Captains praise Super Netball rule change

The Suncorp Super Netball season is set to get underway this weekend and the team captains have praised Netball Australia’s decision to tinker with the rules.

According to the new rules, teams will now be award four points for a win instead of two, and there will be one point awarded per quarter won, therefore seeing a maximum of eight points on the table for each contest.

West Coast Fever captain Courtney Bruce stated that the new rules will reward teams for running out entire games.

“I think it’s a good addition to the game,” she said.

“Its going to push teams to really finish off games, and finish off strongly.”

The Fever are one of several teams trying to knock of Geva Mentor and the reigning champion Sunshine Coast Lightning and Mentor was also effusive in her praise.

“Something needs to change in terms of thinking outside the box and this is definitely one example of that,” she said.

Mentor is coming off a tremendous year where she and her England teammates managed to knock off the Diamonds in the Commonwealth Games to win the netball gold medal.

The Lightning prevailed in the grand final over the Giants, and GWS captain Kimberlee Green said that the new rules won’t change her team’s approach.

“For us players it doesn’t change too much. Our coaches want us to go out there and win every quarter regardless,” she said.

“I think the players will find little niches along the way.”

Other than fans having an extra game within a game to watch over, the rule changes are likely to alter teams’ rotations and Mentor was wary of this.

“I really hope that we’re still able to get players out on the court,” she said.

“What I really liked about last year was the rotation, we had a really strong ten.

“I hope that teams are able to still put those players out on the court.”

Magpies skipper Madi Robinson discussed the impact that the new rules will have on young players getting a run in late games.

“Sometimes as a playing group, we’re a bit worried about developing some of our young girls and getting them out onto the court,” she said.

“It’ll be interesting to see whether that actually happens, because people will be going out there to win those quarters, to get those really valuable points.”

While some have suggested that the rule change is intended to bring the quality of the competition to an even level, Queensland Firebirds captain Gabrielle Simpson suggested otherwise.

“I think it rewards teams that are consistent and that’s probably what’s most important to win the championship anyway,” she said.