Title from title frames

This season, the women of Melbourne Phoenix Netball Club will again put their personal lives and other careers on hold and train to exhaustion at least six times a week for the love of their sport and a shot at glory. These players are the best in the world yet, in an era of multimillion dollar sporting competitions, the clubs in the National Netball League operate on shoestring budgets and are run largely by volunteers. Despite fielding one of the most successful teams in the league, reigning champions the Phoenix are struggling financially. Sponsors are hard to get, challenging staff and management to find new ways of raising cash and forcing players to add to their workload by holding junior clinics. Behind the scenes, the women must give their all to meet the extraordinary demands of their elite-level amateur sport. On top of injury worries, some are fighting at the negotiating table to join their male sporting counterparts as true professionals. The Last Great Amateurs follows the players, coach and management through a year of pain and passion, rivalry and camaraderie, fundraising raffles and contract battles. To watch these talented and dedicated sportswomen on the court is remarkable but the story of how they make it there is equally enthralling. A Film Australia National Interest Program in association with Apollo Films. Developed with the assistance of the Australian Film Commission and Film Victoria. Produced with the assistance of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Copyright - 2011 National Film and Sound Archive of Australia. Executive Producer: Anna Grieve, Franco di Chiera Producer: Richard Keddie, Lisa Keddie (Producers), Andrew Wiseman (Co-producer) Director: Sue Thomson Writer: Richard Keddie, Angela Buckingham DOP/Cinematographer: Erika Addis, Laszlo Branyai, Jenni Meaney, Leilani Hannah, Brent Crockett Narrator/Presenter: Magda Szubanski as Sharon Featured People: Subjects in order of appearance: Eloise Southby, Chelsea Nash, Susan Meaney, Sharelle McMahon, Amy Lynch, Liz Boniello, Bianca Chatfield, Magda Szubanski, Kirsten Wheeler, Leah Fogarty, Natasha Chokljat, Wendy Jacobsen, Tony Boniello, Phil Halbish, Simone McKinnis, Lisa Alexander, Richelle McKenzie, Wayne Rogers, Peta Jurson, Andrew Jobling, Liz Walton, Ingrid Dick, Renee Hallinan, Julie Predergast, Frank Rosbrook, Jeannie Hall, Liz Upton, Jennifer McIntyre, Johanna Bryan, Paul Sims, Lindy Murphy, Jackie Solakovski, Nicole Richardson, Beth Alexander, Judy Hudson, Sandi Rosbroek, Ellie Rosbrook, Bree Hodgers, River Rain, Tess Keddie, Amberley Baka, Dale Gilson, Narelle Fletcher, Marcus Rees, Debbie Manuel, Mariah Hogan, Kate Palmer, Luke Alexander, Beth Alexander, Clayton Alexander, Gillian Lee, Michael Lee, Craig Harper, Craig Huggins, Mrs Taverner Principal Cast: Magda Szubanski as Sharon

In Process Record

Originally produced by National Film and Sound Archive of Australia in 2004

Mode of access: World Wide Web

In English