Kim Green believes the new Super Netball bonus points system is flawed saying it has altered the way the game is played.
Super Netball introduced new scoring rules this season, with teams now earning four points for a win plus the potential to win a bonus point for each quarter.
The changes are a result of recommendations from Super Netball’s game plan work group endorsed by Netball Australia’s board. With each team able to secure as many as eight competition points per game, NA executive general manager Chris Symington said at the time it would “incentivise” teams to make every quarter count and reward the closeness of the competition.
But Green, whose premiership-chasing Giants Netball will look to seal a finals finish with a win over the NSW Swifts in their Sydney derby at the ICC Sydney on Sunday, has not been a fan.
The Swifts were in sixth place heading into the weekend, trailing the Sunshine Coast despite having won more games than the Lightning.
And the former Australia vice-captain said there was still plenty of room for improvement with the points system.
“I still think it’s flawed. My opinion on it hasn’t changed too much,” she said.
“If anything [this season] has proven there needed to be more thought into it. The board that decided on it were basing it on previous years in that it wouldn’t have changed the top four.
“But if you change a rule any athlete is going to find a loophole. Whether it be a fun game at training or something serious like bonus points in competition. That’s just us, it’s what athletes do. Not just us but every team.
“With this system you see teams trying to manipulate games to get bonus points. At the moment the Swifts are behind the Lightning having won more games. Come the finals if it finishes that way all hell will break loose if that’s the case.
“I don’t know they’ve really thought about draws. We’ve seen a lot of drawn quarters. I don’t know it’s rewarding the closeness of games which is what the system was trying to provide.
“As a player you come off the court exhausted because you’re always thinking about it. As a viewer watching I still like it. But I think it needs a rethink on what points are given out for.”
It has been a busy time for Green who hopes to lead the Giants to their first Super Netball crown to cap a memorable year after the mid-courter made a comeback from a serious knee injury.
Green and former elite netballer Sarah Wall will launch their My Netfit app on Saturday, with the app providing interactive netball resources for players and coaches including fitness, nutrition, coaching and well-being plans.
“We constantly get messages every day asking what to eat before a game, how to fall asleep after a big game, coaches might be asking what to do with a team of 13-year-olds that have just started to play,” Green said.
“The app has resources for everyone. That’s what we wanted to create. You can go online on your phone and access information and drills. All our drills are filmed by drones so you can see them from different angles.
“It’s something different that the netball world haven’t seen before. And you don’t even have to be a netballer. Any every day person who wants to be fit and healthy can use it.”
Green also helped launch the first Giants and Swifts indigenous-inspired dresses last week as part of Super Netball’s inaugural Indigenous Round.
The My Netfit app is available to download on Google Play and through the app store.
