Net Gains: Why Jamie-Lee Price’s suspension could open the flood gates

After six rounds the season has its first suspension under the new rules, EMMA GREENWOOD writes it could be the first of many, as she wraps up another huge Super Netball round in Net Gains.

It’s surprising it’s taken six weeks to happen given World Netball’s new rules but Jamie-Lee Price’s suspension in the sold out NSW derby could open the flood gates for the Super Netball season.

Revised World Netball rules which put greater emphasis on player safety, came into effect at the start of the year, with many predicting suspensions could become a regular instance in Super Netball.

The new rules lower the threshold for suspending players but no player had been sidelined so far this Super Netball season despite four instances in the first round alone in New Zealand’s ANZ Championship.

Now, any play which results in the head or neck area being contacted - regardless of intent - must be considered dangerous play and the player suspended or ordered off.

Also, as was the case in the Price incident, there is emphasis on protecting players in the air or attempting to land, and while the Giants player believed she was simply trying to win ball, under strict definitions she essentially “burrowed” under her Swifts opponent Allie Smith and took away her landing space, with the wing defence hitting the floor hard.

“I think it was an interesting call, you’re going for the ball and they land on top of you,” Price said.

Lili Gorman-Brown of the Swifts is challenged by Jamie-Lee Price. Picture: Getty Images)

“But you’ve just got to adapt. Stuff happens and you’ve just got to move on quite quickly.”

Several incidents earlier this season raised eyebrows about how consistently the new rules were being applied in the world’s best league, with some contact to the head or neck area that seemed as though it should deserve a suspension being allowed.

The Giants rolled the dice in bringing Price straight back on to the court, given any further infringement would have resulted in the Diamond’s ordering off.

Ironically the last played to be sent off was Giants defender - and new Melbourne Mavericks replacement player - Kristiana Manu’a, who was suspended, and then ordered off in a game against Sunshine Coast Lightning in 2020.

Price, whose game revolves around her strength and aerial ability, said she would not change the way she played.

“I’m not proud of obviously (being) the first one getting sent off the court, but that’s just the rules and that’s what the umpire thought at the end of the day, so I can’t really do anything about that,” she told Fox Netball.

“I’m not going to change the way I play. I’m still going to go for the ball.

“Obviously, I need to have a look at how I can get out of the way because when people are landing, they’ve got the landing space, I obviously need to find ways to get out of the way so yeah, I’ll have a look at it.”

The Giants clawed their way back into the match following the incident in the opening minutes of the game but could not maintain the level, with the Swifts winning by 24 points in front of almost 10,000 fans at Ken Rosewall Arena.

Kadie-Ann Dehaney was fantastic at the weekend. Picture: Getty Images

DEHANEY ON SONG

She headed into the clash between the Fever and Thunderbirds with possibly the lowest profile among the six Jamaicans on court but Kadie-Ann Dehaney emerged as the difference between the two teams and the reason West Coast maintained their unbeaten start to the season.

While much of the attention before - and during - the clash was on the head-to-head match-up between star Fever shooter Jhaniele Fowler and the Thunderbirds’ goalkeeping ace Shamera Sterling, it was Dehaney’s battle against veteran Romelda Aiken-George that proved more telling in a thriller eventually won 57-56 by the Fever.

So great has Dehaney’s impact been this season, Fox Netball commentators have taken to calling her “DeGainey” for her ball-nabbing ability.

In an MVP performance, the 192cm Dehaney had four gains including two intercepts and with a massive 10 deflections, was getting her hand to everything, frustrating Aiken-George, currently the most experienced player in the league.

Gretel Bueta isn’t ruling out a return. Picture: Richard Walker

BUETA: ‘I’M NOT RETIRED’

They’re the words every Firebirds and Diamonds fans wants to hear, with ace goaler Gretel Bueta - on sabbatical this season after taking a year out following the birth of her second child - confirming she hasn’t retired.

Bueta appeared with youngest son Toby in her arms during the broadcast of the Firebirds-Mavericks game, saying she was enjoying full-time motherhood.

But the woman regarded as the best goal attack in the world in 2022 when she dominated the Quad Series and Commonwealth Games for the Diamonds hasn’t shut the door on a return.

“I haven’t retired but they’re both keeping me busy,” she said of her young boys, “so we’ll just wait and see.”

Bueta has already shown how good a player she remains in motherhood, coming back to Super Netball just months after the birth of first son Bobby before dominating at international level in 2022.

Certainly the Firebirds and Diamonds are willing to work around Bueta during her time away from the game, hoping she makes another return.

Liz Watson had a dream return to Melbourne. Picture: Getty Images

WATSON TAKE POINTS ON RETURN

She faced them briefly in the pre-season Team Girls Cup but Liz Watson’s return to John Cain Arena was the real test for the Australian captain up against her former side the Melbourne Vixens.

And it was a triumphant return that may just mark a turning point for the side pegged by many as genuine premiership contenders this season.

The Lightning handed the Vixens their first Super Netball loss in Saturday’s clash at John Cain Arena, rebounding from the bitter disappointment of the scoreboard fiasco against the Giants, with Watson among the best for the visitors.

In a typically busy performance, Watson finished with 22 goal assists and 45 feeds but also an uncharacteristic seven turnovers while she attracted the attention of three different defenders.

With the underrated Kate Eddy out of action, the Vixens started tall Rudi Ellis on Watson before Jo Weston, and then Gabrielle Coffey took on the assignment.

IF Watson was strong, Leesa Mi Mi was outstanding, taking MVP honours after finishing with 19 goal assists and 30 feeds, two intercepts and just two turnovers in 60 minutes on court.

Playing for the Firebirds as a temporary replacement player last season, Mi Mi announced herself as a player to watch with a stunning performance on Watson against the Vixens.

On Saturday, she was just as impressive, getting the points over Diamonds midcourter Kate Moloney and rising star Hannah Mundy.

The Vixens are sure to bounce back. Picture: Getty Images

VIXENS DETERMINED TO BOUNCE BACK

It’s not as if they needed a wake-up call but the Vixens’ first loss of the season will have them primed for a top-of-the-table clash against the Fever in Perth.

Coach Simone McKinnis was disappointed with several elements of the Vixens’ play, including basic skill elements and their slow starts to quarters.

“We’ve actually been pretty good, we’ve been strong starting the game and the start of the first quarter was 0-6,” McKinnis said.

The Vixens bounced back from that, responding with a 19-8 run to take a five-goal lead to the opening quarter only for the same thing to happen the next quarter.

“We have to have a chat about that because that’s something that you’re not stepping on to that court not ready in some ways.”

McKinnis though said the Vixens would have to take learnings from the match and had to do that quickly to be ready to face the unbeaten Fever.

“It’s probably one of the biggest challenges in the comp,” she said.

“You’ve got to be excited about it, you’ve got to get on to it, you can’t be sorry for yourself and think ‘coulda, shoulda, woulda’, it’s righto, next, let’s go.”

The Mavericks are sitting sixth on the ladder? Picture: Getty Images

TOUGH MAVS IN TOUCH

For all their woes over the opening six rounds of the season - they had yet another player added to their injury list last week - it’s miraculous that the Melbourne Mavericks are in touch with the top four and determined to be in the finals conversation this season.

After notching their second win of the season with a 69-62 victory over the Queensland Firebirds in Brisbane, the Mavericks were level on points with fourth place on the live ladder before the NSW Swifts moved a win ahead following their victory in the NSW derby.

With two players out for the season, and various players including Eleanor Cardwell, Rolene Streutker and Tayla Fraser out at various times, the Mavs have had every reason to find excuses to fail.

But that’s not their style and having notched their second win are now showing themselves to be genuine contenders.

“In respect to challenging for finals, that was always in our minds before Christmas - always,” coach Tracey Neville said.

“Obviously we’ve had a few hiccups along the way but why are you in this competition if you don’t want to win?

“We sat down this week and we just went you know these next two games are very, very important to us in respect to what we want to put out there and how we want to set the standard going forward.

“We could either be four-and-three (4-3) or one-and-six (1-6) and that was something that when the team reflected on it, we were like, you know, we want to be in the best position we can to be challenging that.

“And then that puts the threat on the scoreboard and puts the threat on the opposition to come out and compete against us and that’s really important.”

Originally published as Net Gains: Why Jamie-Lee Price’s suspension could open the flood gates