| Team Name: | Adelaide Thunderbirds Futures |
| Founded: | 2008 |
| Location: | Adelaide |
| Regions: | South Australia |
| Venue: | Netball SA Stadium |
| Coach: | Brian Lines |
| Premierships: | 2 (2012, 2022) |
| League: | Australian Netball Championships |
| Body1: | red |
| Pattern B1: | thinnavysides |
| Skirt1: | red |
| Url: | Adelaide Thunderbirds Futures |
The Adelaide Thunderbirds Futures is an Australian netball team that represents Netball South Australia in the Australian Netball League. In 2008 they were founder members of the ANL. Between 2008 and 2011 they played as South Australia. After rebranding to the Southern Force, the team was ANL champions in 2012 and 2022 and were runners-up in 2015. The Adelaide Thunderbirds Futures are effectively the representative team of the Netball South Australia Premier League and the reserve team of Adelaide Thunderbirds.
Southern Force are effectively the representative team of the Netball South Australia Premier League. They are one of two teams that represent Netball South Australia in senior or national leagues. Their senior team, Adelaide Thunderbirds, has represented Netball South Australia in both the ANZ Championship and Suncorp Super Netball. Southern Force are effectively the reserve team of Thunderbirds.[1] [2] [3] [4] Between 2008 and 2011, Netball South Australia's ANL team simply played as South Australia. In 2012 they became Southern Force, a name that was first suggested by members of the 2011 ANL squad.[5] [6] [7]
In 2012 with a squad that included Kelly Altmann, Georgia Beaton, Cody Lange, Maddy Proud, Melissa Rowland, Kate Shimmin and Sheree Wingard, Southern Force finished as ANL Champions, defeating NNSW Waratahs 50–36 in the grand final.[8] In 2015, with a squad that saw Lange, Shimmin and Wingard joined by Sarah Klau, Hannah Petty, Samantha Poolman and Maddy Turner, Southern Force reached the grand final for a second time. However on this occasion they lost 58–46 to Victorian Fury.[9] [10]
| Season | Winners | Score | Runners Up | Venue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 [11] [12] | Southern Force | 50–36 | NNSW Waratahs | Waverley Netball Centre | |
| 2015 [13] [14] | Victorian Fury | 58–46 | Southern Force | Waverley Netball Centre | |
| 2022 | Southern Force | 59-57 | Victorian Fury | Traralgon |
The Thunderbirds Futures play their home games at the Netball SA Stadium.[15] They have also played home games at the Titanium Security Arena.[16]
The following Southern Force players were named MVP in the Australian Netball League.
| Coach | Years |
|---|---|
| Tania Obst [17] [18] | 2010, 2012 |
| Dan Ryan[19] [20] [21] [22] | 2013 |
| Tania Obst [23] [24] | 2015–2016 |
| Brian Lines [25] [26] [27] | 2017– |