Teams can officially sign any free agents as one of their contracted players on a one-year contract for the 2021 season from 19 October until 16 November 2020.
Since 13 July this year, clubs have had the exclusive right to re-sign any of their existing contracted players, permanent or temporary replacement players or training partners on a single year contract for the 2021 season.
As agreed with the Australian Netball Players’ Association (ANPA), player contracts will be for a 10 month period in 2021, from 1 December 2020 to 30 September 2021, as the 2020 season consisted of a 14-month contract period.
Given this reduced contract timeframe, the 2021 salary cap will be 10/12th of a standard season salary cap, with a total player payment limit of $429,167 and maximum additional services limit of $125,000.
The player payment levels in 2021 remain based on the 2020/21 Collective Player Agreement (CPA) and player salaries, additional services payments and health insurance allowances will be prorated across the 10-month 2021 contract period.
Players will be paid their full 2021 technology allowance and will only be required to complete 10/12th of their additional services and appearance hours in the 2021 contract period.
From Monday 16 November, at the conclusion of the contract signing period, teams can commence signing training partners for the 2021 season. These training partners will still be paid $3,500 for the 2021 contract period.
Given the many unknowns associated with the COVID-19 situation, if the 2021 season structure needed to be altered, discussions would take place with the ANPA to alter player contracts accordingly.
The league is finalising details of 2021 squad sizes and plans to make an announcement soon.
