Eloise Southby-Halbish

Eloise Southby-Halbish (born July 6, 1976) is a sports commentator and former Australian netball player. She was co-captain of the Melbourne Phoenix with fellow goaler, Sharelle McMahon.

Southby-Halibish appeared in 132 Commonwealth Bank Trophy matches for the Phoenix and represented Australia in 34 Tests in the positions goal shooter and goal attack.

Identified early in her career as a highly-talented shooting prospect, Southby-Halbish made her international debut in early 1998, at the age of 21. Southby-Halbish's arrival on the international scene coincided with a period where Australia was rich in shooting talent - with the likes of Vicki Wilson, Nicole Cusack, and Jennifer Borlase all laying claim to the main shooting positions. This overflow of talent saw Southby-Halbish overlooked for the 1998 Commonwealth Games and 1999 world championships, however she was recalled to the team in 2000.

Southby-Halbish was renowned for her accuracy, strength, and netballing brain. Her combination with international superstar Sharelle McMahon was one of the finest shooting combinations to ever grace the netball courts, with Southby-Halbish's vision and timing beautifully complementing McMahon's speed and athleticism.

Southby-Halbish's career received a cruel blow when she was forced to withdraw from the squad to represent Australia at the 2006 Commonwealth Games with a recurring ankle injury. She subsequently retired just before the start of the interstate home and away season, after playing a starring role in Melbourne Phoenix's comprehensive premiership in 2006.

Southby Halbish's career boasted many highlights, notably five premierships with Melbourne Phoenix, a Commonwealth Games gold medal in 2002, and a World championships silver medal in 2003. One of netball's most passionate and spirited players, Southby-Halbish's leadership and guidance was sorely missing from the Melbourne Phoenix attacking line in 2006.

Nowadays she maintains her contact with and love of netball as a commentator with ABC sports, calling Commonwealth Bank Trophy matches and international tests. Her appointment to this position has been met with some criticism over her less eloquent, insightful and controlled style of the former expert commentators, Anne Seargeant and Monica Lahm. She is also fighting for better conditions for skilled representative netballers who generally receive only a few thousand dollars' compensation for their preseason and (domestic) season of 14 to 17 matches.

With the Commonwealth Bank Trophy competition being replaced by the new ANZ Championshp, Southby-Halbish will move to Fox Sports to commentate on the futures of the five Australian teams and five New Zealand based teams.

She is the daughter of Carlton premiership player Geoff Southby and occasionally appeared on Fox Footy's "Living With Footballers". In 2006 she undertook a commentating role for netball on ABC, with her natural ability behind the microphone being well received by netball fans nation-wide.

In April 2004 Southby-Halbish married cricketer Phil Halbish.