“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.” Charles Darwin was, of course, talking about the evolution of species when he penned these words, but as the Super Netball 2023 season drew to a close over the weekend, the sentiment stood out as particularly relevant.
In yet another season where politics, chaos and calamity have dominated the conversations around the Super Netball, casual viewers could be forgiven for not fully appreciating the incredible season that has played out on the court. The 2023 season showcased the evolution of the competition - in the skill and athleticism of the players, but most of all in the tactical approach of the coaches.
This season had the smallest average winning margin in Super Netball history with 11 games decided by just one goal and a grand final (and semi final) that required extra time to decide the winner. So too have eyes on the game increased - club memberships are up 20% on last year and international broadcast viewers have risen by a staggering 260%. Despite the issues that have plagued the sport administratively, players and coaches have been able to take the competition to a new level.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, it is the coaches of the two grand finalists who best exemplify the evolution of the league. Traditionally, coaches have relied on a set starting seven, to which they made few changes throughout each match - save for injuries or bringing on a bench player when the game was beyond doubt. While some of the Super Netball’s coaches continue to fall back on this method, the NSW Swifts’ Briony Akle and the Adelaide Thunderbirds’ Tania Obst found success in the flexibility and agility of their line ups. With trust in their full squads of 10 - and beyond on the many occasions training partners were required to step into the match day teams - both coaches embraced the unpredictability and made it their strength.
From Akle’s use of different defensive combinations to control momentum swings in each match and her development of 19-year-old shooter Sophie Fawns into an attacking weapon to be deployed during the super shot periods, to Obst’s midcourt manoeuvres and the progression of her own young shooter Lucy Austin, these coaches put on a tactical masterclass throughout the season.
Obst acknowledges the growth in her own approach over her years coaching in different environments. “In all honesty, if I look back on my coaching career, I never used to make changes,” she said. “But this is the world’s best netball competition, so while we put out a seven each week, it is about understanding the athlete on the court and what is required at certain times. The game is just evolving so fast.”
With the Netball World Cup in Cape Town less than three weeks away, eyes now turn to the world stage, with players who will represent six different nations at the World Cup playing across a competition that has also evolved. While it may call Australia home, Super Netball is now undeniably a competition that belongs to the world.
Nowhere was that more evident than in its premiers. Claiming their first premiership in 10 years - and first of the Super Netball era - the Thunderbirds achieved this feat without a single player who will represent Australia in Cape Town. Instead they built a rock solid defensive structure around Jamaicans Shamera Sterling and Latanya Wilson and recruited English shooter Eleanor Cardwell to fill the void that had plagued them in attack for years. Around this international spine, they recruited players - mostly South Australians that have not made a ripple on the Diamonds radar - who proved their worth.
Critics of Super Netball’s unlimited import rule have long bemoaned the way it allows international players to hone skills and build combinations, while testing them against Diamonds players week-in, week-out. However as one of the most resourced countries in world netball, this is a responsibility that Australia can and should take on. The league’s team of the year - based on statistical output - contained an entirely Jamaican back line where Sterling and Wilson were joined by Collingwood’s Jodi-Ann Ward and Jamaican captain Jhaniele Fowler as goal shooter. It is a warning to the rest of the world - Jamaica will not be satisfied with their silver at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and have built a team with the ability to win gold in Cape Town.
Regardless of who wins the World Cup, the impact of the Australian league on world netball cannot be underestimated. As the competition continues to grow, it will inevitably take the world along with it - beginning not only an evolution, but a revolution.
