Queensland are again champions of netball's First Nations nationals after a heart-stopping final in Naarm / Melbourne on Sunday.

The inaugural winners responded to an inspired second half resurgence by Western Australia, weathered a period down a player, and avoided two straight dying moments heartbreaks in another whirlwind finish to the tournament.

They were also doing it for their coach.

At the elite under-23 First Nations Tournament, Queensland rallied late in the opening quarter to lead 10-6 before extending their lead to nine goals by the main break.

WA then set the scene with a scintillating third period to square the score at 26-all by three quarter time, before a mostly goal-for-goal final period saw the game go down to the wire.

When national team player and Queensland goal keeper Brook Lacey was sent to the sideline for two minutes during the quarter, her side's hopes of lifting the trophy with six on the court, was thrown into serious doubt.

WA kept converting with the centre pass to maintain a two goal buffer, before Queensland tied up the contest with 50 seconds on the clock.

Eventual player of the tournament Aaliyah Sheppard intercepted to retain possession with 30 seconds on the clock after a turnover threatened to squash their chances.

Queensland then wound down the final seconds before final MVP and shooter Makayla Cubby was clutch in the occasion, sealing the result moments before the buzzer.

It was Cubby's 21st goal for the game, and from serious distance.

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WA, after a fifth-placed finish in 2025, gave everything to the contest.

"It's honestly nerve-wracking. A lot of emotions are going through my head," Queensland captain Maryke Babia said post-match.

Babia missed last year's tournament with injury.

Queensland coach and former Australian Diamond Sharon Finnan-White had returned home early for family reasons.

"100 per cent," Babia said, on the team claiming the goal medal for Finnan-White, going on to say "we definitely had her in our minds".

WA had nabbed the two side's previous meeting in the round robin stages 39-30, earlier in the tournament.

Both finalists progressed with a 6-1 winning record across the week.

Earlier on Sunday, defending champions New South Wales Waradas carried on with a half-time lead to take home bronze over Yakanarna (South Australia).

Victoria were too good for lutruwita (Tasmania) in their game to decide fifth place.

Northern Territory capped their strongest showing at the tournament with a win over ACT in Sunday's opening game.

As much as anything, seeing new faces get their opportunity at the elite level was a highlight of the tournament for Netball Australia general manager First Nations, Ali Tucker-Munro.

"That's what it's about. If you know we want to be an attractive space for our kids to come into and to be seen and to be celebrated," she said.

Some players are as young as 17, and getting their first opportunity to play in the high performance space and in front of national selectors.

"You hear the off-court stories of just the kids that don't make something, or they've just missed out, or they're still chasing their dream, and yet they come out here and they just show their passion and love for netball and what they can do," Tucker-Munro added.

"My dream is to see a couple of these kids get picked up in Super Netball clubs on some level, whether it's a training partner or as a contracted player.

"It'll take time...so we've got to start to continue to stimulate that pipeline and that pool of talent to come through. That's not just in playing, obviously umpiring coaching as well."

Super Netball Reserves and high-performance pathway players were littered across the tournament.

Black Swans representatives, the national Indigenous representative side, were also on court.

WA's defender and World Youth Cup winner Scarlet Jauncey was in the defensive circle for WA.

Former Melbourne Diamond and UK Super League player Gabby Coffey was joined by sister and previous Yakanarna player, Annie, in NT's side for the first time.

Black Swan Kiera Heffernan returned home to represent the Territory in 2026.

Five of eight states and territories had a selection in the team of the tournament

Tucker-Munro said the First Nations Tournament will be back for its fourth year in 2027.

First Nations Tournament team of tournament

Scarlet Jauncey (WA), Holly Stephens (VIC), Aaleya Turner (Yakanarna, SA), Mia Evans (NSW), Jayda Grant (NSW), Aaliyah Sheppard (Queensland), Tierrah Miller (WA).