'Exciting' scoring changes to spice up new Super Netball season

The world’s premiere netball league, which begins with a Melbourne derby between the Vixens and Collingwood on Saturday afternoon, will use a Super Rugby-esque scoring system to build its ladder, with four points awarded for a win (up from two last season) and a bonus point for each quarter won.

The change means winning teams could earn up to eight points a match and losing sides as many as three, for winning three quarters, but losing. In drawn games, teams will get two points each, up from one in 2017, and a drawn quarter is worth nothing.

The game’s bosses say the system will “incentivise teams to make every quarter count” and reward closeness across the competition – which will be screened on Channel Nine on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, instead of the secondary channel 9Gem. Live games and replays will also be available on Telstra TV, the paid Netball Live app and 9Now catch-up.

Several other rule changes were unveiled this week. As in basketball, team officials and bench players will be allowed to walk the sideline to talk to players and the number of time-outs has been doubled; from one per team, per half to two, meaning there could be as many as eight time-outs a match. The breaks between quarters have also been increased by a few minutes.

Former Australian Diamonds captain turned Nine commentator Liz Ellis “really likes” the points approach, saying it doesn’t “fiddle with the integrity” of on-court scoring, like the long-mooted, but yet-to-be-implemented two-point shot.

“Analysis shows this points system would not have made a huge difference to how the ladder finished last season, but there would have been more movement through the course of the year – and that’s great for the sport, because it allows more of a story to be told, to hook the viewers in,” she says.

Every quarter will matter in 2018, Ellis adds. “You occasionally get blow-outs, but having that bonus for winning a quarter will help us as commentators to tell a story and it will create drama,” she says.

Ellis rejects fans’ concerns it will limit the amount of court time bench players will get. “Suncorp Super Netball isn’t for development. No doubt, it will be something coaches think carefully about, but if you’re in a Suncorp squad, your coach knows what you’re capable of.”

Giving coaches more freedom on the sideline appeals to Ellis. “Netball has historically been pretty strait-laced, all about ‘sit still, be nice’. Why can’t a coach walk up and down and show some emotion? Let’s loosen the straps and see what happens! Some coaches will embrace it and others will remain seated and that’s fine.”

The caller is “a bit ambivalent” about extra time-outs. “I’m interested to see how it goes. If it ends up building drama, I’m all for it.”

Another former national captain, ex-Firebird Clare McMeniman – who says the scoring system is “really exciting” because it will increase competitiveness without fundamentally impacting the way the game is played – has a “wait and see” attitude on time-outs, too.

“I don’t think we want both teams taking two each in each half, as four is a lot. But I would be surprised if we got to that situation. It’s a case of seeing how it goes,” she says.

Ahead of round one, the pundits struggle to name a premiership favourite. “It’s very hard and that’s what makes it exciting,” McMeniman says.

It’s difficult to discount reigning champions, the Sunshine Coast Lightning, which boasts the bookends from the Commonwealth Games final in shooter Caitlin Bassett and keeper Geva Mentor, Ellis says.

“Mentor is in career-best form and was sensational for the Roses at the Games. Lightning is without Laura Langman though, who is a very special player,” she adds.

Also special, says Ellis, is 23-year-old Helen Housby, who calmly sunk the winning shot for England on the Gold Coast and will line up in a young NSW Swifts outfit, coached by “real athlete’s coach” Briony Akle. “We now know Helen can nail those shots on the big stage.”

The other NSW team, the Giants, have stalwart Kim Green returning from a knee reconstruction, as well as another English shooting star, Jo Harten. The Queensland Firebirds have Laura Geitz back, who “just knows how to win games”, according to McMeniman.

The addition of 198cm Jamaican shooter Jhaniele Fowler is massive for the West Coast Fever, McMeniman says. “Fever fans should be rubbing their hands together at the prospect of her teamed with Nat Medhurst. Fever is in my top four,” she says.

Ellis expects Fever to shine too. “They can win it, absolutely. They have the shooting combination now and the ability to win the ball back.”

Collingwood again carries a huge weight of expectation, Ellis says. “They have Caitlin Thwaites in ripping form, Sharni Layton coming back hopefully to her best and the addition of Erin Bell into goal attack. They’re an impressive team,” she says.

Reigning minor premiers, the Melbourne Vixens, will be bolstered by the international exposure of defender Jo Weston and midcourter Liz Watson at the Games.

Ellis says the Adelaide Thunderbirds – which virtually has a new team in Abi Latu-Meafou, Kaitlyn Bryce, South African captain Bongiwe Msomi, former New Zealand internationals Leana de Bruin, Cat Tuivati and Kate Shimmin – may struggle. “I don’t think they’re a threat for top four, but if they get their combinations right, they may cause some headaches for teams later in the season.”

Round 1 Fixtures (AEST)

Saturday:

Melbourne Vixens v Collingwood Magpies, 3pm, Melbourne Hisense Arena (live on Channel Nine)

Sunday:

Adelaide Thunderbirds v West Coast Fever, 12.30pm local (1pm AEST), Adelaide Priceline Stadium

Giants Netball v Sunshine Coast Lightning, 1pm, Qudos Bank Arena

NSW Swifts v Queensland Firebirds, 3pm, Qudos Bank Arena