The points system for the ladder will include bonus points, introducing incentives for closer finishes and quarter by quarter wins. Teams will be able to collect up to eight ladder points per game, by registering a win and winning each quarter.
The changes are a result of recommendations from the SSN Game Plan Work Group, endorsed by Netball Australia’s Board. The Work Group, formed in November 2017, considered data from Champion Data (game statistics) and Nielsen (fan feedback), as well as The Game Plan Survey (athlete, coach and administrator feedback).
The ladder changes will incentivise teams to make every quarter count, and reward the closeness of competition, according to Netball Australia’s Executive General Manger of Events, Chris Symington.
“We’re raising the stakes in 2018, laying it all on the line in every quarter of every game.
“The new points system can increase the movement of ladder positions from week to week and will add pressure to the teams in contention for finals.
“For fans, it will be like watching a game within a game, with a winner at the end of every quarter,” he said.
Other minor rule changes are designed to remove unnecessary whistle from umpires.
Coaches will also be enabled to provide more tactical feedback to athletes during a game, through time outs and coaching from the bench.
“As netball’s premier sport entertainment product, we have promised to take the fierceness and finesse of netball to the big stage, grow netball’s fan base and spearhead the commercial growth of the sport. We have, and we will continue to evaluate our game to meet these objectives and deliver a league that will keep fans on the edge of their seats.” said Symington.
Season 2 of Suncorp Super Netball commences Saturday 28 April, after the Commonwealth Games. Secure your seat and watch the intensity rise.
Main Rule Changes:
- The points system for the ladder will include bonus points, introducing incentives for close finishes and quarter by quarter wins. The allocation of points after each match will be based on the following;
| Result |
Points Awarded |
| Win match |
4 points |
| Draw match |
2 points |
| Winning a quarter |
1 point BONUS |
| Drawing a quarter |
0 points |
-
- The change in points for a win (2 to 4) and a draw (1 to 2).
- The winning team for any one match will be allocated between 5 and 8 points, depending on how many quarters they have won during the match.
- The losing team for any one match will be allocated between 0 and 3 points, depending on how many quarters they have won during the match.
- Each Team is entitled to request up to two Time Out breaks per half. In 2017 it was introduced as a new rule with only one time out permitted per team, per half.
- At any point in time while play is in progress, any one member of the team bench (players and team officials) listed on the official score sheet shall be permitted to move up and down their team bench within the bench zone to communicate with their on-court or off-court players.
- Umpires are no longer required to caution a player for delaying play or intimidation, rather a penalty pass will be awarded.
- There will be an increase in all break times between quarters, with five minutes after the first and third quarter (previously four minutes), and 15 minutes at halftime (previously 12 minutes).
