Black Swans ready to take on the Pacific's best

Joseph Guenzler Published February 17, 2025 at 10.15am (AWST)

sport

The Australian First Nations Black Swans make their return in the Pacific Netball Series 2025. (Image: Joseph Guenzler)

The fifth PacificAus Sports Netball Series officially commenced with an opening ceremony on Sunday evening at Brisbane's Nissan Arena.

Hosted by Netball Australia and funded by the Australian Government through the PacificAus Sports program, the tournament runs from 17 to 22 February 2025 and features a mix of Pacific and invited teams.

Teams entered the arena carrying their squad and national flags, setting the stage for a week of high-level competition.

Yuggera Elder, Aunty Deb Sandy, welcomed participants and fans, sharing insight into Brisbane's Aboriginal history and teaching language words as part of the ceremony.

A Papua New Guinean dance group delivered a powerful cultural performance, adding to the significance of the occasion.

*2024 Winners, Tonga Tala. (Image: Joseph Guenzler)*

This year's competition includes Fiji Pearls, PNG Pepes, Samoa Tifa Moana, and four-time champions Tonga Tala.

They are joined by returning domestic invitees, the Australian First Nations Black Swans, who will compete for experience and pride rather than the title.

The tournament also welcomes debutants, the Scottish Thistles.

Yawuru woman playing GK, Scarlet Jauncey, is eagerly looking forward to the week ahead.

"The girls and I are absolutely buzzing with excitement as we head into our first game against the tough competitors from Tonga!" she said.

"We've got an amazing group of talented girls who are ready to give their all."

"We know it's going to be a tough challenge, but we're fired up and determined to show what we're made of."

Kaurna sisters Aaleya and Nasyah Turner shared their excitement about representing the First Nations Black Swans in the series.

"It feels awesome to be back playing with some of the same girls and building new connections with the new girls," Aaleya said.

"Showing our individual flair and our team flair is an awesome experience."

For Nasyah, who is making her Black Swans debut, the experience holds extra meaning.

"It's an amazing experience to be a part of, not only sharing culture and playing the sport I love but also being here with my sister as well," she said.

*Hand-carved trophy for this years Pacific Series winners. (Image: Joseph Guenzler)*

First Nations Black Swans Squad

Maryke Babia

Jaylah Boney

Sophie Brewer

Olivia Clark

Lily Cubby

Acacia Elers

Jayda Grant

Jamaica Jauncey

Scarlet Jauncey

Brook Lacey

Tierrah Miller

Jayden Molo

Tia Molo

Aaleya Turner

Nasyah Turner

Head Coach: Ali Tucker-Munro

Assistant Coach: Natalee George

Team Manager: Beryl Friday

First Nations Black Swans Fixture

All matches are in AEST (Brisbane time).

17 Feb, 7pm – Black Swans vs Tonga

18 Feb, 5pm – Black Swans vs PNG

19 Feb, 3pm – Black Swans vs Scotland

20 Feb, 3pm – Black Swans vs Samoa

21 Feb, 3pm – Black Swans vs Fiji

22 Feb, 11am – Black Swans vs TBD

(Time adjustments: Scotland -10 hours | PNG Same | AEDT +1 hour | Fiji +2 hours | Samoa/Tonga +3 hours)

The Pacific Netball Series continues throughout the week, with teams vying for top honours and the Black Swans embracing the opportunity to showcase First Nations talent on an international stage.