Wilson and Tania Obst, took on a Garville team that again featured Avellino, Borlase and Fielke. Wilson was the top scorer and the closely fought match finish 47–47 at full time. However, Garville claimed they had actually won the match 48–46. It was alleged that during the third quarter, the official scorer accidentally gave one of Garville's goals to Contax. Despite protests from Garville, extra time was played and resulted in a 61–58 win for Contax.
Sydney dominance Teams from
Sydney and
New South Wales won four titles. With a team coached by
Anne Sargeant and featuring five
Australia internationals –
Nicole Cusack, Keeley Devery, Sue Kenny, Catriona Wagg and Lisa Wilson – Sydney Tigers won the 1989 title after defeating the
Australian Institute of Sport 57–36 in the grand final. The final was attended by
Bob Hawke, the
Prime Minister of Australia. Tigers subsequently played the 1990 season as Sydney Panthers and finished in third place. With a team featuring Sharon Finnan and
Joanne Morgan, Sydney Electricity were 1995 champions, defeating Melbourne Pumas 53–37 in the grand final. For the 1996 season Sydney Electricity became Sydney Energy and finished as minor premiers and grand finalists.
Melbourne After
Sydney,
Melbourne were the league's most successful city, producing three winners. In 1987 Melbourne Blues won the title after defeating
Australian Institute of Sport in the final. In 1990 Melbourne City, a composite team coached by
Norma Plummer and featuring
Roselee Jencke,
Simone McKinnis and
Shelley O'Donnell defeated
Adelaide Contax 52–42 in the grand final. Melbourne City were also the first winners to receive the Prime Minister's Cup. Melbourne Pumas played in the final two grand finals, losing the first to Sydney Electricity and winning the second against Sydney Energy. In both finals, their starting seven included McKinnis,
Janine Ilitch,
Eloise Southby and
Ingrid Dick. ==1996 teams==