Ballina’s Liz Ellis Elevated to NSW Sporting Legend Status
Ballina’s favourite netball champion, Liz Ellis AO, has been officially elevated to Legend status in the NSW Hall of Champions — placing her among the most celebrated athletes in the state’s sporting history.
The honour will be formally bestowed at the NSW Champions of Sport Ceremony at The Star in Pyrmont on November 24, making Ellis just the 26th NSW athlete — and only the second netballer — to reach the Hall of Champions’ highest tier.
For Ballina Shire, where Ellis now lives, coaches junior players, the accolade carries special pride.
Ellis has become a familiar figure across the Shire, regularly hosting Ballina Shire Council’s Australia Day celebrations.
In 2023, she had the honour of officially opening Ballina’s new netball courts, a milestone for the region’s booming junior competition.
A career that reshaped Australian netball
At the elite level, Ellis is recognised as one of the greatest defenders of the modern era. She retired as Australia’s most capped netballer with 122 Test appearances, three World Championship titles (1995, 1999, 2007) and two Commonwealth Games gold medals.
She captained both the Sydney Swifts and the Australian Diamonds, finishing her career with a world title in 2007.
In domestic competition, she became the most capped player in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy era with 173 matches, steering the Swifts to four national premierships.
Ellis also claimed the sport’s top individual honour — the Australian Netball MVP Award — four times. The award is now named in her honour: the Liz Ellis Diamond.
Beyond sport, Ellis has been a familiar face in Australian living rooms.
She’s a former winner of the Celebrity Survivor TV series and became a regular co-host on Network Ten’s former evening show The Project, winning fans and broadening her influence beyond the court.
Local coaching, national leadership
Despite her national profile, Ellis continues to give back at ground level. She currently coaches Ballina’s Headlands Breakers Under 14s, bringing elite experience to a new generation of young players.
She has long advocated for equality and representation in sport and in 2024 was elected Chair of Netball Australia, adding high-level leadership to her already substantial legacy.
Her elevation to Legend status places her alongside icons including Sir Donald Bradman, Dawn Fraser, Shane Gould, Ian Thorpe, Louise Sauvage and fellow netball great Anne Sargeant.
NSW Hall of Champions Chair Alan Whelpton AO said Ellis had more than earned her place at the very top of NSW sport.
“Liz has made a remarkable contribution to netball as a player, coach, commentator and administrator for over 30 years. She now sits proudly alongside NSW’s greatest-ever athletes.”
Sport NSW CEO Stuart Hodge said her elevation was fitting recognition.
“Liz’s leadership and service have been immense over several decades. The sport of netball — and the wider NSW sporting community — owes her a huge debt of gratitude.”
Five other champions to be honoured
The ceremony will also induct five new members into the NSW Hall of Champions:
- Graham Arnold – Football
- Mo’onia Gerrard OAM – Netball
- Naazmi Johnston – Gymnastics
- Mark “Mono” Stewart – Adaptive Surfing
- Ricky Stuart AM – Rugby League
