Super shot
All the chat surrounding the opening round of the competition centred on the addition of the two-point shot.
The initiative — which is in play for the final five minutes of each quarter — has been lauded in Australia’s domestic competition. From the opening round, shooters landed 25 of 65 attempts from the two-point range and it was interesting to see different tactics in play.
It took until just before halftime in the opening game between the Central Pulse and the Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic for the first attempt to drop. But in the Auckland derby between the Northern Mystics and the Northern Stars, eight shots landed in the opening quarter before both teams sizzled out from the hot zone.
There were always going to be teething issues through the first few rounds, and the two-point zone was used less than people might have thought, so it will be interesting to watch as the competition progresses.
Stars did not align
It was a gut-wrenching opening game for the Stars as they saw three of their starting side go down with what appeared to be serious injuries.
Wing defence Greer Sinclair was the first to succumb to what looked like a season-ending knee injury, defender Kate Burley picked up an ankle complaint, and shooter Charlie Bell was stretchered off with an ankle injury late in the game.
The Stars said on Monday Bell was "tracking positively" for Sunday’s game. The injuries forced the Stars to completely empty their bench, and considering the Stars already had Samon Nathan out nursing a niggle, and Mila Reuelu-Buchanan was supposed to be on managed minutes as she returned from an ACL injury, it made for grim reading.
Captain Maia Wilson called it heartbreaking as she battled through tears in her post-match interview and said in her 10 years of elite netball she had never been involved in a game like it.
Unexpected homecoming
How many 40-year-olds — and mothers of five — can say they made their elite netball return 14 years after last pulling on the same dress? Liana Leota can.
While she expected to settled into her new role as Southern Steel assistant coach for their opening game, Leota was a late call-up when co-captain Kate Heffernan was ruled out with a knee injury. Leota played nine minutes, finishing with seven feeds and three goal assists, in their loss to the Tactix.
"I would do anything for this team" Leota told Sky Sport after the game.
"Pulling on the dress for five, 10 minutes, I would do it all over again."
But the real concern is around the seriousness of Heffernan’s injury.
Heffernan has been a mainstay since signing as a replacement player in 2018 and has established herself as a starting Silver Fern. She will be a big loss if she is sidelined for weeks.
Naughty chair
Did Aliyah Dunn warrant a suspension? The Steel shooter clipped the feet of defender Karin Burger as she tried to get out of the way for her landing space. But officials deemed it was dangerous play with Burger landing on the floor, and Dunn was suspended for two minutes.
It was a tough task for the Steel without a key position on the court and there has been an outcry online from fans saying it was not warranted.
Umpires cracked down on dangerous play last year in a bid to clean up the game.
Finger on the Pulse
The Pulse sent an early warning sign to the rest of the competition with their 57-44 win over the Magic. But the real head-scratcher was the Magic’s performance.
Many expected the Magic to make the top three for the first time this season — including commentators Jenny Woods, Anna Stanley and Adine Wilson — but their performance was well off the pace. Captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio called it a humbling reality check.
But if that is how the Pulse performed with players on limited minutes, and replacements taking to the court, their rematch of last year’s final against the Mystics this weekend will be a humdinger.
