Author: Perfect10

Sometimes you have to step away from the game to realise just how much you still have to give.

From Sydney Swifts star… to mum of five… to Head Coach of the newest team in the Super Netball competition.

Nerida Stewart’s journey has taken some wonderful twists and turns.

Growing up through the netball pathway in Sydney’s Hills District and then progressing through the AIS in Canberra, Nerida was fortunate to be coached by some of the legends of Australian netball. Those experiences — and the knowledge she absorbed from some of the great minds of the game — have helped shape the coach she is today.

After stepping away from netball to raise her five children, Nerida returned to the game by coaching a junior team. What followed was something she will always regard as one of the proudest moments of her career — taking them all the way to a NSW Championship.

From the Central Coast Heart to NSWIS and the Australian Men’s team, the Kelpies, Nerida began building a coaching career that would eventually take her into the Suncorp Super Netball environment as an assistant with West Coast Fever and Giants Netball.

In 2025, she got her opportunity to become a Head Coach.

This year her Giants team endured an incredibly tough season but produced a magnificent Sydney Derby victory over the Swifts and pushed both the Thunderbirds and Fever in some memorable contests.

Now comes perhaps her biggest challenge yet — building the Sydney Sirens from scratch.

With some exciting signings already on board, Nerida believes the Sirens have the potential to be a real force when the competition returns in 2027. She also shares her thoughts on the lack of opportunities for Australian players at the elite level, while making it clear that her new team will feature eight Australians.

And, of course, Nerida reveals her all-time Starting Seven — a line-up featuring some of the biggest names and greatest players the game has ever produced.

This is a wonderful story about finding your way back to something you love — and drawing on a lifetime of learning to help shape the future of the game.

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There’s a wonderful story behind the extraordinary success of Adelaide Thunderbirds coach Tania Obst.

Tania served a lengthy apprenticeship in coaching, working extensively in pathways and developing an exceptional eye for talent along the way. She also learned from some of the best in the business, including legendary Australian coach Julie Fitzgerald and England great Tracey Neville.

Her journey took her to England, where she was part of a coaching team that won Commonwealth Games Gold, but when the Adelaide Thunderbirds coaching job first became available, Tania was overlooked.

Rather than letting it define her, she used it as a line-in-the-sand moment — a point where she decided she would back herself, continue learning and prove that she belonged at the highest level.

And prove it she has.

Tania has now created a genuine Thunderbirds dynasty — three Grand Final victories in the past four seasons, including a record-breaking Grand Final win over the Melbourne Vixens in 2026 after Adelaide finished as minor premiers.

I first met Tania during my time with the NSW Swifts and Giants Netball, so it has been particularly rewarding to watch her journey unfold. From identifying and nurturing talent through the pathways to building an incredible culture at Adelaide, Tania has become one of the most respected coaches in Australian sport.

She also comes from a famous sporting family. Her father was an AFL legend in South Australia and a winner of the competition’s Best and Fairest.

In this episode of The Perfect 10, Tania opens up about the setbacks, mentors, lessons and people who shaped her coaching career — and how being overlooked ultimately became one of the defining moments of her journey.

It’s a terrific conversation with an outstanding coach who has gone from serving her apprenticeship to building one of the great modern dynasties in Australian netball.

We also have something special for you – Tania names the best Starting Seven that she has seen in her time as a coach.

Discover more episodes and conversations with champions at https://www.theperfect10.com.au

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After an extraordinary career spanning more than three decades, seven Paralympic Games and three Paralympic medals, Australian wheelchair racing legend Christie Dawes joins The Perfect 10 for one of the most honest and emotional conversations you’ll hear.

Just weeks after competing in her final elite race at the Cape Town Marathon, Christie reflects on the journey that began after watching the wheelchair races at the 1992 Barcelona Paralympics and led her to become one of Australia’s most respected endurance athletes.

She speaks candidly about the devastating car accident that changed her life forever, the remarkable Westpac Rescue Helicopter crew who saved her life, and the lifelong friendships forged through the Paralympic movement, including fellow Australian great Angie Ballard.

Christie also opens up about the emotional challenges of elite sport, why she’s said she “loved it more than it loved her”, the physical toll of racing at the highest level, balancing motherhood with international competition, and the realities of competing as a female athlete into her forties.

Now embarking on an exciting new chapter, the former World Champion discusses her role with ABC Radio in Newcastle, her move into event management, and why she’ll be heading to the New York Marathon this year to experience one of the world’s biggest races from behind the scenes.

This is a conversation about courage, perspective, resilience and finding purpose beyond the finish line.

Listener Discretion is Advised: This episode contains discussions about grief, trauma and the loss of a loved one, from approximately 24-30 minutes that some listeners may find distressing. If this conversation raises concerns for you or someone you know, support is available through Lifeline on 13 11 14, 24 hours a day.

Discover more episodes and conversations with champions at The Perfect 10 website https://www.theperfect10.com.au

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