Winning quarter bonus could be a loser for development

Giants captain Kim Green is wary of Super Netball’s radical new scoring system but hopes it becomes an engaging element for fans.

Returning Giants skipper Kim Green.

Giants captain Kim Green is wary of Super Netball’s radical new scoring system but hopes it becomes an engaging ­element for fans.

Teams can earn up to eight points per match under the modified points set-up to debut when the competition’s second season starts this weekend. Four points will be awarded for a win and two for a draw, along with a point to the winner of each quarter.

Green described the new system as “interesting”.

“The players in particular are very concerned about the development of players coming through,” Green said. “You’re probably not going to see changes in the last quarter if you’re up by 10 just to get those players on. That was our main concern.

“But in terms of giving another element to the game it’s really cool to get the spectators to get around it. I think they’re a little bit confused at the moment but, once the season starts, I think they’ll be really relishing it.”

Another major change is allowing basketball-style coaching from the sidelines for the first time, while other minor alterations include doubling the number of time-outs from two to four.

Green will finally return to action on Saturday to lead the Giants in their grand final rematch against reigning premiers Sunshine Coast Lightning. It comes 14 months after the mid-court linchpin and former Diamonds vice-captain had surgery on a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.

“I’ve been in rehab for about nine months so, yeah, I’m over it and ready to get out there,” she said. “Playing Sunshine Coast will give us an idea of how our pre-­season has gone, if we’ve done enough work. To go up against the best is really important and to do that round one we’ll know straight away where we stand.”

New West Coast Fever captain Courtney Bruce is confident her team is good enough to make the finals this season.

The Fever finished seventh last season, winning just two of their 14 games to narrowly avoid the wooden spoon. But the recruitment of Jamaican goalshooter Jhaniele Fowler and the return from injury of Shannon Eagland has boosted hopes of a swift rise up the ladder in 2018.

The Fever have been in hot form during the pre-season, and Bruce is confident of carrying that into the season proper. “We’re definitely talking about top-four,” she said ahead of the round-one showdown with the Thunderbirds in Adelaide on Sunday.

“We want to be playing finals,” she said. “We think we have the capabilities to be in that position. We’re definitely not shying away from having those conversations. We’ve had a really strong pre-season. We’re the strongest and fittest we’ve ever been.”

The 196cm tall Fowler looms as the critical inclusion.

AAP