Game shooting in ‘right direction'
Southern Steel shooter Aliyah Dunn (left) puts up her shot as Central Pulse defender Parris Mason, Steel shooter Georgia Heffernan and Pulse defender Kelly Jackson watch on under the hoop in Invercargill. PHOTO: MICHAEL BRADLEY PHOTOGRAPHY
Netball New Zealand chief executive Jennie Wyllie believes things are heading in the right direction for the sport.
She confirmed last week the ANZ Premiership, facing an uncertain future due to a new broadcast deal, would return next year with all six teams involved and was likely to be played during the same time frame as this season.
The 2025 season has hit the ground running and Wyllie said broadcast ratings were up 40% and the community game was "thriving".
"What we're seeing is Kiwis are loving it," Wyllie told the Otago Daily Times.
"It's all pointing in the right direction for netball."
The ANZ Premiership has been slashed from three rounds to two this season — which means teams get only 10 games before the playoffs — and there have been innovations including the two-point shot, timeouts and a coaches box.
Wyllie said there had been some "heart-stopping moments" through the opening games, and while she conceded two rounds did not make a long season, she was pleased all teams hit the court strongly.
Like many traditional netballers, Wyllie admitted she had reservations about introducing the two-point shot, but felt it had its place.
"It's going down well. The players are enjoying it," she said.
"Sometimes you could have been a minute to go, three goals down and thought the game was done — that is no longer the case.
"I think those kind of things have been really interesting talking points and great to be able to see it come to life as we envisaged it when we were planning."
The tactical nature of timeouts, and when coaches used their coaches box to deliver messages during the game, intrigued her the most.
"What I've loved is the strategic nature of what I'm hearing from the coaches box, when they're using their timeouts and when they're talking with their players.
"We've got three new coaches in the mix this year and it's brought a really different dynamic.
"I'm really impressed with how they're all being quite strategic.
"I think that for me as a netty is really exciting."
Aside from their blip against the Central Pulse at the weekend, the Southern Steel have been tracking well this season.
They recorded a massive win over the Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic and were pipped by one point against the defending champions, the Northern Mystics.
Even Wyllie thought the Steel had secured a win over the Mystics — "I was screaming at the TV that there was time" — but she was proud to see how they were bouncing back after a tough couple of years.
"I think it's amazing resilience and to see a team that have had a tough few years, injury plagues, with a fresh new coach in there, they've been formidable."
The ANZ Premiership reaches the halfway point this weekend.
The Mainland Tactix hold top spot with three wins and one loss.
The Pulse and the Mystics, who are awaiting results on Australian Diamond Donnell Wallam's wrist injury, round out the top three.
The Steel sit fourth with one win and three losses, followed by the Magic — who picked up their first win on Monday — and the Northern Stars.
In round five, the Steel are home to the Tactix, the Pulse meet the Mystics and in a repeat of this week's game, the Stars play the Magic.
kayla.hodge@odt.co.nz
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