The Suncorp Super Netball league will break for four weeks after Round 9 to allow for the World Cup, which is being held in Liverpool from 12-21 July. The season break will commence at the end of Round 9 on Sunday 23 June and re-commence for Round 10 on Saturday 27 July.
Approximately 25 to 30 Suncorp Super Netball athletes are expected to be selected for their respective international Netball World Cup teams, including 12 Samsung Diamonds athletes.
To support Suncorp Super Netball clubs through this unique situation, all teams will be able to increase their final squad from 10 to up to 12 athletes for Rounds 10 and 11, and all 12 athletes will be able to sit on the team bench and can be substituted at any time during a match.
Suncorp Super Netball CEO Chris Symington said he is pleased the league has found a way to work with clubs to manage this unprecedented situation.
“This is a first for the league and for netball in Australia and we’re satisfied that the measures that have been put in place will support our Suncorp Super Netball teams to best navigate their way through,” he said.
“We recognise that the World Cup and travel home to Australia will be quite taxing for the athletes involved, so the extension of the final squads from 10 to 12 athletes will provide teams with some flexibility to ensure they’ve got their best team out on the court when Round 10 kicks off.
“In the case of the Samsung Diamonds, athletes will be flown back to Australia as soon as possible after the World Cup and, in relation to other international athletes, the Suncorp Super Netball teams will separately work with their athlete’s respective countries to arrange the movement of them back to Australia.”
Conditions within the arrangement state that Suncorp Super Netball clubs can only use their own contracted nominated athletes and training partners, or any uncontracted Australian athletes, as additional final squad members.
It also states that, in exceptional circumstances, Netball Australia will provide flexibility for the late replacement of athletes who have played in the World Cup if teams need to make late changes to their final squad. The Samsung Diamonds final Netball World Cup team will be announced in late May.
The final team list for July’s Vitality Netball World Cup will be announced next Thursday.
