Effectively it’s created four games in one, and the bonus points are proving to be vital for securing a finals berth.
There are five teams in the running for the four finals positions and securing valuable bonus points in the last three games could be the difference to featuring in games deep into August.
Not surprisingly, the top five teams have won the most quarters and have therefore secured the most bonus points.
However, the Magpies are the surprise, currently sitting in seventh spot with only three game wins, despite having won 50% of their quarters. Based on their quarter-win percentage, you would assume they are one of the top teams, but unfortunately for them this isn’t the case.
Another interesting team is the Firebirds. They have lost the fewest number of quarters (14) but have drawn the most, with five. They are currently only two points in front of the Lightning so they may rue those five drawn quarters at the end of the season.
WHICH IS YOUR TEAM’S BEST QUARTER?
Each team is better in certain quarters then others. In fact, every team except the Thunderbirds has two very strong quarters and two quarters that aren’t quite as good.
West Coast Fever
The middle quarters of the game are the Fever’s strongest. They have won 64% of second quarters and a competition-high 73% of third quarters. Considering they have been winning at three-quarter time seven times out of 11 games, they might be relaxing somewhat in the fourth quarter as they are currently only winning 45% of their fourth quarters.
Melbourne Vixens
The second half of games would be a concern for the Vixens, with the league’s second-placed team winning only four (36%) of their third quarters and five (45%) of their fourth quarters. Whilst they start strongly with 73% of first quarters won, they’ll need to improve in the back half of games if they’re to continuing winning in the coming weeks and be a true threat in finals.
GIANTS Netball
The Giants’ first quarters are their worry – only winning five out of 11 (45%) means they are often chasing in games. They do finish strongly, though, with 64% of their third quarters and 55% of their fourth quarters won. The Giants have three tough games to finish the season, so securing bonus points is going to be vital for them to maintain a top-four finish.
Queensland Firebirds
The Firebirds start most games very strongly, winning 64% of first quarters and 73% of second quarters, but their fourth quarter is a major concern. Only winning four of them (36%) means they need to be in a winning position with one quarter to go or they’re in real danger of losing.
Sunshine Coast Lightning
The Lightning’s premiership defence is perilously positioned with three games to go. Their first quarter isn’t too bad with a 55% win rate, with their middle quarters being their strength with a winning percentage of 64% and 73% respectively. But just like their Queensland counterparts, their fourth quarters are well and truly below par, winning only 36%. They are only two points out of fourth spot, so this is the quarter they’ll need to target in the last three games.
NSW Swifts
The Swifts have two quarters that have been extremely costly for them – their first and third quarters only have a winning percentage of 27%. They have a 55% winning percentage in the fourth quarter, which is very respectable, but you need to consider that they have been behind in eight games at three-quarter time for only two wins, meaning the game has been all but gone with a quarter to go.
Collingwood Magpies
The Magpies start their games solidly, winning 55% of their first quarters, but then drop off considerably in the second quarter for only a 27% win ratio. They then regroup in the third quarter with a win ratio of 45% and then really pick up the pace in the fourth quarter, with eight quarter wins from 11 games for a competition high of 73%. No other team has a better winning percentage in the fourth quarter. The problem, however, is that they usually have too much ground to make up, as they have only been leading once at three-quarter time.
Adelaide Thunderbirds
One thing you can say about the Thunderbirds is that they are consistent – they have a winning percentage of 9% in each quarter. They won the third and fourth quarters in Round 6 against the Swifts and the first and second quarters in Round 10 against the Magpies. They also drew 17-17 with the Fever in Round 8 in the fourth quarter.
HOW MANY GOALS GUARANTEES A BONUS POINT?
On 27 occasions a team has scored 19 or more goals in a quarter for a 100% winning rate.
Not surprisingly, the Fever (with nine 19+ goals in a quarter) and Vixens (with seven 19+ goals in a quarter) lead the way but the Swifts are a surprise packet, scoring 19 or more goals in a quarter five times. Even more surprising are the Lighting, who haven’t scored 19 or more goals once in a quarter this season. Considering their shooting circle is sparkling with Diamonds, it’s a glaring statistic.
So to ensure a winning quarter and a bonus point, 19 is the magic number. But in addition to this, a team has scored 18 goals on 23 occasions for only one loss. That loss was the Thunderbirds, who scored 18 goals in Round 2 against the Giants but lost the quarter 23-18. So scoring 18 or more goals in a quarter gives you a 98% chance of picking up that sought-after bonus point.
TEAMS SCORING 19+ GOALS
Fever – 9
Vixens – 7
Swifts – 5
Giants – 2
Magpies – 2
Firebirds – 2
Lightning – 0
Thunderbirds – 0
