Sponsored by footwear company Dunlop, the ‘Golden Boot’ was an annual trophy awarded to the winning state team at the All Australian Netball Tournament throughout the 1980s and 1990s. A netball shoe dipped in gold and mounted on a small wooden plinth with accompanying plaque, the ‘Golden Boot’ was a much coveted prize.
However, the Championship was dominated by New South Wales (NSW), who won the award in 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, and 1993. This was an amazing run of success, only broken by the Victorian team winning the ‘Golden Boot’ at the tournament held in Darwin in 1986.
The victorious squad in 1986 consisted of Norma Plummer (coach), Val Morrison (umpire), Glory Bain (manageress), Dorothy Elmer (liaison officer), Jane Searle (captain), Chris Harris (vice-captain), Lisa Alexander, Di Atkinson, Sue Hawkins, Shelley Haynes, Roselee Jencke, Simone McKinnis, Catherine Spottiswood, and Gillian Walsh.
As a footnote, at a state dinner in 2017 the nine ‘Golden Boots’ won by NSW were officially inducted into their Hall of Fame under the category of ‘Heritage’. The sole ‘Golden Boot’ won by Victoria was borrowed for display by the National Sport Museum at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, and returned to Netball Victoria in 2014.
