Player power influential in ANZ Premiership’s two point shot rule change

Wednesday, 12 March 2025

The ANZ Premiership could be set for a significant shake-up

A bold move to bring the two point ‘Super Shot’ into the ANZ Premiership was years in the making and approved after overwhelming support from players and coaches.

New Zealand’s domestic netball league will break with tradition this season after confirmation last Friday the two point shot will be introduced for the first time.

The ANZ Premiership follows in the footsteps of Australia’s Super Netball, who brought in the radical rule for the delayed 2020 season. England’s Netball Super League will also unveil the two point shot for their upcoming season.

The idea of the two point shot in the ANZ Premiership had been bandied about in various end of season reviews in previous years.

After the 2024 competition, the concept received overwhelming support from players, coaches, team chief executives, and other stakeholders in their end of season feedback.

It was trialled in some informal training matches and in men’s games between the Mystics and Stars last season.

Steel goal attack Georgia Heffernan is among the better long range shooters in New Zealand netball.

Netball New Zealand chief executive Jennie Wyllie said their players had spoken around the two point shot and were eager for greater innovation and change.

“I think everyone had seen it trialled and with any change there’s always a mixed view on things, but the majority were really keen to be able to put it in and have a go…

“We’ve been working on this for a while and it’s been a really open and transparent conversation with our teams and coaches.”

In the Australian and English competitions, shooters must be 3m away from the goalpost for shots to be doubled.

Netball New Zealand boss Jennie Wylie says their stakeholders spoke loud and clear about the introduction of a two point shot for the ANZ Premiership.

The ANZ Premiership had taken a different approach with shooters needing to be least 3.5m away from the goalpost for the two point shot (as with the Fast5 shortened version). Like the Australia and England competitions, the ‘Super Shot’ would be in effect in the last five minutes of each quarter.

ANZ Premiership players indicated in their feedback if they were going to score two point goals it needed to be challenging.

“It was player voice that really led us and said if we’re going to do a two point shot, let’s make it worthwhile.

“Don’t make it something that is in no-man’s land. Make it something that there is some skill involved in it. It’s not a turn and biff it.”

Stars goal attack Amorangi Malesala puts up a long range attempt against the Pulse last season.

While the two point shot was announced publicly last Friday, Wyllie said it was formally agreed last year. NNZ decided to wait until closer to the start of the season, which begins on May 10 with the Pulse hosting the Magic in Palmerston North, before announcing it.

The six premiership teams had been well informed in the process. Some had potentially made different contracting decisions in their shooting ends to coincide with the rule change.

The two point shot will not be the only new innovation for the 2025 competition, which operates under a two full round format this season (down from three full rounds).

Tactix shooter Te Paea Selby-Rickit lines up an attempt at goal in a match against the Magic in 2022.

There will also be a coach’s box designated space in front of the team’s bench to allow more direct engagement and strategic communication with players.

Each team will be able to call one strategic timeout per half (must be requested by an on-court player after a goal is scored). Umpires will wear microphones with live audio broadcast in the stadium to provide fans greater insight into officiating decisions and improving clarity.

Wyllie understood not all netball traditionalists would be accepting of the two point shot, which is not used internationally and in the sport’s official rules. She hoped over time they could win over those supporters.

“What we know around many things is change brings uncertainty. Until you see it in action you don’t know what you don’t know.

“I think there is absolutely a place for the voice of people that may not be super-fans of it just yet, but let’s see how the season rolls out and I’m sure many of them will come around to that innovation.”

With netball’s three leading professional leagues all using the two point shot, it would create conversation about whether it could one day feature internationally.

That decision would ultimately rest with the sport’s governing body, World Netball. Seeing it play out in real time across those competitions could provide World Netball with food for thought, Wyllie believed.

“There’s previous evidence that World Netball does take its lead from what potentially New Zealand and Australia do within their own domestic market as the leading netball nations around the world.

“It’s a great chance for World Netball to see it trialled and trialled under pressure with the very best umpires and determine whether there’s any merit in bringing it into the world game. It’s a great opportunity for them to see it in situ [the original place] really.”