Women’s Volleyroos are the 2025 Trans-Tasman Test Series Champions

The Women’s Volleyroos have secured the Richard Farmer Memorial Trophy in style, defeating the New Zealand Volleyferns 4-1 in the 2025 Trans-Tasman Test Series at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS). 

The week-long showcase delivered high-intensity volleyball and unforgettable moments for both nations.

Senior Australian Women’s athlete Tara Maland was grateful to be able to play in front of a supportive home crowd against the New Zealand Volleyferns. 

“Playing for Australia is always special, but having family and friends right there courtside took it to a whole new level,” Maland said. 

“It added an extra layer of pride putting on the green and gold in front of the people who’ve supported me the whole way.

“Playing against the Volleyferns is always a great challenge. They bring so much fight and spirit, and that pushes us to raise our level too. 

“There’s genuine competition on the court, but also a lot of appreciation for each other off the court.

“To see so many fresh faces not only step onto the international stage but absolutely rise to the occasion was fantastic. The way our debs embraced the challenge and played with confidence made me really proud.”

Australian Head Coach Russell Borgeaud was proud of the resilience the Australian group displayed to come away with the series win, knowing the confidence gained will help to strengthen the group moving forward.  

“It was an incredible week of volleyball,” Borgeaud said. 

“Every match was tight, and to come away with a 4–1 series win against a strong and determined New Zealand side says a lot about the resilience and growth of our group. 

“I’m extremely proud of how our athletes handled the pressure moments, trusted in one another, and kept finding solutions on court. The way they carried themselves on and off the court is a credit to them and Volleyball in Australia.

“The biggest takeaway is the confidence this gives our athletes. Playing in such close contests over five matches really tested our ability to adapt, stay composed, and execute under pressure. 

“We learned a lot about our depth – we had six debutants – and our ability to fight back when momentum wasn’t on our side. These experiences are invaluable as we build toward future international competitions.

“It also highlighted the importance of consistency in our game, which will continue to be a big focus for us.

“To take home the Richard Farmer Memorial Trophy is something incredibly special. 

“Having Richard’s sister Maureen here to talk with the teams in a private function and then present the Cup really brought it to life and underlined its importance. 

“It connects us to the legacy of those who wore the green and gold before us, and it’s a proud moment for the program. 

“We’re honoured to bring the Richard Farmer Memorial Cup back to Australia, and we know that the Volleyferns will do their utmost to win it back in the future. 

New Zealand Volleyferns Head Coach Adam Watson was proud of how his athletes contributed to the team during the week, and knows the group have come away with some valuable lessons. 

“This week was a really valuable experience for our group,” Watson said. 

“Playing against the Australian Volleyroos gave us a clear measure of where we’re at a year on from playing the Volleyroos last year and the progress we’ve been making. 

“I was proud of the way the team competed, there was real resilience, energy, and commitment across the matches. 

“Every athlete contributed, and you could see their growth in how they adapted and responded under pressure. It’s a group that’s building something special, and I’m really proud of the way they represented themselves, the program, and the country. 

“Also a massive thank you to Russ, Nicole, and the rest of the staff and athletes on the Volleyroos, as well as the AIS staff for their hospitality towards us whilst staying.

“The biggest takeaway for us is that we’re heading in the right direction, but there’s still important work ahead. 

“We learned a lot about consistency, being able to sustain our level throughout the full match, and about how we can better capitalize on key moments. 

“There are spaces of the game that we have been working on with some progress whilst showing other areas that need to be addressed which is definitely attributed to the consistency of being together. 

“The opportunity to also be at AIS was really great for the team to have so many facilities and opportunities at their disposal and really showed how great it was to run the series out of there.  

“Overall, the test series gave us clarity on areas to refine, but also confidence in the identity and style of play we’re developing as a group.”

Volleyferns Captain Petra Manderson loved her time in Australia, and the experience to play volleyball, strengthen international friendships and bond as a team. 

“It was a great experience coming over to Australia,” Manderson said. 

“The AIS facilities were fantastic, and we really enjoyed making the most of them over the 10 days. 

“We’ve built a good relationship with some of the Aussie girls over the past few years, so getting the chance to compete against them is always fun and something we look forward to.

“On court, the highlight was definitely getting a win after going 0–5 in last year’s series. It really showed how far we’ve come in the past year, and while the series finished 1–4, the games were closely contested and we were proud of the fight we brought.

“Off the court, the special highlight was having Maureen with us and seeing her reintroduce the Richard Farmer Memorial Trophy. Having the first-ever captain of the Volleyferns there meant a lot and gave the series even more meaning.”