Fireballs complete perfect season with second TNL crown

Dr Elsje Jordaan said winning the Telkom Netball League for the second time is special.

The Gauteng Golden Fireballs ended the 2025 season on a high to bag their second title in style. They defeated the 2024 champions, the Free State Crinums, 47-40 in the Division One final at the Durban International Convention Centre.

The Fireballs are the only side to have gone unbeaten this season. The competition, launched in 2014, has only been won by three teams. Tshwane’s Gauteng Jaguars are the record title holders of this competition. They have won it six times while the Crinums have been champions four times.

Jordaan said going back to the top of the podium has been the result of consistency in the netball they play.

“The second one is really special. I think the Fireballs have been consistent over the last three years. We made the semifinals consistently, and we were either (number) one or two on the log at the end of the round robin competition.

"We fell short at the semis in the last two years, but that didn’t take away the quality of netball we produced. Going through got the monkey off our shoulders that we couldn’t win a semi. It is definitely a good feeling,” said Jordaan.

The Former Baby Proteas coach explains that although the team was working towards securing another TNL title, they didn’t discuss conceding defeat.

“We wanted to, I think there was no need for us to be motivated to try and do it like that. We said we would take it game by game, and we never set it out that we never wanted to lose. We obviously wanted to make the semis, and we wanted to win the semi and final.

"It was about setting the standard, pushing, keeping the standard, and being better. I told the players that when they are older, they will realise how good this season was for us,” she said.

Jordaan was joined by Bongiwe Msomi on the bench this season. The former Spar Proteas captain was part of the team that won Fireballs’ first TNL title in 2022. She was also the captain of the team. She has now won the competition as a player and a coach. Jordaan says working with Msomi was a dream.

“Working with Bongi was fantastic. Both of us have a good connection, and I have a lot of respect for her. Hopefully, we can continue working together. I think we can learn from each other.

"She is still a young coach, I am willing to help her and guide her until she is ready to step up and continue with her career wherever that would take her,” she explained.

The 2025 season saw the introduction of the Supershot rule. It provides an opportunity for double points by shooting from a designated area during the final two minutes of the first or third quarter. Jordaan has welcomed the hyped new rule, however, she hopes that it works a little differently going forward.

“I think it is exciting for the game, it adds a bit of energy at crucial times. I would, however, like to see that both teams are able to utilise the ‘powershot’ twice in the game. That it is not allocated to a team (for a specific period).

"It can become such a coaching tool. I think the shooters are starting to be more brave, they are taking longer shots, which is also what you want. I think it is a tremendous contribution to the competition, and it adds a lot of excitement,” she explained.

Six-time champions, the Jaguars managed to walk away with the bronze medal following a 67-59 victory over the Western Cape Southern Stings. This is the first time that the Jaguars failed to reach the finals in the competition.

Meanwhile, the KwaZulu Natal Kingdom Stars will play in Division One in 2026. Stars enjoyed their home ground and used the crowd to spur them on to the top of the podium as winners of the 2025 Division Two, beating a determined Western Cape Tornados 43-33.

The Nompumelelo Mthembu-led side continued with a spirited performance in the promotion/ relegation match. They dominated the Limpopo Baobabs from the first quarter and didn’t lift their foot off the pedal until the final whistle to win the game 60-42. Stars return to the top-tier stream after getting relegated two seasons ago.

North-West Tshukudu took the bronze medal after defeating the Mpumalanga Sunbirds 54-44 in the third-place playoff match.

DIVISION ONE INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

Best Shooter- Owethu Ngubane (Gauteng Golden Fireballs)

Best Centre- Refiloe Nketsa (Free State Crinums)

Best Defender- Jamie van Wyk (Gauteng Jaguars)

Player of the Tournament- Tarle Mathe (Gauteng Golden Fireballs)

DIVISION TWO INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

Best Shooter- Rehana Noah (Western Cape Tornados)

Best Centre- Johanne Meyer (North-West Tshukudu)

Best Defender- Nozipho Ntshangase (KwaZulu Natal Kingdom Stars)

Player of the Tournament- Thulisile Maduna (KwaZulu Natal Kingdom Stars)