Super Netball updates rules for COVID-impacted teams and clarifies rules for borrowed players

The Super Netball League, in consultation with itse eight teams, has updated the protocols for the use of nominated athletes under its COVID-19 Contingency Framework.

The framework was designed to support the competition’s communication, preparation and response planning in circumstances where there is an increased risk of COVID-19 exposure.

If significantly impacted by COVID-19, a team must exhaust their own list of contracted and nominated athletes and training partners - dependent on position (goalers, midcourt and defenders) - before applying to select another club’s nominated athlete.

Prior to the season's start, the competition announced a new COVID-19 contingency framework that aimed to keep the season alive and provide support to impacted teams in 2022.

With each Super Netball team having 10 contracted athletes, four nominated athletes, as well as other training partners, the update for nominated athletes aims to provide further certainty across the home-and-away season.

It advises:

• Nominated athletes can represent up to two teams other than their own throughout the home-and-away season

• Nominated athletes cannot play against their original team

There are currently no changes to the availability of other training partners.

Explaining the change, Suncorp Super Netball Executive General Manager - Commercial and Events, Adam Richardson advised “we will continue to work with the Suncorp Super Netball teams so that the COVID-19 Contingency Framework can best support our competition.

“Whilst it is a contingency, the framework does provide opportunities for talented, emerging athletes to play at the highest level, while maintaining the competition’s integrity and status as the world’s best netball league.”

Each Suncorp Super Netball team has a number of contracted athletes under each of the following categories:

Contracted athlete/final squad: 10 athletes contracted to the Suncorp Super Netball team for the season. These players are named in the final squad for each match, unless they are unavailable due to injury or illness.

Nominated athletes: Each Suncorp Super Netball team must nominate four training partners prior to Round 1 of the season. These players can be brought into the final squad if a contracted athlete becomes unavailable in line with the League’s Competition and Compliance Rules. Nominated athletes are not available to be contracted to another Suncorp Super Netball team, unless to permanently replace a player for the remainder of the season.

Other training partners: Each Suncorp Super Netball team may contract any number of other training partners during a season. These training partners are not restricted athletes and are available to play for other teams, if called upon.